What to do if a child has green diarrhea: find out the causes and treat the disease. Green diarrhea along with symptoms of high fever in children Bright green diarrhea in a child
When green diarrhea appears in a child, this sign does not always mean serious problems with his health. However, parents begin to resort to self-medication and identify the causes of diarrhea. This can harm the baby and complicate the existing situation. Therefore, diarrhea with a green tint requires medical intervention and proper treatment.
Factors in the development of green diarrhea in a baby
The appearance of loose green stools is considered an infectious pathology. In this case, dysbacteriosis is isolated. The occurrence of a violation of the intestinal microflora is associated with poor nutrition of the baby or long-term use of antibiotics. However, diarrhea with greens in a child appears not only with diseases of the digestive system, but also with the liver. Pathologies in chronic or acute forms are especially dangerous.
However, intestinal bleeding may occur due to the consumption of certain foods or medications. The manifestation of this factor can affect the nature of bowel movements. In this case, dark green stool is observed. The same bowel movements are observed from the 1st birthday. However, bacterial or viral lesions of the digestive organ are isolated. This leads to various complications if the underlying disease is not treated correctly.
Green diarrhea often appears in a newborn baby during the first days of life. At the initial stage of the baby’s development, this sign does not pose a threat to his health. Loose stools last no more than 3 days, and thus meconium is removed from the baby’s body.
The appearance of diarrhea in babies from 1 month or more is associated with the development of digestive function. Green loose stools occur due to breastfeeding. The newborn's gastrointestinal tract is unable to cope with new food. This process normalizes after several months of nutrition and adding new foods to the baby’s diet.
If a child continues to have green diarrhea after being discharged from the hospital, sometimes this is due to breastfeeding. The baby only absorbs foremilk, which is considered low-fat. Therefore, the mother needs to help the baby or force him not to be lazy. For a baby, the nutrition of the nursing mother has a great influence. All substances pass into the milk, and then to the baby.
Older children are able to consume large amounts of carbohydrates. However, the appearance of diarrhea occurs in combination with the intake of green vegetables and fruits.
When this symptom appears, there are serious reasons for the occurrence of this symptom. These mainly include infectious diseases:
- shigellosis;
- yersiniosis;
- campylobacteriosis;
- Escherichiosis;
- rotavirus.
However, dangerous factors include dysentery, which causes greenish diarrhea. Sometimes diarrhea occurs due to salmonellosis. This happens due to poorly processed eggs or fish. In any case, you need to consult a pediatrician.
Symptoms accompanying the malaise
If a baby has health problems, diarrhea is not the only sign of pathology. Depending on the cause of green diarrhea, the temperature rises. This indicates the progression of dysentery. However, it can also be confused with salmonellosis.
It is worth paying attention to the consistency of the stool. In this case, inclusions are distinguished:
- foam - appears due to a violation of the intestinal microflora;
- mucus with blood - considered a sign of dysentery;
- mucus is a manifestation of salmonellosis.
To determine the cause, the shade of the stool also plays an important role. If the child is over a year old, then the appearance of dark green or black diarrhea is considered a sign of salmonellosis. When a light shade is detected, the baby has an intestinal disorder.
In case of diarrhea with ongoing disease, the stool has an odor. If the stool gives off a sour aroma with rot, then the intestinal microflora in the baby’s body is disturbed. The smell can be foul, which indicates an intestinal infection.
Infants may experience regurgitation or vomiting along with diarrhea. A frequent process indicates dysbacteriosis. However, vomiting and nausea are considered concomitant signs of dysentery. If the baby has an unpleasant urge constantly with copious discharge, then salmonellosis is occurring in the body.
If a baby develops a disease, then its general condition also refers to the symptoms. These symptoms include:
- anxiety;
- whims;
- cry;
- loss of appetite;
- restless sleep.
These signs indicate that the child is in pain. If the baby is more than 2-3 years old, then there may be complaints of pain in the abdomen. Then the baby needs urgent medical attention, this may mean that he has serious problems in the digestive organ.
Vomiting along with green diarrhea in a baby occurs with acute and chronic liver diseases. In this case, severe pain appears in the area of the right hypochondrium.
Helping a child
Before doctors arrive or visit a doctor at home, you need to provide first aid to your baby. At the same time, pay attention to actions that should not be taken in relation to the baby during diarrhea.
First aid methods
If green diarrhea is detected in a child without additional symptoms, preventive action is required. Parents should contact their pediatrician. Afterwards, the baby will be prescribed tests. If dysbiosis is detected, the child is discharged vitamin complexes and means for restoring the immune system.
If a child complains of abdominal pain and at the same time has bouts of vomiting, then call an ambulance. This may indicate a risk of developing an intestinal infection. Therefore, it will be difficult to get to the hospital on your own.
If the body is dehydrated, after examination by a doctor, a drip is prescribed. Parents are advised to give their baby more water. In addition, they are advised about introducing a therapeutic diet so as not to provoke the intestines into another disorder. Proper nutrition consists of strict principles that include prohibited foods.
To determine the cause of diarrhea, the baby needs to be diagnosed by a pediatrician. The child will be prescribed a series of laboratory tests. After making a diagnosis, the doctor will prescribe a comprehensive treatment. Therapy includes diet and medications. Medicines are prescribed only those that help restore intestinal microflora and electrolyte balance.
If your child experiences green diarrhea, you should not use home remedies without first consulting a doctor.
What actions should a child not do if he or she is unwell?
When your baby has green diarrhea, you should not self-medicate. This can worsen the child's condition. Therefore, under no circumstances should you give painkillers to relieve abdominal discomfort. Parents should pay attention to taking antibiotics. You should not give such products to your baby. Tetracycline drugs are toxic medications for children. This can cause poisoning in children.
If a child has lost his appetite, then you should not force him to eat. Many foods and dishes with diarrhea and diseases will cause the disorder to worsen. If you have diarrhea, you should not limit your fluid intake. It is noted that raw vegetables and fruits should not be given from food.
The danger of green diarrhea in a child
During loose stools, the baby is at risk of dehydration. If this symptom is accompanied by an increase in temperature, then the risk of electrolyte imbalance increases. In order to promptly help a child from such danger, parents need to know the accompanying signs:
- weakness;
- fatigue;
- drowsiness;
- urine volume decreases;
- change in urine color to dark;
- dry mouth;
- dry lips;
- circles around the eyes stand out;
- In infants, the fontanelle drains.
Due to dehydration and inactivity, the child develops seizures. This occurs due to loss of nutrients. In this case, hypovitaminosis is observed. Otherwise, dehydration leads to exhaustion. This condition provides favorable conditions for the formation of cracks in the anus. This can cause prolapse of hemorrhoids.
When children develop greenish, loose stools, parents should not diagnose it themselves. Additional signs will begin to confuse the picture, and the use of drugs, on the contrary, will blur the symptoms. Especially if you have diarrhea with blood, you should not delay visiting a doctor. At home, you can use remedies that will help avoid dehydration. Basic treatment for childhood diarrhea should be left to specialists.
The information on our website is provided by qualified doctors and is for informational purposes only. Don't self-medicate! Be sure to consult a specialist!
Gastroenterologist, professor, doctor of medical sciences. Prescribes diagnostics and carries out treatment. Expert of the group for the study of inflammatory diseases. Author of more than 300 scientific papers.
Green diarrhea can appear in a child at any age. This symptom is a consequence of disruption of the digestive tract. Sometimes green stool does not pose a threat and is considered a normal condition, but in some circumstances, modified baby feces indicate a pathological process. In addition, it may be additionally reinforced by other symptoms.
Provocateurs of violations
Green diarrhea in a child is directly influenced by food and general health.
There are reasons that are considered normal, so under such circumstances the appearance of green stool in a child should not cause concern. However, there are factors that not only cause an unpleasant symptom, but can be dangerous for the baby.
Harmless reasons include:
- Meconium. Dark olive-colored stool is observed in the first week after the baby is born. This change is due to the peculiarities of the digestive system of the baby.
- Maturation of the gastrointestinal tract. Immediately after birth, not all systems in the child’s body are ideal. Normalization of the functioning of the digestive organs occurs during the first year of life.
- Breast milk. If the baby only absorbs the portion of the mother that is in front, then the presence of loose stools is not surprising. In addition, if the nipples have an inverted shape or the mother’s breasts are “tight,” then the normalization of the digestive tract of the newborn baby may be delayed.
