What does green stool mean in children? Green stool in a baby. Should you see a doctor?

When is this color change normal, and when should your child be taken to the doctor?

Possible reasons

In infants and newborns

The color of a child’s stool is influenced by various factors - the type of feeding, the mother’s diet (if the child receives breast milk), the replacement of formula, and the immaturity of the gastrointestinal tract of small children. The body of a small child is not yet completely ready to digest food - it does not have the required amount of bacteria, and also does not secrete the required amount of enzymes.

A newborn's first stool is green (dark green in color) and is called meconium. This type of stool is very thick and is normal for the first days of a baby’s life. A green tint to the stool of a breastfed baby is also normal.

During the period when the baby is teething, the feces may also turn green, as the baby pulls toys into his mouth and chews on them. Bacteria that enter the intestines can cause microflora disruption.

The reasons for the green color of feces of newborns and infants can also be:

Excess sugar in the diet.
Indigestion (both in the baby and in the nursing mother).
Changes in the mother's diet (if the baby receives breast milk) For example, insufficient amounts of dairy products in the diet, consumption of green foods, as well as foods with artificial additives.
Large dosage of iron in the mixture (if the baby is bottle-fed).
The baby sucks out only foremilk.
Start of introduction of complementary foods.

In older children

The color of an older child's stool may change due to the consumption of certain foods, indigestion, or excess sugar in food.

Other reasons for the appearance of green stool in older children are:

Infectious diseases with intestinal damage.
Worm infestations.
Lactase deficiency.
Allergic reactions.
Enterocolitis.
Congenital gastrointestinal diseases.
Taking vitamins, iodine, iron, chlorophyll and other dietary supplements.

Foods that can cause dark green stool are green vegetables (onions, dill, cabbage, spinach, lettuce, broccoli), licorice, red beans, candy with dyes, fruit juices, red meat, muesli, cereals, seafood fish. After eating these foods, your stool may turn green within five days.

Due to the consumption of dyes, the stool may turn bright green.

Additional symptoms to worry about

You should be wary of the following changes that accompany the acquisition of green stool:

Child's lethargy, capriciousness.
Poor appetite.
Increased body temperature.
The child complains of abdominal pain.
The appearance of foul-smelling stool.
The appearance of blood impurities in the stool.
Presence of mucus.
Very frequent loose greenish stools.
Drowsiness, weakness.
Nausea, as well as bouts of vomiting.
Appearance of a rash.
Bad breath.
Bloating.
Reduced body weight in infants.

Such signs should prompt a visit to the clinic with your child. The presence of blood and mucus in the stool may indicate an inflammatory process in the intestines. Elevated temperature in combination with copious and frequent greenish stools is characteristic of infectious lesions of the gastrointestinal tract. If you do not pay attention to such symptoms in time, there is a risk of dehydration of the child’s body and the spread of infection.

What to do?

First, you need to figure out what are the possible reasons for changes in the color of your child’s stool. In this case, it is more important to pay attention not to the color of the stool, but to the well-being of the child. If his appetite, sleep and general condition are normal, and you are only concerned about the green color of his stool, you should not worry.

If the reason for the green color of the stool is a new formula, it is recommended to replace it with another food that the baby will digest better. In cases where the cause of the change in stool color is food, dietary supplements and food coloring, nothing needs to be done. Provided that, apart from the unusual color of the stool, there are no other alarming symptoms.

Prevention

Preventive measures against green stool in young children are:

Compliance with the diet of a nursing mother.
Careful selection of artificial mixture.
Timely introduction of complementary foods.
Maintaining a healthy diet and preventing overeating.
Careful introduction of allergenic foods into the diet.
Regular visits to the pediatrician.

Why does my baby have green stool?

Green stool in a child is something that often worries parents. There are many reasons for such changes in stool: both ordinary physiological and pathological. Newborn babies are a separate issue; their bowel movements can be very surprising to unprepared parents, so it is necessary to understand everything in order to keep the situation under control.

Why does my baby have green stool?

Green feces in newborns

In babies, all the gastrointestinal organs finish forming in the womb. Until children are born, they swallow amniotic fluid, their own secretions, and particles of their own desquamated skin. All this, entering their body, is processed, and as a result, original feces - meconium - are formed in the intestines.

