Green poop in a child can be associated with many reasons, including those that do not affect the health of the baby. When observing such an unusual phenomenon, it is extremely important to pay attention to the frequency, duration of bowel movements, the consistency of feces, as well as the presence of certain impurities in it.
If green poop in a child occurs very often, and it bothers you very much, it is best to consult a pediatrician and not to use medicines on your own.
basic information
Why does the child have green poop? This stool color is characteristic of many newborn children, especially on 3-4 days of life. The indicated period is called transitional. It was at this time that the digestive system of the baby gradually gets used to a different type of nutrition.
Pediatricians say that green poop in a child is a variant of the norm. But if a number of other signs are added to this symptom, then you should definitely look for the cause.
Baby food
Green poop in a month-old baby can provoke his diet. Therefore, do not panic in advance. It is better to follow after what meal the color of the baby's stool changes.
Breastfeeding
According to experts, green poop in a child can occur if he eats only the so-called front milk. What is the reason for this? The fact is that, unlike the rear, the front mother’s milk is nonfat, as a result of which it is quickly absorbed. Sometimes pediatricians call such a chair "hungry." This is due to the fact that, without sucking the chest and not reaching fatty milk, the baby almost always remains hungry.
It should be noted that if the child poops green poop, then this indicates a high content of bilirubin in his blood. For a newborn baby, such an indicator is the norm (excess bilirubin is excreted from the human body along with feces).
Also, the green color of the stool is often given by the diet of a nursing mother or hormones of breast milk. A large number of plant-based products in the diet of a woman makes the baby's feces greener.
Artificial feeding
Why does the baby have an unnatural color of feces (the child is 2 months old)? Green poop in children of this age who are breast-fed are considered a physiological norm. Such a phenomenon in a newborn can occur due to an increased amount of iron in purchased mixtures. By the way, when switching to another meal, the color of feces can instantly change, which indicates an allergic reaction of the baby. In this regard, such actions should be coordinated with the pediatrician.
Beginning of feeding
By six months, the baby begins to gradually feed. During this period, the baby receives ordinary food, and his digestive system actively adapts to the assimilation and digestion of "adult" foods. In this regard, malfunctions in the digestive tract may occur. As a rule, they appear in the form of regurgitation, constipation or diarrhea of ​​green color.
If the child has poop green, it should be remembered that the feces remaining on the diaper oxidize quite quickly. Therefore, such an unusual phenomenon may be an elementary consequence of the oxidation of the stool during its interaction with air.
Lactase deficiency
It is no secret to anyone that the number of enzymes, as well as their activity directly affect the quality of the digestive tract of a child. The green color of feces in a newborn baby is often associated with a deficiency of these same enzymes. First of all, this concerns the lack of lactase. The substance is intended to break down carbohydrates in breast milk, or lactose.
If the baby sucks only front milk, then the level of lactose in the stool rises significantly. Such a process can quite easily lead to the development of bloating and colic. With lactase deficiency, the consistency of the baby's stool becomes more fluid. In this case, the color of feces is greenish.
It should be noted that with artificial feeding the child also has a risk of developing such a pathological condition. In this case, the pediatrician may recommend the use of low-lactose mixtures.
How to help a child with lactase deficiency?
To diagnose this condition, doctors recommend an examination of feces for the amount of lactose. Next, the pediatrician prescribes enzymatic agents. The terms of their use are usually short. The baby’s body should only help a little, but in no case do all the work instead. This is due to the fact that addiction can quickly develop to enzymes. It should also be noted that such drugs can cause allergic reactions, constipation or diarrhea.
Diarrhea and green stool
Green poop (a year old child) accompanied by profuse diarrhea, are beyond the norm? In this case, the reasons for this color of feces can be:
- Dysbacteriosis With this diagnosis, in addition to green stools in the baby, bloating, colic, rashes on the skin, as well as redness around the anus, can be observed. As a rule, in such cases, the baby is prescribed probiotics, that is, a group of beneficial microorganisms in the form of lactic bacteria and yeast.
- Intestinal infection. The causative agents of this disease can be bacteria, viruses, microbes and fungi. In acute forms of the disease, the baby may have a fever, anxiety, vomiting, colic, lethargy and refusal to eat.
- Viral infection. The child’s immune system is immature. It is in the formation stage, and also depends on the state of the microflora of its intestines. If the baby sucks breast milk, then it is almost completely immune from a viral infection. As for artificial babies, it is more difficult for them in this regard.
- Allergy. A change in the color of the stool of the baby may depend on the mother’s diet, a change in the mixture, or medication.
When observing a baby's green stool and diarrhea, you should immediately consult a doctor. After all, this phenomenon represents a special danger to the child.
Examination and treatment
If the green stool bothers the parents more than the baby himself, then it is better to immediately visit the hospital. To identify the causes of this condition, doctors recommend a bacteriological analysis of feces, as well as culture on the intestinal microflora. Such examinations should be prescribed only by a doctor. You can take tests in a regular children's clinic.
In the event that seeding and other tests are normal, and the baby's condition confirms this, then you should not worry about green stool. If during the examination any pathogenic pathogens are detected, the pediatrician must prescribe the appropriate treatment.
Useful Tips for Parents
In order to prevent the development of serious diseases in the baby, experts recommend more closely monitoring the frequency of his stool, the smell and the presence of various impurities (for example, mucus, foam, blood, etc.). If such phenomena occur against the background of a poor condition of the child, then it is better to immediately seek medical help.
If your baby has green feces, then do not worry ahead of schedule. The main indicator of a child’s healthy state is his behavior and mood, but not the unusual color of the stool.