- Diet of a nursing woman. A breastfed child is directly dependent on what his mother consumes. If a woman gives preference to carbon-containing foods, then there is a possibility that the baby will develop green diarrhea. In addition, green vegetables, such as dill, apples, broccoli, etc., can also affect the color of the baby's stool.
- Artificial feeding. High iron content in infant formula can cause stool that has a green tint.
- Lure. A new product may not be accepted normally by the child’s body, which leads to digestive system disorders.
- Food. In children aged 3-5 years, excessive consumption of chocolate, sweets, confectionery pastries, green vegetables and fruits can lead to green diarrhea.
Dangerous pathological conditions
In contrast to the above factors, which affect stool but are easily eliminated without harm to the child, there are reasons of a dangerous nature.
Under such circumstances, diarrhea is not the only symptom. The child may have a significant increase in body temperature and other signs of illness.
The main pathological causes that provoke green diarrhea in a child may be the following:
- dysbacteriosis;
- improper introduction of complementary foods;
- intestinal infections;
- dysentery;
- salmonellosis;
- food poisoning.
In any case, diarrhea, green or not, is a violation of the norm. Therefore, if a child has loose stools, which may additionally have a strong unpleasant odor, or there are traces of blood in it, this should force parents to immediately seek medical help.
Symptoms of diseases
In the case when the stool becomes green and is caused by a pathological state of the child’s health, the clinical picture may be complemented by other symptoms of the disease:
- Heat. In combination with green diarrhea, it is a sign of salmonellosis or dysentery.
- Foam. The appearance of foamy elements in stool is characteristic of intestinal lesions or dysbiosis. Additionally, streaks of blood may be present.
- Green stool with mucus. This consistency, provided that there is no blood in the stool, is a sign of salmonellosis.
- Color. If the stool is dark, rich green in color, it can be assumed that the body has been affected by salmonellosis. If your baby has light-colored stools, this is an intestinal disorder.
- Sour smell. May be accompanied by a putrid aroma. This symptom is characteristic of dysbiosis.
- Pungent foul odor. Occurs when there is an intestinal infection.
The appearance of a feeling of nausea and possible vomiting in combination with liquid green stools is characteristic of almost all forms of pathologies. The difference may lie in the duration of the attacks.
When the body is affected by one of the possible pathogens, the general condition also worsens. In addition to abdominal pain, the baby may complain that bright lights or loud sounds disturb him. Poor health also affects appetite. As a rule, children refuse any food, even their favorite ones.
The appearance of a symptom such as green diarrhea, which is not further complicated by any other negative consequences, is in most cases a harmless condition. Lack of temperature is one of the important indicators. If the child is active and loose green stool appears as a one-time symptom, then there is no reason to panic. It should be borne in mind that if there are no other signs of pathological processes, but the child’s diarrhea does not stop, you need to consult a doctor. First of all, such a violation leads to dehydration of the body.
Help a child
If the baby shows all the signs of any disease, he needs to be taken to the hospital or call an ambulance. Due to the fact that diarrhea, especially in combination with vomiting, dehydrates the body, you need to give the child Regidron or Enterodes. These drugs replenish fluid loss in the body. It is not recommended to offer your child plain water, especially in large quantities. Such actions may provoke additional attacks of vomiting.
If the child is breastfed, he must be fed according to the regimen, but the daily dose should be 3 times less than under normal circumstances. For older children, it is recommended to maintain a fasting break of about 6 hours.
Before the ambulance arrives, in order to make the child feel better, you can give one of the possible sorbents. The dosage is calculated according to the age parameter, according to the instructions or consultation with a doctor (who can be consulted by phone).
If the temperature is high, the child should be given an antipyretic before the doctors arrive. The fact is that a high temperature can lead to seizures and irreversible changes in the brain.
Treatment of green diarrhea in a child will be carried out according to the diagnosis. To do this, you will need to undergo a series of tests that the doctor will prescribe. Based on them, a decision will also be made about hospitalization of the patient. The age of the child plays a big role. As a rule, if green diarrhea appears in a baby with additional complications, it will not be possible to avoid hospitalization.
It is quite difficult to predict and prevent all possible sources that can cause pathological processes in the body in children. But the most basic preventive measures will reduce the likelihood of damage by more than half.
First of all, you need to follow all the rules of hygiene and eat only high-quality food. At the first suspicion of a problem with the child’s health, you should not expect that everything will go away on its own, but immediately contact a pediatrician.
Such an unpleasant phenomenon as green diarrhea in a child can seriously alarm parents.
Does diarrhea always signal a deterioration in the baby’s health? What to pay attention to and how to deal with green diarrhea in a child?
Parents should know the answers to these questions, regardless of the age of their children.
Causes of green diarrhea in a child
There are actually not many reasons that can lead to green diarrhea in children.
And the symptoms accompanying this phenomenon will help parents quickly determine whether their baby needs medical help.
In some cases, loose green stool is just a natural and quickly passing phenomenon.
In particular, during the first few days of life, the baby may pass original feces, the so-called meconium, which can give the stool a dark green hue.
In this case, the newborn usually does not show any signs of anxiety. In addition, it is important to distinguish between when a child has diarrhea and when he has normal stool with a slight shade of green.
Some foods can give this shade, especially vegetables and fruits. Diarrhea occurs 5-6 or more times a day. This frequency should really be alarming.
The most common causes of green diarrhea:
- introduction of complementary foods or replacement of formula;
- dysbacteriosis;
- intestinal infections;
- liver diseases;
- in rare cases - intestinal bleeding.
Depending on what caused the baby’s green diarrhea, the problem is accompanied by different symptoms.
Therefore, it is very important to pay attention to exactly how the child feels. If he is calm and does not complain about anything, then you can limit yourself to contacting your local pediatrician and get tested without much haste.
But if the baby has a fever, a stomach ache, and vomiting is added to the symptoms, then perhaps he has become a victim of an intestinal infection.
This situation requires immediate medical intervention, since self-treatment can lead to serious consequences.
If the symptoms of intoxication are accompanied by a child’s complaints of pain in the liver area, this may indicate a disease of this organ, which also requires contacting a specialist.
But whatever the cause of green diarrhea, it is important to monitor the child’s condition. Diarrhea, particularly when combined with vomiting, extremely quickly leads to dehydration, especially in infants.
It is not difficult to determine the presence of dehydration, since the child immediately decreases the number and volume of urination, and the color of the urine becomes dark.
In addition, circles appear under the eyes, lips become dry, and may even crack. In young children, the fontanel may sink and the child becomes very lethargic.
Dehydration can be accompanied by such dangerous complications of green diarrhea as anal fissures and hemorrhoids, even rectal prolapse.
To avoid such unpleasant and completely inappropriate consequences for children, it is important to seek help in time.
To avoid problems, the baby should be washed after each bowel movement; you can lubricate the anus with cream or baby oil.
What to do if the cause of diarrhea is infection?
Children aged 3 to 5 years are especially susceptible to intestinal infections. They almost eat their own food and can often eat unwashed fruit or vegetables.
In this case, the causative agent of infection can be fungi, viruses, and various bacteria. The child's body will react quickly enough to such unexpected guests.
Naturally, if the child is already five years old, then he will be able to tell what exactly hurts him and whether he feels sick. But you won’t be able to do without a doctor if you catch an intestinal infection.
After all, green diarrhea along with vomiting and fever may indicate rotavirus infection, salmonellosis or dysentery.
You should be especially wary of eating fish or eggs the day before. Therefore, if you notice a bunch of such symptoms, you need to call an ambulance.
Before doctors arrive, it is important to provide first aid to the child, since fever and diarrhea will quickly lead to dehydration.
To prevent it, you need to provide your child with boiled water. Solutions for normalizing the water-salt balance, such as Regidron, will be very useful.
If severe dehydration occurs, already in the hospital the baby may be prescribed an IV. Sorbents are also appropriate for intestinal infections - by removing toxins, they will alleviate the child’s condition.
In the case of intestinal poisoning, two things should be understood: firstly, painkillers should not be used, since they can blur the clinical picture and complicate the diagnosis, and secondly, even at high temperatures, antipyretics can be given only after consultation with a doctor.
You need to lower your temperature yourself by drinking plenty of fluids. Under no circumstances should you give your child antibiotics yourself, as some of them are toxic to children.
It is important to remember what exactly the child ate, and if you do not fully control it, then you should find out all the details from him personally.
If the doctor is convinced that there is an infection, he will advise you to go to the hospital. There, in order to determine why the child has green diarrhea, appropriate tests will be prescribed.
