Why do children have blood in their poop?

A normal person basically defecates once a day, but there are many situations when we defecate, some of which are normal and some are abnormal. The abnormal situation includes blood in the stool. This situation can also happen in children, and there are many reasons for this situation. So why do children have blood in their stool?

The mother's nipples are ulcerated and bleeding: During breastfeeding, especially in the early stages, the mother's nipples are prone to ulceration. If the baby swallows the blood from the ulcerated nipples, the stool will contain a small amount of pink or red substance. The stool test will not detect red blood cells, but occult blood can be detected. In this case, the child usually eats normally and grows normally, so the mother does not need to worry.

Taking iron supplements (iron foods): If your baby takes multivitamin preparations or iron supplements containing iron, it is impossible for all of the iron to be absorbed and a small amount will be excreted through the intestines. At this time, the stool may contain dark brown spots, and the stool occult blood will be positive. This condition has nothing to do with the baby's intestinal development or disease. As long as the baby grows normally, there is no need to worry.

Damage to the small intestinal mucosa: If the small intestinal mucosa is damaged, the stool will also contain red substances, and the stool test for occult blood will be positive. Accidental ingestion of medication or foreign objects can cause damage to the intestinal mucosa, but for babies, this possibility is very small. Most intestinal damage is caused by food, the most common of which is milk.

The intestines cannot tolerate certain foods, causing damage to the small intestinal mucosa and blood to enter the intestinal cavity. Since the blood stays in the intestine for a while before being excreted with the stool, it will be destroyed by the intestinal fluid during this period. Therefore, stool testing can only detect occult blood in the stool, but no red blood cells. However, this small intestinal damage will persist without changes in diet, causing the baby's growth and development to be delayed.

Disinfectants damage the intestines: Some chemicals, especially disinfectants, can also cause damage to the intestinal mucosa. Mothers believe that disinfection can keep children away from germs, but the baby's chances of being exposed to disinfectants are also significantly increased. Over time, chronic ingestion of disinfectants becomes the culprit of intestinal damage. If the mother uses clean water instead of disinfectant wipes, the baby's bowel movements will soon return to normal.

Anal fissure: If fresh blood is visible in the stool and the blood is attached to the surface of the stool, and examination shows the presence of red blood cells, it is most likely caused by anal fissure. The baby may cry and have difficulty defecating, but the stool may not be dry and hard. Because the baby's anal sphincter is not fully developed and the contraction and relaxation coordination is not perfect, small cracks often occur during defecation, resulting in a small amount of blood in the stool. At this time, apply a small amount of antibiotic ointment on the anus and the condition will soon improve.