Meconium in newborns

As soon as the baby is born, in the first day and the next few days, feces come out; it has a marsh-green color and can be pasty or mushy in consistency. This is the absolute norm.

When a child receives his first food, and most often this is breast milk, a portion of bacteria enters his stomach, and they already begin to establish the digestion process. The stool gradually changes color to yellow, and then, after a while, when nutrition is improved, to brown.

Normal stool in a baby

Causes of green stool in children under 1.5 - 2 years old

Since the gastrointestinal tract is initially immature and does not have enough enzymes to process food, some malfunctions are possible, which will be accompanied by green feces.

Green stool

The following factors can affect the green coloration of stools:

changing the diet of a nursing mother (if breastfeeding is natural);
replacing the mixture with another;
excess sugar in the mixture;
excess iron in the mixture;
indigestion in a baby;
introducing the first solid food into the baby’s diet;
teething, when a child pulls various objects into his mouth and thus introduces bacteria into the stomach.

Green stool may be due to incorrect mixture selection

It is better to postpone the introduction of complementary foods if the baby’s stool has changed its color to green.

If after such changes the stool still remains green, consultation with a specialist is necessary, because perhaps the reason lies deeper.

For reference! If a breastfed baby is not properly applied to the breast and sucks out only the liquid front milk, but not the richer rear milk, then his stool may be more liquid and have a green color. Therefore, it is so important that the baby drinks the rear nutritious portion of mother’s milk.

Change in stool color in children over 2 years of age

Older children no longer feed on formula or breast milk; their diet contains a lot of foods. Stool may turn green when eating foods such as:

green vegetables and fruits;
red beans;
sea fish;
red meat;
juices, chewing gum and sweets with dyes.

Green fruits and vegetables

Sweets with a lot of dyes

However, foods are not always the source of green stool; the reason may lie in:

helminthic infestation;
lactase deficiency;
allergic reaction to certain food groups;
enterocolitis;
dysbacteriosis;
infectious disease;
taking specific medications and vitamins;
congenital pathology of the gastrointestinal tract.

The child may have problems with the gastrointestinal tract, dysbacteriosis

If the stool is green, but the child is cheerful, cheerful and there are no additional changes, most likely there is no cause for concern. You should be alert if you experience the following symptoms:

increase in temperature;
chills, cold sweat;
nausea, vomiting;
diarrhea;
poor appetite;
child's lethargy and moodiness;
abdominal pain;
the presence of impurities of blood, mucus, pus in the stool;
the appearance of a rash;
bloating.

You need to be wary if your child has a stomach ache and a fever.

Abnormal stool color combined with blood and mucus in it indicates inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. Fever, vomiting and diarrhea indicate either acute poisoning or an infectious disease.

Vomiting and diarrhea may be signs of infection

Therefore, it is necessary to immediately consult a doctor, since the child’s body in this case begins to dehydrate, and the infection and toxins spread further.

Intestinal infections: classification

Pediatrician about the causes of green stool in babies

Mothers of infants are often very worried and worried about the fact that it is not always clear what the child wants to tell them right now with his crying or changes in behavior. To understand what problem is bothering the child, you need to carefully perceive all the signals from the baby’s body. This signal is also a change in the color and consistency of children's stool. Parents are especially frightened by the green stool of their baby.

During the first year of life, children's stool color normally changes several times. How not to miss disturbing moments in the functioning of the baby’s digestive tract? What is considered normal and what is not? What are the causes of green stool in infants on different types of feeding? You will learn all this by reading this article.

Green stool in a breastfed baby

During the newborn period, babies pass first-born stool (meconium). It has a dark olive color and a very viscous consistency. Approximately 3-4 days after birth, the baby experiences transitional stool, which is yellow-green in color and has a thinner consistency than meconium. And that's absolutely normal.

With prolonged physiological jaundice, the baby may have green stools, since the body excretes excess bilirubin in feces, which receives this color due to the excess of this pigment.

A nursing mother should also monitor her own diet. If a woman eats green vegetables and herbs (zucchini, broccoli, asparagus, dill), the color of the baby's stool will also be green.