Among them general analysis blood, culture of stool and possibly vomit, blood test to detect antibodies to the causative agent of salmonellosis. Children over 5 years old will have to be kept on a strict diet.
To prevent green diarrhea from occurring in a child, you must carefully monitor his hygiene and nutrition.
Young children should not be introduced to complementary foods too early, and older children should not be overfed with carbohydrates.
Doctors emphasize that adults should not lick baby spoons and pacifiers, so as not to spread infection to them with their saliva.
No matter how old your child is, you cannot ignore such a symptom as green diarrhea. Timely consultation with a specialist will help avoid complications and problems.
Parents closely monitor their child's stool. Regular stool indicates that the gastrointestinal tract is in order. Green diarrhea in the baby - a signal that there has been a malfunction in the digestive system. Of particular concern is stool disorder in infants. Newborn children have no other way to show their parents that something is bothering them. Green, loose stool in a baby often indicates diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Causes of green diarrhea in children
Green stools can appear suddenly, and do not always indicate pathologies in the child’s body. There are many causes of diarrhea in children. For example, improper nutrition of a nursing mother, nutritional gaps in a one-year-old child and older children. Some can cause complications and pose a real threat to the health and life of the baby.
Causes of green diarrhea in a child:
- Kidney disease.
- Intestinal infection.
- Food poisoning.
- Intestinal dysbiosis.
- Dietary errors.
- Intestinal bleeding.
- Allergic reaction to products.
In a one-month-old baby, the reason may be the passage of meconium. If the child is calm and not crying, panic is inappropriate. This type of stool passes quickly. If green diarrhea is observed in an older infant, there is a high probability of an intestinal infection. Acute diarrhea is accompanied by nausea, frequent regurgitation, vomiting, and elevated body temperature.
If you suspect a disease, you should immediately call a doctor or an ambulance. Before the pediatrician's visit, the child from 6 months is allowed to drink non-carbonated mineral water.
If a nursing mother consumes foods that can cause allergies, the baby's reaction may be unnaturally colored diarrhea. Mom's milk is not fat enough - the stool is greenish in color. Maternal food poisoning affects the consistency and color of the baby's stool. A one-month-old baby's intestines are vulnerable. Mommy needs to stick proper nutrition.
At approximately 4 months, when teething, liquid stools of a yellow or green color may appear. The baby scratches swollen, itchy gums with unclean fists or toys, bacteria get inside, change the color and consistency of the contents of the diaper.
In children aged 2-3 years, the cause of loose stool is overeating plant foods or foods high in sugar.
Diarrhea in a formula-fed newborn may be caused by the introduction of a new formula.
Introduction of complementary foods
Liquid green stool during breastfeeding is often found if the mother begins to introduce complementary foods. Especially if the new products include cow's milk, fruits and vegetables. If the little one’s general condition does not cause concern - he is cheerful, not capricious and eats well, there is no need to panic. It is enough to inform the pediatrician about the disorder at your next appointment. Perhaps the doctor will recommend getting tested for dysbiosis and prescribing probiotics. The stool returns to normal within two days.
Dysbacteriosis
A common occurrence in children, it is characterized by a disturbance in the composition of the intestinal microflora. The number of pathogenic microorganisms increases, beneficial bacteria die. The disease is more common in preschool children, sometimes in infants. Dysbacteriosis in infants can develop due to a sudden transition from breastfeeding. In older children, due to an unbalanced or monotonous diet, in addition to taking antibiotics. Disruption of microflora is provoked by colds and unfavorable environmental conditions. Diarrhea in case of illness is green in color with mucus.
It is possible to protect your baby from dysbacteriosis by treating the breast before feeding, sterilizing dishes and toys. It is necessary to carry out regular wet cleaning in places where the child is most often located.
Viral and bacterial infections
Infection of a baby with an illness can occur through unprocessed foods, products with an expired shelf life when communicating with an infected person.
The baby is worried about severe abdominal pain, vomiting, green stools with a pungent odor, and mucus. Continuous vomiting and diarrhea cause dehydration. The baby turns pale, his limbs become cold. If you have symptoms, calling an ambulance is mandatory.
For children in the first months of life, dehydration is fraught with irreversible consequences. It is difficult to replenish the water balance; babies do not drink water well.
Symptoms of diarrhea in children
The main task facing parents and the doctor at the first stage is to find out the cause of the unpleasant symptom in order to avoid complications. Undesirable coloration of stool may be accompanied by other manifestations.
A high temperature in addition to greenish stools sometimes indicates dysentery or salmonellosis. Salmonellosis is characterized by dark green stool with flakes and severe vomiting.
Frequent loose green stools with foam without fever are a sign of dysbacteriosis. Mucus and blood in stool due to dysentery.
The parent should be aware of associated symptoms. Often observed:
- Whims, crying without tears, anxiety.
- Sleep disturbance.
- Refusal to eat.
- Urine is dark in color.
- Abdominal pain.
The worst thing with diarrhea is dehydration. Every parent should know the signs of dehydration in order to take timely measures to avoid severe consequences. Dehydration in children manifests itself as:
- Dry lips and tongue, skin, circles under the eyes.
- Rapid pulse, overheating.
- Lack of urine, urine in small quantities with an unpleasant odor.
- Body weight decreases.
- Retraction of the fontanel in an infant.
The appearance of signs should be a good reason to call an ambulance. The child's condition with severe dehydration is stabilized in the hospital.
Parents' actions
The anxiety that arises due to the baby’s condition sometimes interferes with making the right decisions. Adults do not know what to do in a situation if it arises for the first time.
First of all, parents should call a doctor. Before the doctor arrives, it is possible to alleviate the child’s condition. Clean still water should be offered. It is better not to allow children who are one year old to eat temporarily. For breastfed infants, feedings are recommended to replenish lost fluids, but meal times should be reduced.
It is not recommended to give your baby medications without consulting a doctor. You can give Smecta if qualified help does not arrive soon. To bring down the temperature, if it exceeds 38.5 degrees, give ibuprofen. For intestinal infections, the use of antibiotics is mandatory, but you should not give medications to your baby yourself.
Diagnosis and treatment
The doctor will determine the cause of diarrhea after talking with the parents and examining the baby. It may be necessary to undergo additional examination to clarify the diagnosis.
Diagnostics
It is difficult to determine the true cause of diarrhea based on the color and consistency of stool alone. Sometimes the doctor prescribes tests:
- Bacterial analysis of stool is an informative research technique that identifies pathogenic microorganisms.
- General blood analysis.
- Blood test for intestinal infections.
- General urine analysis.
- Stool analysis.
Ultrasound of the baby's peritoneum
Perhaps the reason lies in the pathology of the internal organs. In this case, the doctor prescribes ultrasound diagnostics of the abdominal organs.
Treatment
When the cause of green diarrhea is clarified, the doctor prescribes treatment. For dysbacteriosis, Linex, Bifidumbacterin, Enterol can be prescribed. The main task is to eliminate the disease that caused the symptom.
Intestinal infection requires complex treatment. First, the type of pathogen is identified using tests. Then a diet is prescribed. In difficult cases, antibiotic therapy is performed. The doctor prescribes bactericidal drugs.
To replenish the water-salt balance, Regidron may be prescribed.
If bowel movements are caused by poisoning, you will need to take adsorbent drugs: Smecta, Activated carbon.
In the first month of life, the baby most likely will not need drug treatment, since the causes of green stool during this period are not pathological.
Parents should not self-medicate; there is a high risk of complications if therapy is carried out incorrectly.
Preventive measures
Preventing a disease is easier than treating it. Parents need to know the rules that will help avoid gastrointestinal disorders, as a result of green diarrhea.
- A nursing mother needs to adhere to proper nutrition. Avoid eating allergenic foods. Do not eat fatty, spicy foods. Do not take medications without consulting your doctor.
- A newborn baby on artificial feeding suffers from diarrhea if the formula is not suitable. After consulting with your pediatrician, you can choose the appropriate diet.
- Greenish diarrhea may indicate intolerance to the product. Therefore, complementary foods should be introduced gradually and carefully in small portions in a puree state.
- Parents should not lick baby pacifiers or spoons. Thus, the infection spreads from an adult to a baby.
- The diet of preschoolers should be balanced.
- Older children need to be taught personal hygiene rules. Make sure that your hands are clean and that foreign objects do not get into your mouth.
