Bright feces in a child is not always the norm, although in infants it is usually associated with the use of a mixture of dairy products. However, with this symptom, it is important to monitor the child’s condition: if the problem does not go away for several days, there is fever, diarrhea, the baby feels unwell and weak, contact your pediatrician.
Features of feces in a child
As the child grows, both the shade of the stool and its structure change. So, the feces become more formed due to the introduction of vitamins, fats, etc. into the diet. Also influenced by food preferences. For example, after eating beetroot puree, feces and urine may become pink. The same thing happens when using other products that have coloring pigment.
The hue of the stool is completely dependent on the amount of bilirubin, the enzyme responsible for the liver. If the body produces this component in a normal amount, the color of the feces will be light brown, but if the liver is disrupted, the color of the discharge may become lighter. In addition, the more a person consumes dairy products, the lighter the fecal mass.
The task of pediatricians is to responsibly treat any changes in the feces and urine of the child, since they can indicate the presence of the disease.
Predisposing factors
Bright feces may occur in children of different ages. The main reasons include his eating habits. If we talk about infants and children up to two years old, then they have this color of feces may occur when consuming dairy products, too fatty foods. In this case, the structure itself feces will be oily. This is due to the fact that the digestive system cannot yet cope with such heavy food.
Influences on the chair of the child's food mom, taking certain medications and vitamins, the presence of diseases.
But there are other reasons:
- Teething.
- Introduction to the diet of new dishes.
- Consuming foods high in calcium.
Finding light excrement, it is necessary to assess the condition of the child - if he feels not very well, you should definitely consult a doctor.
Symptoms of pathological processes
In 80% of cases, this happens when the diet changes - a light shade of feces will last for several days, then it will return to normal.
In other cases, the problem may be caused by a pathological process. In this case, the child's condition worsens, the baby may be anxious. If you experience the following symptoms, you need to consult a doctor:
- blurred or darkened urine;
- diarrhea;
- severe abdominal pain;
- elevated temperature;
- thirst;
- general malaise.
Such signs are not the norm. For diarrhea or vomiting, you need to call an ambulance juicy.
Possible diseases with light feces
The following pathologies can cause lightening fecal masses.
Dysbacteriosis
When dysbiosis in the fecal masses there are greenish streaks. If the dysbacteriosis is neglected, the feces foam, an unpleasant odor appears. A child can suffer from colic, the stomach becomes tense. Sometimes there is a rash on the stomach or face.
Hepatitis
It is a serious disease that affects the liver and can cause serious complications. A characteristic feature of hepatitis is a combination of light feces and dark urine. This disease will not be able to diagnose a doctor without laboratory tests.
Pancreatitis
This disease usually occurs in adults, but is often diagnosed in children. In this case, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, fever.
Gallbladder bend
Bend is difficult to call pathology, because it is an anatomical feature of the body. Usually, such a state does not affect the health of the child, and the stool brightens due to difficulties with bile excretion and coloring pigments.
Diseases of the digestive tract
The cause of pathologies in children under the age of one year may be congenital problems with the organs of the gastrointestinal tract. Diseases can be formed as the child grows up under the influence of various factors.
Rotavirus infection
It is characterized by severe symptoms: state of health worsens, body temperature rises, diarrhea worries. On the first day after the disease, the feces may be pale yellow, then it becomes completely white.
Whipple syndrome
A rare disease of autoimmune nature. When it enlarges the lymph nodes, develops iron deficiency anemia. The number of acts of defecation per day can increase up to 10 times.
Allergy
In this case, you need to pay attention to the additional symptoms: itching, redness of the skin, sneezing, rash.
With timely treatment of these symptoms can get rid of for 3-5 days, but only if the parents in time to detect symptoms.
How to be when detecting yellow feces in a baby
Normally, the child's feces have a yellowish tint, the consistency is pasty. However, when eating a number of foods (pumpkin, carrot, even beef), the feces may turn bright yellow. If the masses are closer in shade to orange, this may indicate a serious disease and disturbances in the functioning of the internal organs, especially the pancreas, for example, if there are problems with bile excretion.
Diagnosis and treatment
Ignore the current state of the baby can not, because the change in the color of feces may indicate a serious pathology and no matter at what age it occurs: in a year, at two or four. Only by referring to a doctor can one determine which pathology has led to such a change in the color of the stool. To identify a problem, you can assign:
- Ultrasound;
- radiography;
- blood test;
- examination of feces and urine;
- endoscopy.
Treatment depends on the cause of the change in stool color:
- Pancreatitis. In this case, the treatment will be carried out in the hospital. Therapy is aimed at alleviating the symptoms, eliminating the cause. If the disease occurs in a child older than two years, he will need to “starve” for 24 hours, because during this period the contents of the stomach are sucked out. After stabilization of the state, it is necessary to transfer the baby to a diet consisting of boiled or stewed dishes.
- Infants up to 1 year should be given special treatment mixtures.
- In case of hepatitis, treatment will also be carried out in the hospital: taking vitamins, drug treatment. Therapy is aimed at restoring liver function.
- With Whipple's disease, you need to follow a special diet No. 5 (with a minimum amount of fatty products), take vitamins and medicines. Moreover, therapy may last for a year.
- Treatment of rotavirus infection is carried out with the use of medicines and diet. In the presence of vomiting and nausea, use Regidron.
Since bright feces can be a sign of serious diseases, it is very important to consult a doctor in time.
