How Do You Know If Baby Has Diarrhea

What Should Prompt A Call To The Doctor

Green poop might look a little yucky, but its usually not a sign of anything to worry about.

However, if you notice a red color to your babys stools, you might look closer. Red stools might just be the after-effects of your babys affinity for eating beets or foods and beverages containing red dye. Certain medications can also turn your babys stools a rosy color.

But actual blood in the stools could signify bleeding in your babys gastrointestinal tract. It might be bright red blood, or it could be a darker, maroon shade. So, if you see blood of any shade, call your childs pediatrician.

Something else to watch out for: if your baby starts having bowel movements that are a very pale color. One white, pale yellow, or light gray stool might just be an anomaly, but if you start to notice it becoming a trend, check with your doc.

These pale stools could be a sign that your baby has a problem with their bile ducts, like a blockage.

When the flow of bile is interrupted, it can cause scarring and long-term damage to the liver. This is rare in infants. One of these conditions, called biliary atresia, can progress quickly and needs treatment.

How To Spot And Treat Baby Diarrhea

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Cows Milk Allergy Is Uncommon

According to a special communication published in JAMA Pediatrics, while 14% of babies are reported to have cows milk allergy, only about 1% actually do have it.

As for the diet restrictions for breastfeeding mothers, the authors report that those are likely not necessary, even if there is an IgE-mediated allergy. So many mothers are putting their nutrition at risk, or stopping breastfeeding, for no good reason.

Its also worrisome that in 81% of the published guidelines on cows milk allergy, the authors of the guidelines reported a conflict of interest with formula manufacturers. This does not mean that the guidelines arent good or accurate, but its troubling that the formula manufacturers are supporting so much of the research.

If your baby has been diagnosed with cows milk allergy, and you have changed your babys diet or your own, dont stop these changes without talking to your childs doctor. But definitely talk to the doctor, and be sure that you understand exactly why your baby has the diagnosis and whether any further evaluation makes sense.

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Baby Diarrhea Treatment And Prevention Tips Due To Feeding Or Diet Issues

If diarrhea is due to a feeding issue, its important to take note of everything your baby is ingesting so your doctor can find out what may be the reason for babys symptoms.

Watch for food sensitivity or dairy allergies

If youre breastfeeding and your baby has diarrhea along with other symptoms, such as vomiting or colic, check with your doctor to see if eliminating certain foods from your diet can help. Often, doctors will suggest avoiding dairy in a mothers diet and monitoring to see whether theres any improvements. Fingers crossed! There are options for treatment if your baby has CMA.

The good news is that there are now several affordable and delicious non-dairy food alternatives out on the market Most little ones with CMA grow out of it by age 5.

Ask your doc about switching formula

Whether your babys digestive tract seems a little sensitive or you suspect an actual allergy such as cows milk allergy, check with your doctor about formula options. For instance, some hypoallergenicbaby formulas have specific proteins that are easier for babies to digest. A switch like this may be a simple baby diarrhea treatment option when diarrhea is associated with cows milk allergy.

Consider infant probiotics for diet issues

What To Do When Baby Has Diarrhea

No parent wants to see their baby in discomfort, and diarrhea isnt always the most pleasantas you probably well know. You cant necessarily stop baby diarrhea, but you can take some steps to help baby get relief. Try these tips to slow the flow:

• Focus on hydration. If youve been nursing, Fisher recommends continuing to do so. Breast milk is the best thing to hydrate a baby, she says. If your child takes formula, your pediatrician may recommend trying something with electrolytes, like Pedialyte, to help enhance hydration.

• Avoid high-sugar foods. While babies can have any foods they normally eat, Lockwood suggests steering clear of too much sugar.

• Consider probiotics.Probiotics might help, but Lockwood suggests talking to your childs pediatrician before giving them any supplement, drops or so-called baby diarrhea remedy.

Some pediatricians may recommend the BRAT diet for a baby who eats solids, but the American Academy of Pediatrics now advises against it. It could potentially help solidify stools, but it may be more likely to exacerbate the issue. Whats more, the limited food options lack the nutrition a baby needs to help with recovery of the gastrointestinal tract.

And while you may reach for anti-diarrhea medication when you get the runs, its unfortunately not an option for baby. There are no over-the-counter baby diarrhea medicines recommended for babies and children younger than 2, Gagin says.