Every responsible parent worries about the health of the baby. And such a phenomenon as green diarrhea worries caring parents. The main thing is not to panic, but to find out the cause of the symptom by notifying the pediatrician about what is happening. The doctor will definitely help to identify the disease that caused the symptom and prescribe treatment for the child in accordance with the age and characteristics of the body.
One of the signs of gastrointestinal diseases is green diarrhea. It is especially pronounced in young children. This unpleasant phenomenon is always alarming and signals a problem with one or another internal organ. After all, many diseases can be accurately determined by the color and consistency of stool. Diarrhea does not go away on its own. It must be dealt with to prevent complications. The effectiveness of such a fight depends on timely contact with a doctor, who, after an examination and diagnosis, will be able to prescribe effective therapy.
Why does the disorder occur?
Watery stool and frequent urge to urinate indicate diarrhea. What does this symptom mean? First of all, dehydration, stress, inflammation, which is accompanied by elevated temperature. Therefore, it is necessary to quickly identify and eliminate the causes that caused this pathology.
Among the first factors that saturate the stool with a large amount of water are disturbances in the production of intestinal secretions, increased diffuse pressure of the inner surface of the intestine, pathological transportation of stool, and exudative penetration into the intestinal mucosa.
If the presence of sodium and water is detected in the stool, then this process is activated by bacterial toxins, enteropathogenic bacilli, substances that have high biological viability, and some types of medications.
Causes of diarrhea in adults and children may include:
- entry into the gastrointestinal tract of folic and long-chain fatty acids;
- hormones of the prostaglandin group;
- the presence of anthrone glycosides in the intestine;
- disaccharidase deficiency;
- erosive and ulcerative formations on the inner wall of the stomach and intestines.
All of the above reasons are necessarily taken into account when the doctor makes a diagnosis. After all, their division into infectious and non-infectious forms depends on functional or bacterial changes in the intestines that cause diarrhea. They are the ones who determine the color of stool.
Features of the pathology
Prolonged diarrhea is very dangerous for adults and especially for young children. This is just a symptom, so it is urgent to find and eliminate the cause of this phenomenon. Only then can we hope for a favorable prognosis.
Green diarrhea in an adult occurs due to disturbances in the absorption process folic acid. With this pathology, the gallbladder cannot contract in a normal and familiar rhythm. There is either a very abundant release of bile, or a very scanty one. Therefore, stool may have a green tint.
Viral and bacterial damage to the gastrointestinal tract indicates that the formation of new staphylococcus species is occurring at a rapid pace in the intestines. This disorder can cause green diarrhea in an adult. It often contains small bloody clots and mucus.
Metabolic disorders in the direction of increased iron content leads to its rapid oxidation. Therefore, stool may turn green. Very often, such phenomena are observed in people with low hemoglobin, who are prescribed drugs containing this element.
The breakdown and absorption of carbohydrates in some patients does not occur normally. Therefore, green diarrhea occurs.
All causes of the disease must be weighed and determined by a doctor. He will benefit from a complete examination using high-quality equipment. Once the cause is found, it will be much easier to eliminate the symptom.
Intestinal ailments in a baby
The structural features of the digestive system in infants have their own prerequisites for the development of various intestinal ailments. And the most important difference is its underdevelopment. Factors that cause green stool to turn green are infectious in nature and are the result of overfeeding or excessive consumption of juices from vegetables and fruits.
Green diarrhea in a child may also be a consequence of quantitative and qualitative disorders that make up the intestinal microflora. This phenomenon in medicine is called dysbiosis. The balance of beneficial microorganisms in this disease is not balanced enough to resist infection. Therefore, harmful bacteria begin to actively grow and multiply. The disease can be cured by administering prebiotics and probiotics. Sorbents will help cope with toxins. Based on the above, all pediatricians come to the same opinion: only through breastfeeding can the occurrence of intestinal disorders be prevented.
Green stool in a baby is a kind of protective reaction of the body to the introduction of complementary foods. It is necessary to switch to new products that are not yet familiar to the child’s body, gradually, with one or two drops of juice or spoons of puree. Only then will the child’s green diarrhea disappear.
Stool color is black
This coloration of stool represents a more dangerous and alarming picture. After all, this is the first sign of gastric bleeding. Hemoglobin in the blood reacts with hydrochloric acid, the initial product of which is the appearance of hematin hydrochloride. This is what makes black stool in adults.
Peptic ulcer of the duodenum or intestines, neoplasms in the stomach, varicose veins of the esophagus can cause black diarrhea in an adult. This pathology is sometimes observed in acute lymphoblastic leukocytosis, esophagitis, Crohn's disease, plague, histoplasmosis and hookworm disease.
If black diarrhea in a child or an adult is accompanied by general weakness, dizziness, pale skin, and excessive sweating, then such signs should not be joked about. Urgent hospitalization and a full examination are required. In the absence of any accompanying symptoms, the causes of black diarrhea must be sought in the consumption of certain foods. These include:
- currants;
- pomegranate;
- beets;
- blueberries;
- blood sausage.
These food products contain coloring enzymes, which give such color to the stool. Taken in large quantities, they can cause black diarrhea. You just need to exclude them from the diet and the color of the stool will become normal.
Intestinal disorders in the form of diarrhea of different colors cannot but alarm parents with small children, and the adults themselves who have such a symptom. First aid consists of replenishing the lost water balance in the human body. For this purpose, “Regidron” is used. The powder is poured into a glass and filled with warm water. Drink 2-3 sachets throughout the day until the water level is completely restored.
Linex and Biobacton will help return the intestinal microflora to its previous state. “Sulgin” and “Enterol” will destroy the infectious nature of the cause of diarrhea. All medications should be taken only after a stool test for the presence of E. coli has been done.
Green, black, dark brown diarrhea is an unpleasant phenomenon, and it can only be dealt with with the participation of a doctor and following all his recommendations.
Children's stool is an indicator of the functioning of their digestive tract and overall health. Very often, parents are worried about green diarrhea, which can begin at absolutely any age.
Sometimes it has no effect on general well-being, and sometimes it is accompanied by a number of unpleasant symptoms that can make up the clinical picture of a certain disease. In what cases will bowel movements of this kind be an alarming signal, and when will they be a harmless consequence of the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract?
Why might a child develop green diarrhea? The reasons can be very different, they depend on the diet, age and health of the baby.
As soon as you notice this unpleasant phenomenon, you first need to try to understand why it happened. Some provoking factors are normal and should reassure parents, while others will indicate problems that will have to be resolved in the doctor’s office.
Reasons that should not cause concern
- Meconium
The peculiarity of the stomach in the first 10 days of a child’s life explains the dark olive color of the stool.
- Formation of the gastrointestinal tract
A greenish tint in the first year of life during breastfeeding is due to the underdeveloped gastrointestinal tract in newborns. Over time, his work returns to normal.
- Breast-feeding
The liquid consistency is a consequence of the baby’s absorption of the mother’s fore-milk, low-fat breast milk.
- Features of the mother's breast
If at 1 year of age the stool remains the same liquid and green, this may be due to tight breasts or inverted nipples in the mother. In this case, the formation of stool may take longer.
- Maternal nutrition during breastfeeding
If a nursing mother’s diet contains a lot of carbohydrate-containing foods and green vegetables (you can find a menu for a nursing mother), this can cause green diarrhea in the child. It can be caused by spinach, broccoli, parsley, dill, green apples and pears, and cucumbers.
- Artificial feeding
The use of milk formulas with a high iron content: NAN, Nutrilon and others.
- Introduction of complementary foods
The first acquaintance with foods such as apples, broccoli, pears, and sweet porridge can lead to a change in the color of children's feces.
- Nutritional Features
In older children (3-5 years), when the gastrointestinal tract is already fully formed, green diarrhea can be a consequence of poor nutrition. Namely: overuse carbohydrates (chocolate, sweets, baked goods, confectionery) and green foods (apples, pears, sorrel, dill, parsley, onions, spinach, lettuce).
Dangerous reasons
- due to improper introduction of complementary foods, previous intestinal infection, somatic disease, which were treated with antibiotics.
- Intestinal infections: shigellosis, escherichiosis, yersiniosis, rotavirus infection, campylobacteriosis and others.
- Dysentery.
- Salmonellosis due to consumption of raw or poorly cooked food chicken eggs, fish.
If a child has green diarrhea, this fact cannot be ignored. It is necessary to carefully analyze the situation and draw initial conclusions about what could have caused such a stool.
