The condition of the child’s body can be determined by the color of the stool. The stool itself is part of the waste products of the digestive tract that are expelled through the anus or cloaca. Stool in children normally has a brown or yellow color.
But have you ever encountered a child’s condition with the color of the stool turning red, black, green, or even white? If so then this could indicate the child’s condition is not normal.
Changes in stool color can be influenced by several factors, you know Mom.
To find out more, here Thevolume.net has summarized several sources related to the causes of children’s stools turning green or white. Come on, see below!
Common causes of discolored stools
Changes in stool color are usually caused by the food you eat. Especially if you consume foods that contain quite a lot of food coloring. Not only yellow or brown, but the color of the child’s stool will also be able to produce different colors ranging from green, white, red, and even white.
So the color of the stool may change according to the food consumed. In addition, physical activity or the lifestyle that children live also affects changes in the color of feces.
Green stools
When the color of the child’s stool turns green, then this is a sign that the child has diarrhea. Diarrhea occurs because the child is not suitable to consume certain foods or milk.
Green stools are usually also the result of a diet that is mostly green vegetables or fruit. Not only that, another cause is the color of the bile. During digestion, if food moves too quickly through the intestines, the bile pigments don’t have time to break down properly, so the stool turns green.
Black stool
As you know, a child’s stool usually has a yellow or brown color. But if your child produces black stools, then this is due to a serious illness.
For example, there is a disturbance in the upper digestive tract, namely the stomach or esophagus.
However, the change in the color of the feces to black is not always caused by disease, this can also happen if the child consumes black food and foods and supplements that contain excess iron.
Red stool
There are many foods, drinks, or medications that can make stools red. Such as peppers, tomato juice, red candy, and others.
Conditions that are quite dangerous if the stool is red are gastrointestinal bleeding. Gastrointestinal bleeding occurs in the digestive tract. The child’s stool is mixed with blood so that it becomes red. Gastrointestinal bleeding is caused by hemorrhoids, peptic ulcers, and inflammation or tearing of the esophagus.
Stool is white
The stool produced by the child may also appear white or gray. This condition occurs due to the absence of bile that color. Lack of bile can mean a blocked bile duct.
A bile duct disorder called biller atresia is also a cause of the change in the color of the stool to white. This disorder causes bile to be unable to reach the intestine and only accumulates in the liver, causing damage to the liver.
In addition, if your child takes a high dose of bismuth subsalicylate for diarrhea, it can also cause the child’s stool to turn white.
Tips if your child’s stool changes color
You don’t have to worry too much if your child has a condition where the stool changes color. Here are some ways that you can do when you find the color of your child’s stool is different from usual:
- Do not hesitate to immediately take the child to the doctor for examination. Because the doctor will better know what the real cause is that causes the child’s stool to change color.
- Give children probiotic food. Probiotics can help restore the natural balance of bacteria in the gut. Probiotics can be obtained from yogurt.
- Invite Moms child to a minimum of more water. Eat fibrous foods such as fruits and vegetables in moderation.
Well, that’s information about the cause of a child’s stool turning green or white. Hopefully, this information can add to your knowledge at home.