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How Doctors Diagnose Colic

The doctor may be able to tell if your baby has colic from their symptoms. You can help. Over a few days, write down:

• When your baby cries and for how long
• What the cry sounds like. Is it high-pitched or louder than usual?
• What seems to make them fussy
• What, if anything, works to calm them down
• How often and what your baby eats
• When your baby poops, and what the stools look like

The doctor will likely do an exam to check if your baby is fussy for other reasons, such as:

• Food allergies or sensitivities to something in your diet, if you breastfeed
• Discomfort, such as if they are too hot or too cold
• Hunger or weakness
• Pain from an illness or injury
• Reflux

How Do You Know If Your Child Is Dehydrated

Dehydration is often caused by fever, diarrhea, vomiting, or exercise. Dehydration is a serious condition in infants and young children. Signs of dehydration include dry mouth, no tears when crying, few wet diapers or very little urination, and weakness. If your child is dehydrated, call the doctor.

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Diarrhea Combined With Dehydration: How Do I Know If My Baby Is Dehydrated

If you suspect your baby may be dehydrated, contact your doctor immediately. An electrolyte water solution may be suggested if dehydration is severe. Research indicates that diarrhea is especially serious when it results in dehydration.

Signs of baby dehydration include:

• No tears when crying
• Lack of wet diaper for 6 to 8 hours in an infant or only urinating a small amount of dark yellow urine
• Irritability
• Lethargy

Preventing Green Poop In Babies

Prevention boils down to the cause. If its a benign cause and no other problems are showing up, you probably dont have to worry about it. For example, you wouldnt want to stop feeding your baby those healthy green veggies just to change the color of their poop.

But if your baby is experiencing green poops as the result of an illness like a stomach bug, it might be time to take preventive action.

Of course, you cant prevent every illness, but you can take care to wash your hands thoroughly before and after changing your babys diaper and when preparing food, so youre less likely to pass along any viruses that could upset their stomach.

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Causes Of Diarrhea In Babies

Diarrhea in babies has many potential causes. Here are some of the most common ones.

Viral infections. A rotavirus is the most common cause of diarrhea in children ages 2 and younger. Fortunately, the number of children who get this intestinal infection has dropped significantly since the introduction of the oral rotavirus vaccine in 2006. “Vaccinated children can still get rotavirus, but they tend to have milder symptoms and recover faster,” says Dr. Safder.

Antibiotics. About one in 10 children who take antibiotics develop diarrhea, nausea, and stomach pain. “In addition to targeting bad bacteria, antibiotics kill off healthy bacteria in the gut, which can lead to stomach upset or diarrhea,” says Iona Munjal, M.D., director of the Pediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship Program at The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, New York. If you think antibiotics are causing your baby’s diarrhea, talk to your doctor before stopping the medication. Stopping antibiotics early can lead to antibiotic resistance and cause a bacterial infection to return.

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Parasites. Infants in daycare centers have a higher risk of contracting giardia, an intestinal infection caused by parasites. Exposure occurs when babies put fecal-contaminated toys, food, their hands, or other objects into their mouths. Most children get better without special treatment.

What Does Baby Diarrhea Mean

• Score4.8/5

Diarrhea in babies usually does not last long. Most often, it is caused by a virus and goes away on its own. Your baby could also have diarrhea with: A change in your baby’s diet or a change in the mother’s diet if breastfeeding.Read more

• Diarrhea | When to Worry | Parents

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Appearance Causes And Treatment Of Baby Diarrhea

Meredith Shur, MD, FACOG, is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology, as well as a certified medical examiner.

• Other Considerations

Diarrhea is one of the most common childhood issues in the United States and around the world. It can be scary and dangerous. But, when you have a newborn or young infant, it’s not always easy to tell the difference between normal poop and diarrhea. Here’s how to tell if your baby has diarrhea, along with information about the causes, treatments, and dangers of diarrhea in newborns and infants.

A Pharmacist Can Help With Diarrhoea And Vomiting

Speak to a pharmacist if:

• you or your child have signs of dehydration such as dark, smelly pee or peeing less than usual
• you need to stop diarrhoea for a few hours

They may recommend:

• oral rehydration sachets you mix with water to make a drink
• medicine to stop diarrhoea for a few hours not suitable for children under 12

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What Should I Avoid Giving To My Child

• Do not give your child sugary drinks like fruit juice or sweetened fruit drinks, carbonated drinks , sweetened tea, broth or rice water. These do not have the right amounts of water, salts and sugar and can make your childs diarrhea worse.
• If your child is having frequent diarrhea, make sure they are drinking an oral rehydration solution and eating food. Bland foods with complex carbohydrates, lean meats, and fruits and vegetables are encouraged. Drinking only water may lead to low blood sugar or low sodium levels in your childs blood.