If they are related to age characteristics and nutrition, and fit into the norms, there is no need to worry. But if you suspect a health problem, you should consult a doctor immediately. The accompanying symptoms will help clarify the situation.
Associated symptoms
If a child has health problems, green diarrhea will not be the only symptom of the disease. The clinical picture is a whole set of symptoms. Therefore, you should observe the child and determine whether there are any other deviations from the norm in his condition.
- Temperature
- green diarrhea and fever are signs of dysentery or salmonellosis.
- Consistency
— foam is a sign of dysbiosis, intestinal infections;
- green diarrhea with mucus and bloody clots is an alarming sign of dysentery;
- green diarrhea with mucus, but without blood - salmonellosis.
- Hue
— dark green diarrhea in a child is a consequence of salmonellosis;
- light - a common intestinal disorder.
- Smell
- sour, smelling of rot, indicates dysbacteriosis;
- foul, unbearable - intestinal infection.
- Regurgitation and vomiting
- with green diarrhea in young children - a symptom of dysbiosis;
- vomiting in older people may indicate dysentery;
- profuse, continuous vomiting is a sign of salmonellosis.
- General state
Anxiety, whims, crying, refusal to eat, lack of sleep - all these symptoms of green diarrhea indicate that the child most likely has something in pain. If he can already talk, he will complain of stomach pain. This indicates serious problems with the intestines.
If a child has green diarrhea without fever and other accompanying symptoms, he remains cheerful and active, there is no need to panic. Over time, this unpleasant phenomenon will cease to bother you, and everything will return to normal. But if the stool of such an unusual color is complemented by a whole bunch of deviations from the normal state, you need to urgently go to the hospital. But what to do before the doctor arrives?
What to do?
“Enterosgel” is a sorbent for absorbing and removing toxins from the child’s body
Before going to the hospital if a child has green diarrhea, accompanied by fever, vomiting and deterioration in general condition, parents can be advised to take the following measures.
- Give the child Oralit, Regidron, Enterodes in small portions - special saline solutions are sold in any pharmacy and replenish fluid loss.
- It is not recommended to drink it with plain water: it can only make vomiting worse.
- In accordance with age, give one of the sorbents: Smecta, Polypefan, Enterosgel. They absorb toxins and promote their elimination.
- No other medications, especially antibiotics, should be given to a child with green diarrhea before consulting a doctor. This can only worsen his condition.
- Do not stop breastfeeding, but reduce the daily dose of milk by a third.
- Do not go on a fasting break for more than 6 hours.
These activities will temporarily alleviate the child’s condition. But you cannot delay calling or visiting a doctor. There is an urgent need to make a diagnosis for immediate treatment.
Diagnostics
In the hospital, based on the results of laboratory tests, doctors will more accurately determine why the child has green stool, whether this is normal or pathological. If necessary, the following diagnostic techniques will be performed:
- stool analysis for dysbacteriosis;
- bacterial culture of feces and vomit;
- sigmoidoscopy - visual examination of the rectum;
- Analysis of urine;
- coprogram;
- general blood analysis;
- RNGA of blood to detect antibodies to salmonella.
During the diagnosis, it will be found out why the child has green stool, whether it is an indicator of any disease or not. If health problems are detected, treatment will be prescribed. If not, the doctor can only advise the parents what to do in the future so that the color of the children's stool becomes normal.
Treatment
So, what to do if parents discover green diarrhea in their child? Everything will depend on the diagnostic results. If you have diseases, you will have to undergo a course of treatment.
- Therapeutic diet.
- For dysbiosis, bacteriophages, probiotics, Acipol, Linex, Enterol, Bifidumbacterin, Bifilin, Bifiform are prescribed.
- For intestinal infections: antibiotics and chemotherapy drugs (Nevigramon, Nergam, Ercefuril, Furazolidone, Gentamicin, Kanamycin, Anamycin sulfate, Rifampicin, Tienam, Meronem, Ciprofloxacin, Ceftazidime), specific bacteriophages, lactoglobulins, enteral immunoglobulins, enterosorbents.
- Oral rehydration with Regidron, Gastrolit, Oralit, Citroglucosolan.
- Enzyme therapy: Pankurmen, Panzinorm forte, Pancreatin, Abomin-pepsin, Festal, Digestal, Creon, Mezim forte.
- Antiallergic drugs.
- Antidiarrheal drugs: Diarol, Imodium.
- Myotropic antispasmodics for pain relief: Papaverine, Drotaverine, Spasmomen 40.
If green diarrhea is detected in a child, parents should understand what is happening to him. Sometimes ordinary care can neutralize an unpleasant and disturbing shade. In the presence of pathologies, this is only possible with the help of qualified medical intervention and appropriate treatment. Otherwise, complications cannot be avoided.
Complications
If parents did not take care of their child’s green stool in a timely manner, and its cause was one of the serious diseases, this may result in complications, including:
- convulsions at high temperatures;
- dehydration of the body;
- dysbacteriosis can lead to dermatitis, bronchial asthma, chronic gastroduodenitis, intestinal dyskinesia, proctosigmoiditis;
- intestinal infections if left untreated can result in neurotoxicosis, cerebral edema, electrolyte disturbances, infectious-toxic shock, sepsis, hemolytic-uremic syndrome, toxic-dystrophic state;
- consequences of dysentery - intestinal bleeding, pericolitis, rectal prolapse, arthritis, neuritis, encephalitis, dysbacteriosis, malnutrition, hypovitaminosis, anemia, pneumonia, pyoderma, otitis media.
In order not to encounter these dangerous consequences, it is necessary to consult a doctor in a timely manner, and even better, to prevent this phenomenon. Prevention is always much more pleasant and easier than treatment.
Prevention
Prevention of green diarrhea in children involves regular adherence to the following activities and actions.
- A nursing mother should follow a diet and, if possible, not take antibiotics.
- If your child is bottle-fed, consult your doctor about which formula is best to choose.
- Introduce complementary foods gradually. If green diarrhea is a reaction to a certain product, it is better to exclude it from the child’s diet for now and wait until the gastrointestinal tract is more fully formed.
- At an older age (after 3 years), normalize the child’s diet: there is no need to overfeed him with carbohydrates and greens.
- Adults should not lick baby's spoons or pacifiers. They can give him an intestinal infection with their saliva.
Have you noticed that your child has green diarrhea? In this case, first try to find out its cause, and then take some action.
The best option would be to consult a doctor at the slightest suspicion of health problems. This will reduce the risk of complications and allow you to be treated quickly and without consequences. And to prevent this from happening again in the future, you need to regularly engage in prevention.
Article prepared by:
Stool in young children is an indicator of the functioning of not only the digestive organs, but also the entire body. If parents observe green, loose stools in their child, they should pay special attention to the baby’s condition. The cause of the violation can be either minor or quite serious.
![](https://i0.wp.com/kishechnik.guru/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/cvet-kala-u-rebenka.jpg)
In this article you will learn:
Provoking factors
Without diagnostics, it is not always possible to determine why a child has green diarrhea.
The most common causes of intestinal upset are:
- infection affecting the intestines;
- dysbacteriosis;
- liver pathologies;
- bleeding in the intestines.
The least risk to health comes from dysbacteriosis, which goes away (if measures are taken) in 1-3 days. If the stool does not return to normal after two days, it is recommended to immediately contact a specialist.
![](https://i2.wp.com/kishechnik.guru/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/kishechnye-infekcii-u-rebenka.jpg)
Possible reasons according to age category are shown in the table.
Age | Causes |
---|---|
0 – 3 months | Natural normalization of the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and excretion of original feces (in the first days after childbirth) |
3 – 6 months | Introduction of complementary foods - a reaction to a new type of food or artificial feeding |
1 – 3 years | Intestinal infections causing diarrhea with green stool, fever and vomiting |
1 year – 5 years | Dysbacteriosis, characterized by short-term stool disorder, the appearance of mucus in the stool and the presence of abdominal pain |
36 years | Liver pathologies that, in addition to the main symptoms, cause discomfort in the hypochondrium on the right side |
Green stool with blood in a breastfed baby is considered a symptom of serious health problems. The cause of the pathological condition may be infection or congenital anomalies and diseases.
![](https://i1.wp.com/kishechnik.guru/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/vvedenie-prikorma.jpg)
Associated symptoms
Normal diarrhea usually causes children to produce loose stools that are brown or yellow in color. However, in the case of a more serious problem than a banal intestinal disorder, in addition to the main symptom, other signs will be present.
