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What Causes Green Stool In A Child?

Posted on Wed, 22 Jun 2016

Question: We have twins of three and half months old. They were born premature (34 weeks) and were on pre-nan and now on Nan Pro 1 for more than two months. They started crying non-stop and splitting milk frequently almost 8 days back. We consulted our paediatrician and were advised that reflux is common to 3-4months old babies. When the babies did not get any sleep for more than two nights and kept spiting milk, we were advised to give Dumstal before each feed and Phena-P on SOS basis. The spitting has reduced with medicine and 30 minutes of keeping them upright with efforts to get them burps. However the babies do spit milk sometimes. By the way their poo is green in colour since beginning. Is it due to the diet formula? Any advise on the above?

Answered by Dr. Sumanth Amperayani (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Your babies on the perfect track please continue the same medicines

Detailed Answer:
Hi.... your twin babies are on the right track of treatment....your pediatrician was right... reflex is very very common in this age group.

Unless the babies of faltering in growth and weight you need not worry about this. Please continue Domstal and the other medications as suggested by your pediatrician.

Coming to the greenish colour of the stools, it is also a normal finding. It is physiological for the babies to have this colour of motion when on mother feeds or formula feeds.

Unless the babies are getting dehydrated or passing less amount of urine or having stomach distention or having green coloured vomiting or blood in the motion you need not worry.

This colour of the motion is normal and is not due to the formula feeds.

Regards - Dr. Sumanth

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sumanth Amperayani (20 minutes later)

Dear Dr. XXXXXXX
Thanks very much for your advise, after each feed we see them feeling uneasy until they pass some gas, is there anything we should do to help them including any medication?

Look forward to your advise

Best regards

XXXX

Answered by Dr. Sumanth Amperayani (4 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
This is because of swallowed air

Detailed Answer:
Hi....this is because of swallowed air.

This is quite common in this age group. This happens when the baby sucks at the breast or nipple very fast and in eagerness to drink milk will gulp in air too. Unless the air comes out like burping or flatus this discomfort will be there and next time check if the baby is sucking too fast and gulping in air too. You will be more convinced.

Usually I don't advice any medicines for this as they give only temporary relief.

The two best ways to relieve this distress is -

1. Do not put the baby in lying position after feeding till the baby burps out the swallowed air.

2. If still uncomfortable - put the baby in prone position and keep patting the back gently so that the baby passes off the flatus and gets relieved.

Hope my answer was helpful for you. I am happy to help any time. Further clarifications and consultations on Health care magic are welcome. If you do not have any clarifications, you can close the discussion and rate the answer. Wish your kid good health.
Dr. Sumanth MBBS., DCH., DNB (Paed).,

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar