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Stool Color in Children

Brown is the universal color for stools. Any other variation of this hue may cause concern for parents. Before overreacting, consider your child's diet, the most common reason behind discoloration. Are there any foods or medicine that could contribute to the discoloring? Most of the time, the cause is benign. In rare cases, however, white, green, yellow or red feces could be a sign of a medical problem.

  1. Yellow to White Stools

    • Consumption of a lot of milk can turn a child's stool a yellowish to whitish hue. Certain medications for the stomach problems like Pepto-Bismol may change the color of the stool. If the stool smells foul and appears greasy, it may be a sign of celiac disease, a disease characterized by the intolerance for gluten, which is found in foods containing wheat and other grains.

    Green Stools

    • Eating green items can sometimes turn stool from brown to green. This includes food coloring or green leafy vegetables like spinach. Green stool can also occur with the excretion of iron into the stool. When combined with a liquid texture, it could a sign of diarrhea.

    Black Stools

    • Benign reasons for dark, black-colored stool include eating black licorice, blueberries or grape juice. Unfortunately, it could also be a sign of internal bleeding from the stomach area like ulcers. Other reasons behind black stools include iron supplements and sometimes medicines containing bismuth subsalicylate.

    Red Stools

    • Red food dyes typically turn stools red. Foods with food dyes can alter your child's feces. Fruits and vegetables like beets and cranberries may also color the stool. If you notice red streaks, this symptom of bleeding originates from the lower gastrointestinal tract. An anal fissure is the most common reason. A difficult bowel movement is often to blame. Small amounts of blood in the stool may be normal for children.

    Warning

    • If your child acts sick, if there's no explanation for the change in stool color or if you're simply concerned, contact your child's pediatrician. Bring a sample of your child's stool for analysis. Wearing gloves, loosely place layer of plastic wrap over the toilet. After you've collected the feces, place it in a sealable plastic bag. The physician will test the sample for signs of allergies, infections and digestive problems. He will also look for blood.

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