An increase in temperature is one of the main accompanying symptoms that are observed in a patient with dehydration, as well as the development of an intestinal infection or dysentery.
If a child has green diarrhea without fever, you should pay attention to other signs. In the case when the stool has a slight greenish tint, and the baby himself is not bothered by the general symptoms, there is a high probability of a mild gastrointestinal disorder.
Green diarrhea in a 1-year-old child without fever should not cause particular concern, since at this age the digestive system is not yet fully formed and a temporary disorder is possible.
![](https://i1.wp.com/kishechnik.guru/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/temperatura-i-ponos-u-rebenka.jpg)
You should seek medical help immediately if the patient is concerned about:
- foamy stool of a liquid green consistency with mucus, a strong odor, or mixed with blood;
- constant regurgitation or incessant vomiting;
- severe pain, sometimes spasmodic in nature, in the abdominal area;
- sleep disturbance and lack of appetite;
- emotional anxiety (whims, tears, hysterics, etc.).
Symptoms indicating the development of diseases may not appear from the first day of diarrhea. You should not wait for complications to contact a specialist.
If green stool is one of the signs of the baby’s pathological condition, then to prevent serious consequences, it is recommended to visit a doctor as early as possible.
![](https://i0.wp.com/kishechnik.guru/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/bol-v-zhivote-i-ponos.jpg)
Medical and self-diagnosis
It is impossible to determine the exact reason why a child has diarrhea with greens at home. Assessing the symptoms, one can only guess what factors provoked the pathology.
Medical diagnostics allows you to accurately determine the cause and determine a treatment plan.
Diagnostic testing includes:
- analysis of stool, blood and urine;
- bacterial testing for infections in vomit, as well as stool.
If dark green diarrhea in a child is accompanied by severe pain and there are blood impurities in the stool, then a visual examination of the rectum using sigmoidoscopy is recommended. Additionally, a blood test for intestinal infections and coprogram may be prescribed.
![](https://i2.wp.com/kishechnik.guru/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/dieta-dlja-rebenka.jpg)
When determining the presence of pathological abnormalities in the functioning of the body, treatment is carried out in accordance with the established diagnosis. Green diarrhea in infants and older children can usually be treated at home. If the patient’s condition is severe and severe dehydration is observed, the patient may be admitted to the hospital until his condition stabilizes.
Attention! In order to prevent aggravation of the baby’s condition and his hospitalization, you should contact a medical institution in a timely manner, and not engage in diagnosis and treatment yourself.
Treatment options
Loose, greenish stool in children is treated with a course of therapy. First of all, treatment is aimed at eliminating the underlying disease that caused the disorders.
![](https://i1.wp.com/kishechnik.guru/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/probiotiki-dlja-rebenka.jpg)
Together with the main therapy, certain methods are taken to restore intestinal function:
- taking medications;
- diet;
- use of folk remedies.
Treatment at home should be agreed with a doctor. Only drugs prescribed by a specialist are allowed for use.
Taking medications
In accordance with the diagnosed pathology, the patient is prescribed medications:
- dysbacteriosis – Bifilin, Acipol or Bifidumbacterin;
- intestinal infections - Kanamycin, Ercefuril or Ciplofloxacin.
![](https://i2.wp.com/kishechnik.guru/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/spazmolitiki-protiv-boli-v-zhivote.jpg)
In cases where green diarrhea and fever are a concern in a child, in addition to medications for the gastrointestinal tract, it is recommended to take Nurafen or Ibuprofen, which have antipyretic and anti-inflammatory properties.
In combination with the described drugs, enterosorbents (cleansing from toxins), antidiarrheals and antispasmodics (pain relief) are prescribed.
Diet
Green diarrhea in a child without symptoms or if they are present is treated with mandatory diet. Nutrition is the main stage in restoring intestinal function and its microflora.
Important! The patient should not be forced to eat food.
![](https://i2.wp.com/kishechnik.guru/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/granatovyj-otvar-dlja-rebenka.jpg)
Meals should be regular and in small portions. It is advisable to take in as much fluid as possible to prevent dehydration. The diet should not contain foods that irritate the intestinal walls or soften the feces. Light intake is recommended healthy food. Preference is given to porridges, broths, and soups.
Folk remedies
With the consent of the doctor, loose stools in babies are treated and folk remedies. But only in combination with drug therapy and diet.
- starch – 1 tsp. potato starch diluted in 1 tbsp. water;
- tea - dilute 1 tsp in strong tea. starch;
- pomegranate – dry pomegranate peels are boiled in water for 5 minutes.
You should not give your child too much decoction or infusion. The drug should be taken in small doses throughout the day.
![](https://i0.wp.com/kishechnik.guru/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/novye-produkty-v-racione-grudnichka.jpg)
How dangerous
Even a simple intestinal disorder can be dangerous for a child if measures are not taken to stop the diarrhea. The most common consequence of diarrhea is dehydration, leading to complete impotence and the body's inability to resist pathological processes. Green diarrhea and fever in a child can lead to seizures.
Diseases provoke the development of a number of pathologies:
- dysbacteriosis – bronchial asthma, dermatitis, gastroduodenitis and others;
- intestinal infections - cerebral edema, intoxication shock, dystrophy, sepsis and others;
- dysentery - bleeding in the intestines, intestinal prolapse, neuritis, dysbacteriosis, pericolitis, pneumonia and many others.
Green diarrhea in a child 5 years of age and younger is the most dangerous, since the body is not yet fully formed and is not able to withstand pathological processes.
From the video you will learn why a child has green stools and what parents should do in this case:
Prevention
Preventing intestinal disorders and disease development is the most effective method avoid complications.
Experts advise parents.
Possible causes Associated symptoms What to do? Diagnostics Treatment Complications Prevention
Children's stool is an indicator of the functioning of their digestive tract and overall health. Very often, parents are worried about green diarrhea, which can begin at absolutely any age.
Sometimes it has no effect on general well-being, and sometimes it is accompanied by a number of unpleasant symptoms that can make up the clinical picture of a certain disease. In what cases will bowel movements of this kind be an alarming signal, and when will they be a harmless consequence of the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract?
Possible reasons
Why might a child develop green diarrhea? The reasons can be very different, they depend on the diet, age and health of the baby.
As soon as you notice this unpleasant phenomenon, you first need to try to understand why it happened. Some provoking factors are normal and should reassure parents, while others will indicate problems that will have to be resolved in the doctor’s office.
Reasons that should not cause concern
Meconium
The peculiarity of the stomach in the first 10 days of a child’s life explains the dark olive color of the stool.
Formation of the gastrointestinal tract
A greenish tint in the first year of life during breastfeeding is due to the underdeveloped gastrointestinal tract in newborns. Over time, his work returns to normal.
Breast-feeding
The liquid consistency is a consequence of the baby’s absorption of the mother’s fore-milk, low-fat breast milk.
Features of the mother's breast
If at 1 year of age the stool remains the same liquid and green, this may be due to tight breasts or inverted nipples in the mother. In this case, the formation of stool may take longer.
Maternal nutrition during breastfeeding
If a nursing mother’s diet contains a lot of carbohydrate-containing foods and green vegetables (you can find the nursing mother’s menu here), this can cause green diarrhea in the baby. It can be caused by spinach, broccoli, parsley, dill, green apples and pears, and cucumbers.
Artificial feeding
The use of milk formulas with a high iron content: NAN, Nutrilon and others.
Introduction of complementary foods
The first acquaintance with foods such as apples, broccoli, pears, and sweet porridge can lead to a change in the color of children's feces.
Nutritional Features
In older children (3-5 years), when the gastrointestinal tract is already fully formed, green diarrhea can be a consequence of poor nutrition. Namely: excessive consumption of carbohydrates (chocolate, sweets, baked goods, confectionery) and green foods (apples, pears, sorrel, dill, parsley, onions, spinach, lettuce).
Dangerous reasons
Dysbacteriosis due to improper introduction of complementary foods, previous intestinal infection, somatic disease, which were treated with antibiotics. Intestinal infections: shigellosis, escherichiosis, yersiniosis, rotavirus infection, campylobacteriosis and others. Dysentery. Salmonellosis due to consumption of raw or poorly thermally processed chicken eggs and fish.
If a child has green diarrhea, this fact cannot be ignored. It is necessary to carefully analyze the situation and draw initial conclusions about what could have caused such a stool.
