Causes of stool disorders in a child

2023 Author: Alfred Shackley | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 13:14

During the first month of life, the child defecates quite often, then the stool becomes less frequent. Parents should monitor this indicator. Normally, the child's feces are brown gruel. However, the stomach of a newborn cannot function normally, so abnormalities such as foam in the stool are often observed. If the stool is oddly colored or odorless, see your pediatrician.

Why can babies develop foam in feces?

• Allergy to breast milk. Anything that a nursing mother consumes will certainly pass into breast milk. Not all foods are equally well accepted by a child's immature digestive system. A similar reaction can occur with the introduction of complementary foods, for example, at a too early age, the wrong choice of juices or food mixtures;
• Medication. A small part of the drugs can penetrate into breast milk, respectively, into the body of the crumbs. First of all, the digestive tract reacts negatively to them. Such reactions can occur even when using completely harmless drugs, for example, "Espumisan";
• Dysbacteriosis. This disease is always accompanied by a disorder of the gastrointestinal tract function. Foamy stools with visible residues of undigested food are usually observed. In many newborns, transit dysbiosis is observed, which passes on its own and does not require specific measures;
• Imbalance in breast milk. This happens when the baby does not reach hind milk, which is the most nutritious. Improper feeding leads to problems, since the baby receives only fore milk;
• Lactase deficiency. Lactase deficiency can occur due to the lack of a sufficient amount of the corresponding enzyme. The last child receives with mother's milk. If the latter is not enough, then the feces will become foamy, with an unpleasant odor;
• Poor nutrition. If the child is constantly malnourished, there is a deficiency of nutrients, which leads to a change in the function of the gastrointestinal tract and, accordingly, the state of feces;
• Increased gas formation. Often, foam in the stool appears in a child during flatulence and colic. This often goes away on its own. However, a nursing mother is advised to exclude a number of foods from her diet, for example, cow's milk;
• Infection. Even newborn babies can get an intestinal infection. But this disease is accompanied by other symptoms, for example, acute abdominal pain and fever.

Light foamy stool

Normal brown stools. This is due to the presence of stercobilin, the main pigment in feces. The color depends not only on this pigment, but also on the food consumed. Light and frothy faeces are often seen with a plant-based diet followed by a nursing mother after childbirth.

Also, foam can occur when you drink too much milk. Light-colored stools may indicate a lack of bile or the presence of putrefactive formations in the intestines. Rarely, but it does happen, this color of stool is caused by an intestinal infection.

Yellow stool with foam in a newborn baby

In the overwhelming majority of cases, this indicates a transient dysbiosis. This disease most often affects children in the first 6 months of life. Transient dysbiosis refers to borderline conditions that occur only during the neonatal period. Breast milk, saturated with substances necessary for the normal function of the immune system, is capable of protecting the baby's body.

In this situation, it is recommended to be tested for dysbiosis. If the latter did not find a deviation in the composition of the microflora, the causes of yellow foamy feces may be hidden in the late attachment of the child to the breast; lack of a feeding schedule; limiting the milk consumed by the baby; additional feeding with tea or water. A pediatrician is consulted when there is no weight gain.

A newborn has watery and foamy stools

In this case, the stool usually takes on a sour odor. If the baby has defecated on the diaper, then there will be a watery spot around the stool. In this case, the process of emptying the intestines lasts up to 15 minutes (feces are excreted in small portions). The baby may poop even when gas is released. In this case, the color of the feces is usually light or yellowish.

This often happens when the process of digestion of carbohydrates is disturbed: they are not completely digested, therefore they remain in the body in an unchanged form. Carbohydrates attract water, which is therefore reflected in the feces.

In addition, this condition may be accompanied by a lactase deficiency (the body is unable to digest milk sugar). As a result, the latter wanders with intestinal elements and bacteria, gases are formed, the stool becomes foamy.

Correctly organized breastfeeding will help to cope with the problem: feed according to an individually compiled schedule; do not limit the use of milk in the first months of life.

Instead of feces, water and foam appeared

This consistency of stool is often found in intestinal infections. The latter are no exception in infants due to their fragile microflora. If vomiting and fever are present, an ambulance should be called. Otherwise, when these symptoms are absent, you can try to alleviate the baby's condition on your own.

First, the excretion of liquid feces entails a loss of water and salt, which can lead to dehydration. To avoid this, it is necessary to water the child with saline. Secondly, you shouldn't give your baby too much water. Thirdly, you cannot stop breastfeeding, but it is better to feed the baby less, but more often.

Newborn white frothy stool

If there are white lumps in the stool, do not worry, as this is a completely normal phenomenon, indicating the remains of undigested milk. The reason is pretty commonplace - overeating. Accordingly, it is necessary to slightly limit feeding.

In children under one year old, white feces occurs due to improper nutrition, and not due to intestinal infections. For example, discoloration often occurs with early introduction of complementary foods. In the future, this phenomenon will disappear on its own.

This can happen after taking medications such as paracetamol.

Green feces: baby stools with foam

The reason for this shade may be bilirubin, which is gradually excreted from the body. In addition, this indicator largely depends on the nutrition of the nursing mother. For example, eating spinach, parsley, broccoli, and dill can affect the color of her baby's stool.

The same can be said for babies receiving complementary foods - after a large portion of broccoli, the diaper can be filled with a greenish mass.

However, green stools may indicate that the baby is eating only front milk. It is dangerous because the baby does not have enough lactase, as a result of which gas appears, the stool changes its consistency.

First you need to make sure that everything is ok with breastfeeding. If necessary, adjustments are made to it. If it is not possible to eliminate lactase deficiency with this method, the doctor prescribes the appropriate enzymes, which are diluted in breast milk before feeding.

Mucus and foam appeared in the baby's feces

This phenomenon in the overwhelming majority indicates dysbiosis. The green color of the stool with mucus and foam can be accompanied by colic, skin rashes. Accordingly, the baby becomes restless, eats and sleeps poorly.

Mucus can also appear when the baby is artificially fed and the formula does not suit him. It is worth changing the last one and watching the reaction of the crumbs.

Another possible cause is the iron contained in a number of mixtures.

What to do if the baby has feces with foam?

You can eliminate this phenomenon by many methods, but do not rush, as it can go away on its own. First of all, it is recommended to correct the diet of the nursing mother, as well as the feeding regime. You may need the help of a pediatrician to establish your baby's daily milk requirement.

In some cases, you may need medication (powders, capsules, tablets).

If, in addition to changing the color and consistency of the stool, there are other symptoms, urgently seek help from a specialist! Take care of your child's health and do not self-medicate!