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What Causes Green Stool In A Child?
Question: My four and a half month kid is suffering from loose stool since a month, initially she had few bloods and frothy greenish stool, sometimes mucous as well, then slightly they changed into semi solid and yellow in colour but again after vaccination diarrohea started i mean runny stools, please guide me what to do
Brief Answer:
It could be normal
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on Health care magic.
For a baby of this age, it is normal to pass stool several times a day or even after each feed. It is also normal to pass green stool or a combination of yellow stool. The green colour occurs due to rapid transit through large intestine where the bile pigments do not get adequate time to convert to the yellow colour of stool. If the child is on breastfeeding, all you need to do is to increase the amount of breast feeding. Else, electrobion or ORS may be given 50-100ml/kg over 4 hours depending on the hydration level. The following link would give you the specifics of the same:
http://www.fpnotebook.com/mobile/peds/fen/orlrhydrtnthrpyprtclinpdtrcdhydrtn.htm
Breast milk takes care of immunity against common ailments including diarrhea. So, automatically your worries would be reduced. During this period it is better to withhold formula milk if feasible. You need to monitor the urinary output. If it is more than 6-8 times in 24 hours, it is not a cause for concern.
In future if you observe blood in stool, you would need to get the stool tested and based on the reports appropriate antibiotics would need to be administered.
Regards
It could be normal
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on Health care magic.
For a baby of this age, it is normal to pass stool several times a day or even after each feed. It is also normal to pass green stool or a combination of yellow stool. The green colour occurs due to rapid transit through large intestine where the bile pigments do not get adequate time to convert to the yellow colour of stool. If the child is on breastfeeding, all you need to do is to increase the amount of breast feeding. Else, electrobion or ORS may be given 50-100ml/kg over 4 hours depending on the hydration level. The following link would give you the specifics of the same:
http://www.fpnotebook.com/mobile/peds/fen/orlrhydrtnthrpyprtclinpdtrcdhydrtn.htm
Breast milk takes care of immunity against common ailments including diarrhea. So, automatically your worries would be reduced. During this period it is better to withhold formula milk if feasible. You need to monitor the urinary output. If it is more than 6-8 times in 24 hours, it is not a cause for concern.
In future if you observe blood in stool, you would need to get the stool tested and based on the reports appropriate antibiotics would need to be administered.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Brief Answer:
Everyone's stool contains bacteria. That does not call for treatment.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back. As I mentioned, it is absolutely normal to pass stool 10 times a day and if the child is breast fed simply nothing more needs to be done. Can you suggest one person whose stool does not contain bacteria? Everybody's stool contains germs and that never indicates any infection. It is only a raised pus cell count that indicates infection. Unless it is present, it does not indicate infection and it is meaningless to prescribe antibiotics, especially when the baby is exclusively breast fed.
I am not bothered about the Proteus and the antibiotic sensitivity. It means nothing and does not require antibiotics. You have not indicated the pus cell count in the attached report and unless that is raised nothing needs to be done.
I have a suggestion for you. Get your and your spouse's stool tested (even though you presumably have no problem with your bowel habits). Culture will definitely show some bacteria like Proteus and will give some sensitivity report which is possibly resistant to most oral antibiotics. So, would you infer that you need to be treated with IV antibiotics as well?
XXXX
Everyone's stool contains bacteria. That does not call for treatment.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back. As I mentioned, it is absolutely normal to pass stool 10 times a day and if the child is breast fed simply nothing more needs to be done. Can you suggest one person whose stool does not contain bacteria? Everybody's stool contains germs and that never indicates any infection. It is only a raised pus cell count that indicates infection. Unless it is present, it does not indicate infection and it is meaningless to prescribe antibiotics, especially when the baby is exclusively breast fed.
I am not bothered about the Proteus and the antibiotic sensitivity. It means nothing and does not require antibiotics. You have not indicated the pus cell count in the attached report and unless that is raised nothing needs to be done.
I have a suggestion for you. Get your and your spouse's stool tested (even though you presumably have no problem with your bowel habits). Culture will definitely show some bacteria like Proteus and will give some sensitivity report which is possibly resistant to most oral antibiotics. So, would you infer that you need to be treated with IV antibiotics as well?
XXXX
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Issue in detail:
LO's age: 4.5 months, exclusively breast fed.
Runny stools on/off since 5 weeks. Initially blood and mucus in stools and stool color greenish.
Doctor asked for culture test and advised mother to withhold all dairy, wheat and animal protein (egg, nonveg) from diet, which I continue to do strictly.
Got stool culture at two labs - Apollo Labs had no pathogen, while Ragav's said Proteus infection, with resistance to all oral A/bs. Still on doctors advice gave Cefixime for 7 days. This was two weeks ago. The stool color improved to yellow and so did the consistency. We did third Stool Culture testing last week post A/bat Ragav's and now it shows Shigella infection (???)
LO was vaccined a week ago. I also started having Soya Milk (Sofit) and had it for a week. Worringly LO's stools are much more runnier since 3 days now, 6-7 times a day, urination 5-6 times. Now doctors are saying IV Amikacin for 5 days. I am confused if the runniness is because of Cefixime+ Vaccination + Soya Milk that I had or is it still bacterial infection?... Some guidance please. And if it is indeed bacterial, can I begin my normal Diet? Also will the 5 day IV Amikacin harm my baby? lastly if it is indeed a bacterial infection then have we delayed giving proper A/b to baby and how will this delay harm the LO? Please guide...
LO's age: 4.5 months, exclusively breast fed.
Runny stools on/off since 5 weeks. Initially blood and mucus in stools and stool color greenish.
Doctor asked for culture test and advised mother to withhold all dairy, wheat and animal protein (egg, nonveg) from diet, which I continue to do strictly.
Got stool culture at two labs - Apollo Labs had no pathogen, while Ragav's said Proteus infection, with resistance to all oral A/bs. Still on doctors advice gave Cefixime for 7 days. This was two weeks ago. The stool color improved to yellow and so did the consistency. We did third Stool Culture testing last week post A/bat Ragav's and now it shows Shigella infection (???)
LO was vaccined a week ago. I also started having Soya Milk (Sofit) and had it for a week. Worringly LO's stools are much more runnier since 3 days now, 6-7 times a day, urination 5-6 times. Now doctors are saying IV Amikacin for 5 days. I am confused if the runniness is because of Cefixime+ Vaccination + Soya Milk that I had or is it still bacterial infection?... Some guidance please. And if it is indeed bacterial, can I begin my normal Diet? Also will the 5 day IV Amikacin harm my baby? lastly if it is indeed a bacterial infection then have we delayed giving proper A/b to baby and how will this delay harm the LO? Please guide...
Answered by
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