If they are related to age characteristics and nutrition, and fit into the norms, there is no need to worry. But if you suspect a health problem, you should consult a doctor immediately. The accompanying symptoms will help clarify the situation.
Associated symptoms
If a child has health problems, green diarrhea will not be the only symptom of the disease. The clinical picture is a whole set of symptoms. Therefore, you should observe the child and determine whether there are any other deviations from the norm in his condition.
Temperature
Green diarrhea and fever are signs of dysentery or salmonellosis.
Consistency
Foam is a sign of dysbiosis, intestinal infections;
- green diarrhea with mucus and bloody clots - alarming signs of dysentery;
- green diarrhea with mucus, but without blood - salmonellosis.
Hue
Dark green diarrhea in a child is a consequence of salmonellosis;
- light - a common intestinal disorder.
Smell
Sour, rotten, indicates dysbacteriosis;
- fetid, unbearable - intestinal infection.
Regurgitation and vomiting
Frequent regurgitation with green diarrhea in young children is a symptom of dysbiosis;
- vomiting in older people may indicate dysentery;
- profuse, continuous vomiting is a sign of salmonellosis.
General state
Anxiety, whims, crying, refusal to eat, lack of sleep - all these symptoms of green diarrhea indicate that the child most likely has something in pain. If he can already talk, he will complain of stomach pain. This indicates serious problems with the intestines.
If a child has green diarrhea without fever and other accompanying symptoms, he remains cheerful and active, there is no need to panic. Over time, this unpleasant phenomenon will cease to bother you, and everything will return to normal. But if the stool of such an unusual color is complemented by a whole bunch of deviations from the normal state, you need to urgently go to the hospital. But what to do before the doctor arrives?
What to do?
"Enterosgel" - a sorbent for absorbing and removing toxins from the child's body
Before going to the hospital if a child has green diarrhea, accompanied by fever, vomiting and deterioration in general condition, parents can be advised to take the following measures.
Give the child Oralit, Regidron, Enterodes in small portions - special saline solutions are sold in any pharmacy and replenish fluid loss. It is not recommended to drink it with plain water: it can only make vomiting worse. In accordance with age, give one of the sorbents: Smecta, Polypefan, Enterosgel. They absorb toxins and promote their elimination. No other medications, especially antibiotics, should be given to a child with green diarrhea before consulting a doctor. This can only worsen his condition. Do not stop breastfeeding, but reduce the daily dose of milk by a third. Do not go on a fasting break for more than 6 hours.
These activities will temporarily alleviate the child’s condition. But you cannot delay calling or visiting a doctor. There is an urgent need to make a diagnosis for immediate treatment.
Diagnostics
In the hospital, based on the results of laboratory tests, doctors will more accurately determine why the child has green stool, whether this is normal or pathological. If necessary, the following diagnostic techniques will be performed:
stool analysis for dysbacteriosis; bacterial culture of feces and vomit; sigmoidoscopy - visual examination of the rectum; Analysis of urine; coprogram; general blood analysis; RNGA of blood to detect antibodies to salmonella.
During the diagnosis, it will be found out why the child has green stool, whether it is an indicator of any disease or not. If health problems are detected, treatment will be prescribed. If not, the doctor can only advise the parents what to do in the future so that the color of the children's stool becomes normal.
Treatment
So, what to do if parents discover green diarrhea in their child? Everything will depend on the diagnostic results. If you have diseases, you will have to undergo a course of treatment.
Therapeutic diet. For dysbiosis, bacteriophages, probiotics, Acipol, Linex, Enterol, Bifidumbacterin, Bifilin, Bifiform are prescribed. For intestinal infections: antibiotics and chemotherapy drugs (Nevigramon, Nergam, Ercefuril, Furazolidone, Gentamicin, Kanamycin, Anamycin sulfate, Rifampicin, Tienam, Meronem, Ciprofloxacin, Ceftazidime), specific bacteriophages, lactoglobulins, enteral immunoglobulins, enterosorbents. Oral rehydration with Regidron, Gastrolit, Oralit, Citroglucosolan. Enzyme therapy: Pankurmen, Panzinorm forte, Pancreatin, Abomin-pepsin, Festal, Digestal, Creon, Mezim forte. Antiallergic drugs. Antidiarrheal drugs: Diarol, Imodium. Myotropic antispasmodics for pain relief: Papaverine, Drotaverine, Spasmomen 40.
If green diarrhea is detected in a child, parents should understand what is happening to him. Sometimes ordinary care can neutralize an unpleasant and disturbing shade. In the presence of pathologies, this is only possible with the help of qualified medical intervention and appropriate treatment. Otherwise, complications cannot be avoided.
Complications
If parents did not take care of their child’s green stool in a timely manner, and its cause was one of the serious diseases, this may result in complications, including:
convulsions at high temperatures; dehydration of the body; dysbacteriosis can lead to dermatitis, bronchial asthma, chronic gastroduodenitis, intestinal dyskinesia, proctosigmoiditis; intestinal infections if left untreated can result in neurotoxicosis, cerebral edema, electrolyte disturbances, infectious-toxic shock, sepsis, hemolytic-uremic syndrome, toxic-dystrophic state; consequences of dysentery - intestinal bleeding, pericolitis, rectal prolapse, arthritis, neuritis, encephalitis, dysbacteriosis, malnutrition, hypovitaminosis, anemia, pneumonia, pyoderma, otitis media.
In order not to encounter these dangerous consequences, it is necessary to consult a doctor in a timely manner, and even better, to prevent this phenomenon. Prevention is always much more pleasant and easier than treatment.
Prevention
Prevention of green diarrhea in children involves regular adherence to the following activities and actions.
A nursing mother should follow a diet and, if possible, not take antibiotics. If your child is bottle-fed, consult your doctor about which formula is best to choose. Introduce complementary foods gradually. If green diarrhea is a reaction to a certain product, it is better to exclude it from the child’s diet for now and wait until the gastrointestinal tract is more fully formed. At an older age (after 3 years), normalize the child’s diet: there is no need to overfeed him with carbohydrates and greens. Adults should not lick baby's spoons or pacifiers. They can give him an intestinal infection with their saliva.
Have you noticed that your child has green diarrhea? In this case, first try to find out its cause, and then take some action.
The best option would be to consult a doctor at the slightest suspicion of health problems. This will reduce the risk of complications and allow you to be treated quickly and without consequences. And to prevent this from happening again in the future, you need to regularly engage in prevention.
A condition such as green diarrhea in a child causes anxiety among parents. Unfortunately, not everyone knows about what causes this pathology and how to cope with it. There are several reasons that lead to diarrhea, and each of them requires attention from a doctor.
Most often, the disease is caused by pathogenic bacteria and viruses. If your child has a fever, a stomach ache and green diarrhea, you should consult a doctor.
Causes
Causes of green diarrhea:
dysbacteriosis; intestinal infection; liver diseases; intestinal bleeding (rare).
Green-colored diarrhea appears in many newborns in the first days after birth. There is nothing dangerous in this, since meconium, the original feces, will be excreted from the child’s body over the course of several days.
In older children, green diarrhea is often a consequence of intestinal infections. In this case, the temperature may rise, weakness and abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting may occur. These are characteristic symptoms of intoxication of the body by pathogenic microflora - protozoa, viruses, bacteria and fungi. Read more about these symptoms →
Similar symptoms of green diarrhea occur in a child against the background of liver disease, only discomfort in the epigastric area and right hypochondrium may be added to them.
Dysbacteriosis is characterized by loose, greenish stools, with the presence of mucus and streaks of blood in advanced cases. In this case, diarrhea may periodically give way to constipation.
Signs of dehydration in a child
You can determine that a child has lost a large amount of moisture using the following criteria:
pronounced lethargy and calmness; reduction in the number of urinations, dark color of urine; skin that is dry to the touch, cracked lips; the appearance of circles under the eyes; retraction of the fontanelle in young children.
Any of these signs requires urgent medical attention. Otherwise, dehydration can cause even more serious complications for the child.
How dangerous is green diarrhea in a child?
The following conditions can cause complications of green diarrhea:
dehydration - what younger child, the more susceptible he is to this condition; loss of minerals and salts, which may cause seizures; hypovitaminosis and exhaustion; fissures and hemorrhoids, rectal prolapse.
Diarrhea in a child cannot be ignored. Disturbances in the water, electrolyte and salt balance in the body cannot be compensated for by regular drinking; treatment must be carried out by a doctor using appropriate medications (for example, Glucose solution, Regidron, etc.).