When a nursing mother takes certain medications (iron supplements), this also changes the color of the baby's stool towards green shades.

During the introduction of complementary foods, the color of the stool will directly depend on the foods your baby ate. And after eating green vegetables, the stool will also have a hint of green.

In infants, there is also a situation where fresh stool is the usual yellow-brown color, but after some time it oxidizes in the air and turns green. Parents who once decided to change a diaper belatedly, and not immediately after “dirty deeds,” may be frightened by the color of the baby’s stool. But there is no need to panic. You just need to look in the diaper next time right after your baby poops. If the fresh stool is of normal color, then there is no cause for concern.

Another reason for the appearance of green stool in a baby is the situation when the baby predominantly drinks only foremilk from the breast. The fact is that the composition of the foremilk, which is released immediately when the baby is applied to the breast, differs from the composition of the so-called hind milk.

Foremilk is less fatty and contains easily digestible carbohydrates, so it is easily digested. And hind milk, that is, from the deeper parts of the mammary gland, is fattier and more nutritious. As a rule, children quench their thirst with fore milk, and hind milk can satisfy the baby's hunger.

The peculiarities of the digestion of foremilk determine the greenish color of the stool when feeding primarily with foremilk.

Most often, this situation occurs in weakened or premature babies who have enough strength to suck only foremilk, which is more liquid. And when the time comes to work hard and suck on thicker and fattier milk, they begin to be capricious or even refuse to continue the meal.

A compassionate mother can offer the baby another breast, where he will again eat only foremilk. Soon this behavior becomes habitual for the child. These babies have leaner, greener stools and poor weight gain.

The normal yellow-mustard color of the stool is caused by bile pigments, which enter the intestines with bile to digest fats in food. Since foremilk contains practically no fat, the color of the stool becomes not yellow, but greenish.

In what case is green stool in an artificial diet considered normal?

When using some breast milk substitutes, for example, hypoallergenic formulas, the baby will normally have gray-green stools. Since these mixtures come with partial (hypoallergenic - HA) or complete (for example, Alfare) hydrolysis (splitting) of cow's milk protein, during the digestion of such a product, the baby's feces become dirty green.

The technology of partial hydrolysis of cow's milk protein is used in the production of formulas for the prevention of allergic diseases in children of the first year of life. Therapeutic mixtures for children with allergies to cow protein are produced on the basis of complete hydrolysis of milk protein.

Also, when introducing complementary foods to a bottle-fed baby, the digestive tract may react in such a way that the baby’s stool becomes a completely different color than it was before. The color may also change to green.

If nothing bothers the child (no temperature, no impurities in the stool - mucus, blood, no change in the baby’s well-being), then there is no reason to worry. Some time after the introduction of new foods, the baby’s digestion will improve.

Iron-fortified formulas also change the color of the stool to a greenish color. The reason for this is the interaction of iron with oxygen contained in the air, that is, its oxidation.

Mixed-fed babies eat both mother's milk and formula. For this reason, they may have green stools even more often, since all the problems described above may be relevant for them.

When should green stool alert parents?

When parents discover green stool in their baby, they should carefully monitor the general condition of the baby.

If they find any of the following symptoms in your baby, then this is a reason to definitely consult a doctor and carry out the necessary examination and treatment.

green, watery, foamy stools;
stool more than once a day;
mixed with mucus and streaked with blood;
with a foul, sour or putrid odor;
you notice severe irritation on the skin of the baby’s bottom after contact with such a stool;
the baby is worried about bloating and intestinal colic;
there is moodiness or lethargy;
you notice a decrease in your baby’s appetite;
there is insufficient weight gain or even weight loss.

Pathological conditions of the baby, accompanied by green stools

Let's look in more detail at when green stool is a consequence of the baby's illness.

Despite the fact that dysbiosis is not considered a disease in our country and throughout the world, it brings a lot of concern to children and their parents.

Dysbacteriosis is a violation of the quantitative ratio (balance) of normal and pathogenic intestinal microflora. This condition is considered not as a disease, but as a set of symptoms that are a consequence of some pathology.

