Blood in stool in baby
introduction
Anyone who finds blood in or on their baby's stool is understandably concerned about their child's health. Even if the cause is often harmless, you should contact your pediatrician; especially if large amounts of blood are leaked, blood is repeatedly found in the stool, or if the child has other symptoms of a serious underlying illness such as fever, diarrhea and / or vomiting.
They can not only help you to find the cause of the bleeding, but also, if necessary, initiate further examinations or treatment if there is a suspicion of a serious illness.
What are the causes?
There are numerous reasons for blood in a baby's stool. A common cause are small tears in the intestinal or anal mucosa, so-called Fissures. Because their mucous membrane is still sensitive, babies are particularly prone to injuries such as those caused by very firm stool, but can also occur with diarrhea.
Read more on the topic:
- Diarrhea in the baby
- Constipation in the baby
- Sticky stool in the baby
Another common cause of blood in stools is gastrointestinal infections. These can be viral or bacterial, for example by Salmonella, E. Coli, Schigellen, and others. Bloody diarrhea can result from the inflammation of the young intestinal mucosa.
Read more on the topic: Norovirus Infection In Babies - How Dangerous Is It?
In such a situation a doctor should be contacted; not only to treat the causative infection, but also to recognize and treat a severe course and possible complications in good time. Because of their low body weight and their not yet fully developed immune system, babies are significantly more prone to complications such as Dehydration (severe dehydration) than adults.
Read more on the topic:
- Dehydration - How Do You Know If You Are Dehydrated?
- Dehydration in children
Food intolerance, such as cow's milk, is another possible trigger for bloody stools in babies. Up to 3% of toddlers suffer from a cow's milk allergy, which can lead to inflammation of the intestinal mucosa and thus bloody stools. Even breastfed babies can develop bloody stools as a result of a cow's milk allergy, since breastfeeding mothers who consume dairy products can pass on the allergy-causing proteins to the infant through their breast milk.
Read more on the topic: Rash from milk
Another important cause of bloody stools in babies and toddlers is a telescopic invagination from one section of the intestine along the longitudinal axis into another, which medical practitioners consider Intussusception referred to as. The child suffers from sudden, colicky pain. In the further course it can come to "raspberry jelly-like", bloody stools. At this point at the latest, a doctor should be contacted urgently in order to fix the problem quickly before permanent damage occurs to the trapped intestinal sections.
Read more on the topic: Baby abdominal pain - what is it?
vaccination
As useful and lifesaving as vaccinations are, unfortunately it is inevitable that a few children will experience side effects, which can include blood in the stool. Furthermore, with the introduction of the rotavirus vaccination, there were individual reports of intussusception cases. These occurred mainly in children who were older than was actually recommended for vaccination at the time of vaccination. That is why experts advise that the rotavirus vaccination be carried out as early as possible, ideally from 6 weeks of age, in order to keep the risk of this complication as low as possible.
Read more about the topics:
- Vaccination against the rotavirus
- Vaccinations in the baby
- Side effects from vaccinations in the baby
teething
Even a teething baby can develop bloody stools. The cause may be swallowed blood that escapes when the teeth erupt.
In addition, many babies suffer from sore buttocks, especially during this time, which, if severe, can bleed and stool red.
Read more on the topic:
- Get rid of eczema on the buttocks
- Teething rash in the baby
Furthermore, the time of teething also represents the time in which the baby's food is increasingly being changed, as a result of which food intolerance to the new food can also appear.
Read more on the topic: Teething in the baby
After administration of suppositories
Even after the administration of suppositories, small bleeding can occur, which can then be found in the stool.
The reason for this can be small injuries to the sensitive intestinal mucosa that occur either when the suppository is inserted or when the child tries to press the suppository out again.
Read more on the topic: Fever suppositories (for babies and children)
Through breast milk?
An allergy to the proteins in breast milk can also lead to bloody stools in babies. Often one does not find an allergy in babies to the proteins of the mother herself, but to foods that she has ingested and then passes on to the infant via the milk.
Read more on the topic:
- Baby's allergy to cow's milk
- The feeding of the baby - The recommendation for infants
- Colic for three months
- Atopic dermatitis in babies
diagnosis
In order to make a diagnosis, the pediatrician will need some information about you and your child. After a physical examination of the child, during which the cause of the bleeding can possibly already be identified, further diagnostic steps can follow if necessary, such as stool examinations for causative germs, blood tests or an ultrasound if intussusception is suspected.
