Blood In Stools Baby Nhs

Can occur in neonates and infants.

Blood in stools baby nhs. Bleeding in the stomach or gut can be from injury or a side effect of blood thinning medicine like warfarin or aspirin. Bright red blood and pain are features of this condition. The small amount of blood from an anal fissure tends to look like a red streak on the outside of the stool. From day to day or week to week your baby s poos will probably vary.

It s generally believed that a milk only diet causes a more runny stool. Blood thinning medicine like warfarin or aspirin angiodysplasia broken blood vessels in the gut. Or your baby may swallow a little blood if you breastfeed him with cracked nipples. Sexual abuse may present with rectal bleeding.

Some potential causes of blood in baby s stools. In neonates it is heralded by sudden onset of melaena and bilious vomiting. In boys and girls after the first few days bright red blood can show up in baby stools for a few different reasons. Stomach ulcer diverticular disease and diverticulitis.

Stool softeners may be needed if the child is constipated. Hirschsprung s enterocolitis hirschsprung s disease is a rare condition which affects the nerve cells of the gut. It is important to have a doctor evaluate any bleeding in the stool. Although constipation and an anal fissure usually coexist in cases of blood in the nappy constipation is the commonest cause of a rectal bleed beyond the neonatal period irrespective of whether an anal fissure is visible 2 a fissure associated with constipation usually results in.

A common cause of blood in an infant s stool is a slight anal tear fissure from baby straining with the passage of the stool. Fissure is visible on examination and no further investigation is required. However if a baby is acting ill has blood in their stool or is having prolonged poor feeding episodes a parent should seek medical attention for their little one. They can occur when a baby passes a hard stool or if she has a more runny stool which abrades the sensitive tissue that lines her anus.

Last medically reviewed on. Dark blood or poo with tummy pain or cramps. If your baby s poos look pale this can be a sign of liver disease. Necrotising enterocolitis this is a very serious condition in which some of the tissue in the gut becomes inflamed and dies this is very rare but occurs in newborn babies usually at 3 10 days of age.

Dark blood without pain. These small tears are the most common cause of blood in baby s stool. If you notice a definite change of any kind such as the poos becoming very smelly very watery or harder particularly if there s blood in them you should talk to your doctor or health visitor. For example constipation or nappy rash can irritate your baby s bottom and make it bleed.