Talk to your doctor before giving any over-the-counter medications to stop diarrhea.

How Is Diarrhea Treated

Treatment will depend on your childs symptoms, age, and general health. It will also depend on how severe the condition is.

Dehydration is the major concern with diarrhea. In most cases, treatment includes replacing lost fluids. Antibiotics may be prescribed when bacterial infections are the cause.

Children should drink lots of fluids. This helps replace the lost body fluids. If your child is dehydrated, be sure to:

• Offer drinks called glucose-electrolyte solutions. These fluids have the right balance of water, sugar, and salts. Some are available as popsicles.

• Avoid juice or soda. They may make diarrhea worse.

• Not give plain water to your baby

• Not give too much plain water to kids of any age. It can be dangerous.

• Keep breastfeeding your baby. Breastfed babies often have less diarrhea.

• Keep feeding your baby formula, if you were already doing so

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What About White Curds In Toddler Poop

As your child gets older, their stool will start to look more familiar. Toddler poop still has range of colors and textures, but in general, a toddlers stool should be brown, soft, and formed. Green and yellow can also be normal .

Like babies, toddlers who are still consuming high amounts of breast milk, formula, or cows milk may have poop with white curds. White curds could also be attributed to the foods your toddler is eating or even how theyre eating.

For example, if your child is eating light-colored foods like cheese, pasta, yogurt, or crackers too quickly, it could be appear in their stool as partially digested white stuff.

If the changes to your toddlers poop are new andaccompanied by other symptoms, it could be a sign of allergy or intolerance. But in general, new colors or textures are more likely a reflection of what your child is eating.

How Do I Know If My Breastfed Baby Has Diarrhea

I am breastfeeding my three-week-old baby, and I was wondering how to recognise if my baby has diarrhea, given their stool is liquid most of the time. Thanks for your help, Marie-Chantal

Hello Marie-Chantal,

A baby who is exclusively breastfed will have very liquid stool. However, even if diarrhea is rare in breastfed babies, you can recognise gastroenteritis by:

• A sudden change in frequency, if they pass stool more often
• The diaper absorbs most of the liquid, which looks like water
• The stool or liquid is greenish, viscous or smelly.

If you note this, you have to examine your babys general health and ensure they are not overly sleepy. If they have a fever, continue breastfeeding to hydrate them to compensate for water loss. Of course, you have to see the doctor if the situation continues. I hope this helps you recognise diarrhea in a breastfed baby!

Talk soon,

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What Can I Do To Prevent Diarrhea

Proper handwashing can reduce the spread of bacteria that may cause diarrhea.

A rotavirus vaccine can prevent diarrhea caused by rotaviruses. Ask your child’s healthcare provider which vaccines are right for your child.

When you travel, make sure anything your child eats and drinks is safe. This is even more important if you travel to developing countries.

Travel safety tips for drinking and eating include:

• Not drinking tap water or using it to brush teeth

• Not using ice made from tap water

• Not drinking unpasteurized milk

• Not eating raw fruits and vegetables unless you wash and peel them yourself

• Not eating raw or undercooked meat or fish

• Not eating food from street vendors or food trucks

Talk with your child’s healthcare provider before traveling.

What Does Baby Diarrhea Poop Look Like

Normal poop for breastfed babies can be light in color and resemble mustard. It may be more watery than expected. Babies who are fed formula will poop let frequently and that poop will have a smoother consistency and a darker color. Diarrhea can be recognized due to its high volume and extreme watery look.

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Caring For Your Child At Home

Medicine is not usually needed and the main treatment is to provide more fluids for your child to help them replace lost fluids. Its usually better to give small drinks often, rather than large drinks less often.

If your child doesnt want to drink and is vomiting often and/or has a lot of diarrhoea, they can become dehydrated and need to be checked by a doctor.

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Signs Of Dehydration In Babies Infants And Children

Dehydration can be fatal, and babies and children are particularly vulnerable. Its therefore important to recognise the signs of dehydration.

Babies and young children are much more likely than adults to become dehydrated when they have diarrhoea. They can become very sick very quickly and may need to go to hospital. Signs that a child is dehydrated include:

• dry mouth, tongue and lips
• sunken eyes
• being listless or irritable
• shedding fewer tears when crying

Severe dehydration is a medical emergency and can be fatal get medical help for your child immediately. Symptoms include:

• not drinking much or refusing drink
• feeling lethargic
• producing no urine or only a very reduced amount of urine
• very sunken eyes
• very sunken fontanelle in a baby
• cold, pale or blotchy skin
• fast breathing