How to help your baby?
Green diarrhea in a child and fever are two frequent companions of pathology, which can intensify with dehydration. This condition is most dangerous for children under one year of age. Due to severe fluid loss, the need to drink increases, so first aid will be to provide the child with clean drinking water.
If the baby is breastfed, before feeding you can give him 50 mg of an absorbent drug prescribed by the pediatrician. Absorbents destroy toxins and remove pathogenic microflora from the body, qualitatively softening the mucous membrane of the digestive tract and facilitating the absorption of food. For artificial babies, absorbents are added to the mixture (for example, Enterosgel).
In addition to the absorbent drug, older children can be given rice broth, which also enhances the removal of toxins from the body and restores intestinal functions.
You can try to bring down a temperature during diarrhea that does not exceed 38.5° on your own. To do this, you need to give the child water often and not put warm clothes on him. Antipyretics are allowed to be used only as prescribed by a doctor.
What is absolutely forbidden to do?
If your baby has green diarrhea and his condition worsens, you should not self-medicate by offering him:
painkillers (Nurofen, Ibuprofen), which can blur the picture of the disease, the symptom of which is diarrhea; tetracycline antibiotics, which are often used for diarrhea in adults, but are highly toxic in children; medications intended for adolescents and adults (Imodium, Loperamide); force the child to eat; limit fluid intake for fear of new attacks of diarrhea or vomiting; offer raw vegetables and fruits, as well as heavy foods that irritate the digestive tract; put ice or a heating pad on your stomach.
Self-medication for childhood diarrhea may make the situation worse. It is necessary to seek help from a doctor.
In what cases is it necessary to urgently call a doctor?
Green diarrhea in a child is already a suspicious sign that you need to pay attention to, but not cause panic. Before calling a doctor, it is important to assess the baby’s well-being. Fever and abdominal pain are an urgent reason to call an ambulance, especially if we are talking about a child under 3 years old.
The doctor will not only determine the cause of the pathology, but will also prescribe a comprehensive course of treatment. As a rule, it consists of drugs that normalize the water-salt balance in the body (Regidron), sorbents (Smecta) and agents that restore intestinal microflora (Linex, Bifidumbacterin, etc.).
Medicines will also be prescribed to eliminate the root cause of green diarrhea in the child. For example, if the pathology arose against the background of an intestinal infection, it will be antibiotics (Sumamed, Levomycetin, etc.). The specialist will also determine a diet for the child, which will have to be followed for several days.
You can limit yourself to calling a local pediatrician at home if the child’s health is normal, but the green diarrhea does not stop - most likely, it is a symptom of dysbiosis. After the doctor confirms the diagnosis, the baby will be prescribed medications for outpatient treatment aimed at strengthening the body’s defenses and combating dysbiosis (Maxilak Baby, Hilak Forte, etc.).
Complications
The list of complications is:
dehydration of the body; convulsive syndrome at high temperature; dysbacteriosis, which, in turn, can lead to bronchial asthma, dermatitis, gastroduodenitis and other chronic diseases; neurotoxicosis, cerebral edema, toxic shock, sepsis, coma as consequences of an untreated intestinal infection.
Prevention
Prevention of diarrhea with a green tint in a child consists of the following measures:
A woman who is breastfeeding should strictly follow the diet and, if possible, not take medications, especially antibiotics. A formula-fed infant with frequent recurrences of diarrhea should be examined by a pediatrician or pediatric gastroenterologist to diagnose the pathology and select an appropriate formula. The first complementary foods should be introduced gradually and carefully. The green color of diarrhea may be an individual reaction of the baby to any food product. In this case, you should refuse the food that provokes the pathology and wait until the digestive tract gets stronger. It is important to feed children over 3 years of age fully and correctly, avoiding excess amounts of high-carbohydrate foods and greens in the daily diet. Do not put a baby's pacifier or spoon in your mouth. Causative agents of intestinal infection may be present in the saliva of an adult.
If your baby has green diarrhea, you first need to find out the cause of the pathology, and then begin to act. It is best to consult a doctor immediately, which will reduce the likelihood of complications. To prevent green diarrhea from recurring in a child, it is important to devote time to prevention.
Useful video about treating intestinal infections in children
The appearance of a child in the family brings a lot of joy to the parent, as well as a lot of anxiety and worry. Any deviation from the norm can cause a young mother to panic. Among the factors that greatly frighten parents is green diarrhea in a child.
Why does my child have green diarrhea?
Green diarrhea is a fairly common phenomenon and most parents experience it. There may be several reasons for its occurrence, and not all of them are pathological in nature.
Liquid green stools can be a sign of an intestinal infection and require immediate action, it can act as one of the symptoms of dysbiosis, and then long-term treatment will be required, or it can simply be a baby’s reaction to eating certain foods or changing their usual diet.
Let us consider the causes of children's liquid feces in more detail:
A child has green diarrhea due to an infection.
It is very important to recognize the onset of the disease in time and prevent dehydration, as it can pose a danger to the health and life of the baby. Signs of dehydration in a child under one year of age include dry lips and skin, lethargy, lethargy, infrequent urination, with the urine acquiring a pronounced dark color, dark circles around the eyes, and recessed fontanel. To prevent dehydration, when symptoms of lack of water in the body appear, the child should begin to be hydrated with special solutions. Such products are sold in pharmacies, and you can also prepare them yourself at home.
Dark green loose stool from dysbiosis
The causes of green diarrhea in a child often lie in a violation of the composition of the intestinal microflora. This condition is called dysbiosis. It can be caused by an allergic reaction, disruption of the immune system, improper use of antibiotics, poor nutrition and other factors. With dysbacteriosis in the child’s intestines, the number of beneficial microorganisms decreases and the number of pathogenic microorganisms increases. The result is such phenomena as green diarrhea in a child, bloating and flatulence, severe colic, allergic skin rash and others.
Only a doctor can make a diagnosis of “dysbacteriosis” after receiving the results of laboratory tests of the baby’s stool. The course of treatment usually includes taking antibiotics and bacteriophages to destroy harmful microflora. After this, in order to restore normal intestinal microflora, the doctor prescribes probiotics and prebiotics. Sorbents may also be prescribed to help remove toxins.
Breastfeeding a baby can prevent the appearance of dysbacteriosis, but only if the mother adheres to proper nutrition. If breastfeeding is not possible for one reason or another, then it is advisable to choose a suitable formula for the child. Pediatricians recommend giving preference to fermented milk and probiotic mixtures.
Green diarrhea from complementary feeding
The reasons for the appearance of green diarrhea in a one-year-old child can be much simpler, for example, switching to a new formula or a different type of food. Green stool can be a consequence of drinking cow's milk, fruits, juices or large amounts of food. This phenomenon may also be associated with poor nutrition of the mother.
The health of a small child is a reason that makes parents constantly worry. Therefore, it is better to monitor the diet of the baby and the nursing mother. However, in some cases, green diarrhea in a child is not dangerous. This phenomenon quite often accompanies the baby’s first feeding, especially if it is fruit juice.
The danger of diarrhea in children
The causes of children's green diarrhea may vary, but parents should be able to recognize situations when an immediate call to the doctor is necessary.
If green stool is detected, but the child remains in normal health, you can simply visit your local pediatrician for a consultation. Most likely, such feces were caused by the introduction of complementary foods or unusual food, but dysbacteriosis is also possible. Therefore, the doctor will order a test and, based on its results, determine the need for further action.
In cases where green diarrhea in a baby is accompanied by vomiting, severe weakness, fever and abdominal pain, you should immediately call an ambulance. Such symptoms may indicate the presence of an intestinal infection.
Prolonged severe diarrhea leads to dehydration, which is especially dangerous for young children. Therefore, in such a situation, you should give the baby water as often as possible, give him special solutions and follow a strict diet.
Green stool itself is not dangerous, but when it appears, you should take a closer look at how the child behaves and how he feels. If you feel unwell and have other symptoms of pathology, it is better to call a doctor, especially for newborns and infants.
Only a specialist can make an accurate diagnosis, and he will prescribe a set of therapeutic measures that must be strictly followed. Parents must remember that self-medication is not acceptable for young children. Since it can aggravate the problem and cause complications. We must not forget about the correct organization of the daily routine and diet for a sick child.
Prevention of the appearance of green diarrhea in a child is careful personal hygiene, thorough washing of vegetables and fruits before consumption, a rational diet and nutritional regimen.