If, in the end, however, an intolerance is suspected, the suspected trigger is dispensed with both diagnostically and therapeutically. If this improves the symptoms, the diagnosis can be regarded as secure. If not, further diagnostic tests must be undertaken.
Read more on the topic: Recognize intestinal obstruction in babies
Concomitant symptoms
The presence of other symptoms can provide important clues as to the cause of the bloody stools.
For example, if the child has a fever, diarrhea and / or vomiting, an infection is the main cause.
If bloody, raspberry jelly-like stools occur together with sudden onset of colic, intussusception could be the cause and should therefore prompt parents to go to a child's emergency room immediately.
On the other hand, if the affected child (or close relatives) is also suffering from illnesses such as neurodermatitis or allergies, this makes food intolerance more likely.
Read more on similar topics:
- Recognize intestinal obstruction in babies
- Green stool in the baby
Blood and phlegm
The combined appearance of mucus and blood in a baby's stool is an indication of inflammation of the intestinal mucosa, which can occur as a result of intolerance but also infections. The inflammatory reaction not only promotes injuries to the mucous membrane, it also ensures that the intestinal mucous membrane produces more mucus and secretes fluid.
You can find out what other causes of mucus in your baby's stool can be found at:
Slimy stool in babies - causes & therapy
diarrhea
Diarrhea can also be accompanied by blood in babies' stools. On the one hand, diarrhea can cause damage to the intestinal lining due to the aggressive secretions and the high volumes that pass through the intestines, which can lead to bloody stools.
On the other hand, diarrhea can also be an indication of an infection or a food intolerance. In any case, bloody diarrhea should be clarified by a doctor, as it can indicate a serious illness and may require further diagnostic steps and treatment measures.
Read more on the topic:
- Medication for diarrhea
- Baby abdominal pain - what is it?
Treatment and therapy
Treatment depends on the underlying cause.
In the case of small fissures, i.e. cracks in the mucous membrane, a change in diet can help regulate the baby's bowel movements in order to avoid hard stools.
In the case of infections of the gastrointestinal tract, the focus is on symptomatic treatment, i.e. the supply of sufficient fluids to compensate for losses caused by vomiting and diarrhea. Here it is important to observe the child closely in order to quickly recognize a deterioration in the state of health. Regular weighing can also help to assess whether the child is drinking enough. If the baby is unable to take in the required amount of fluids, it may require inpatient treatment, in which the child is supplied with fluids through the vein.
Read more on the topic: Dehydration - How Do You Know If You Are Dehydrated?
If an intolerance is the problem causing the problem, the strict avoidance of the triggering food is the therapy of choice.
Intestinal invagination requires rapid medical therapy in the hospital. Here, the intestine is usually everted out again by a careful enema under ultrasound control. In severe cases, however, an operation may also be necessary, especially if the intestinal tissue has already been permanently damaged.
Duration and forecast
The prognosis for bloody stools in babies depends on the underlying disease, but is generally very good.
Anal fissures, for example, can be managed well with stool-regulating measures and often appear by themselves as the child gets older and the mucous membrane becomes less sensitive.
If the cause is infectious, the prognosis is also good, provided that the fluid loss is adequately replaced and no complications occur (see course of the disease). However, if the stool has not returned to normal after a week, the pediatrician should be contacted to be on the safe side.
Even with food intolerances, the baby's bowel movements should normalize quickly after the trigger is removed from the menu. In many cases it is even the case that the intolerance disappears by itself during further development and there are no more problems with consuming the affected food in childhood or adolescence.
Even if the intestinal invagination is detected in good time, the prognosis is good and the child can be quickly discharged home after a short period of monitoring in the clinic. It should be noted, however, that around 20% of small patients develop further intussusception, so parents should be made aware of early detection.
Course of disease
Even if the prognosis for gastrointestinal infections is generally good, the course of the disease can also be complicated in babies and small children.
With certain bacterial infections, for example through special E. Coli strains, not only can massive blood and fluid losses occur, but also blood cells and kidney damage, which is then called hemolytic uremic syndrome referred to as.
Even an intussusception that is not recognized or recognized too late can take a complicated course, since the invaginated intestinal sections are no longer adequately supplied with blood and as a result can die. This represents an acute emergency and requires an operation as soon as possible, during which the affected section of the intestine must be removed.
