Blood in the stool in children is a pathology that may indicate the presence of problems in the digestive system. If such signs are found in their baby, the parents urgently need to show it to the doctor.
Blood in the stool in children: causes
The most common factors leading to the appearance of this pathology include:
The baby has constipation or hemorrhoids, which can cause microcracks in the mucous membrane of the anus. That is why when passing feces through it, the latter become reddish or have small streaks of blood.
Infectious diseases of the intestine that cause damage to its mucous membrane. It can be salmonellosis, amoebiasis, giardiosis, rotovirus infection, dysentery, etc. Along with the appearance of blood, the baby can have a sharp rise in temperature, pain in the abdomen, vomiting and diarrhea with impurities of mucus.
Intestinal bowel disease. For example: Meckel's diverticulum, Hirschsprung's disease, etc.
Blood in the feces of an infant can indicate the presence of lactase deficiency.
Foreign body in the intestine or its injury.
In newborns, blood in the stool occurs when a baby swallows blood during childbirth.
Intestinal microbial contamination.
Ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease or other chronic diseases.
Intestinal inversion. Signs of this condition may be the child's refusal to eat, constant crying, sudden anxiety.
Gastritis.
Blood in the stool in children can appear when there are polyps in the intestines or stomach.
How to recognize in which part of the intestine bleeding occurred?
In the case when the presence of blood is observed over the entire mass of feces of the child, it can be assumed that the source of its excretion is located high. This can be judged by its dark color. If only minor blood stains are present, then most likely bleeding occurred in the lower intestine. The presence of veins of normal red color indicates hemorrhoidal bleeding. If the blood in the stool in children is scarlet, then it is worth suggesting that there was a violation of the development of the internal organs that are responsible for the digestion process. In babies eating mother's milk, this pathology may be the result of an irritating bowel reaction.
First steps
As soon as parents saw streaks of blood in the stool of the child, their first action is to call a doctor. At the same time, you should not put the baby on his stomach and even more so pat him on it. It is necessary to drink the child warm water and under no pretext not to give him anything to eat, at least until the doctor arrives. Also, do not resort to cold compresses, which can only aggravate the situation and cause inflammation. And most importantly - do not resort to self-medication, since some reasons for the appearance of blood in the feces in a child require urgent surgical intervention. A timely diagnosis will help not miss the beginning of the development of a serious disease.