Intestinal dysbiosis is often diagnosed in infants, since the child’s intestines are populated with microflora only after birth, and before that it was absolutely sterile.

Thus, it is very important during this postpartum stage to provide all the conditions for populating the baby’s intestines with beneficial microflora. This is facilitated, for example, by early breastfeeding, natural breastfeeding, and avoiding the use of antibacterial drugs.

And if at this stage, according to certain indications, it is impossible to meet the necessary conditions, then the process of colonization of the intestines with normal microflora is disrupted. Even already populated beneficial microflora may die, and the growth of more resistant pathogenic flora increases. For example, if a nursing mother is forced to treat a bacterial process with antibiotics, then they will have a detrimental effect on the beneficial intestinal microflora of both the child and the mother.

An imbalanced intestinal microflora leads to disruption of digestion, intestinal peristalsis (motor function), and disruption of the synthesis of vitamins and amino acids. The child’s immunity also decreases, since normal microflora is involved in the synthesis of immune cells.

Impaired digestion leads to changes in the qualitative and quantitative composition of feces. With dysbacteriosis, the color of the stool changes (more often the color becomes green), consistency, mucus impurities appear, and the frequency of bowel movements changes (constipation or diarrhea).

Intestinal infection in the acute period is manifested by weakness, lethargy of the child, loss of appetite, fever, vomiting, bloating, stool with greens, mucus, possibly blood (with salmonellosis) and a pungent odor. The causative agents of intestinal infections can be viruses, bacteria, fungal infections, or a combination of them.

Due to the immaturity of their immune system, infants are susceptible to various infectious diseases. Common childhood infections such as rotavirus and enterovirus can affect both the upper respiratory tract and the intestines.

All intestinal infections for infants are dangerous, first of all, due to rapid dehydration of the body. Therefore, if you notice your child has a fever, excessive regurgitation or vomiting, frequent loose stools, decreased appetite, or rumbling in the stomach, it is important to immediately seek medical help and not stop giving your baby plenty of fluids.

Lactase deficiency manifests itself as foamy, copious green stools with a sour odor that irritates the skin around the anus. The reason for such changes in the baby's stool is a lack of the enzyme (lactase) that breaks down milk sugar (lactose). This can be either a genetically determined pathology or acquired with age.

There is also such a thing as secondary lactase deficiency. Its manifestations do not differ from those described above. Secondary lactase deficiency occurs more often after an intestinal infection, when the formation of enzymes is disrupted after an inflammatory process in the intestines. The restoration of the enzyme-forming function occurs gradually and for quite a long time - over several months.

Celiac disease is a chronic disease characterized by intolerance to the cereal protein gluten. With this disease, the cells of the intestinal wall are affected, and the absorption process in the intestine is disrupted.

Clear symptoms of this disease can only be seen with the introduction of grain-based complementary foods to an infant (cereal porridge, bread, flour products). Celiac disease manifests itself as a dull pain in the abdomen, foul-smelling, profuse yellow-gray or gray-green feces with a sheen, which is caused by the high fat content in the stool. Feces are difficult to wash off clothes and wash off the walls of the pot.

Also, such children are characterized by growth retardation, underweight, a sharp increase in abdominal size, capricious behavior and irritability. There is also a delay in teething and various manifestations of deficiency of vitamins and microelements due to impaired absorption (rickets, stomatitis, seizures in the corners of the mouth, anemia).

Possible examination in a clinic setting

If changes in stool are not one-time in nature, but the child’s condition does not suffer, the parents are simply concerned about these changes, the doctor may prescribe a scatological examination - a qualitative analysis of stool. This method allows you to evaluate the functioning of the baby’s digestive tract.

If the baby has indications for stool examination for dysbacteriosis, it can also be done in a clinic. Identified disturbances in the balance of microflora can be quite easily corrected with probiotics, which are selected by the doctor taking into account the results of the analysis and the age of the patient.

More serious studies (bacteriological analysis of stool, culture of stool for flora) are prescribed by a doctor according to indications, that is, if a bacterial process of inflammation in the intestines is suspected.

Thus, infants may have stools of different consistency and color, and poop with different frequencies. And if the baby’s stool changes, and its general condition does not raise questions or complaints, then there is no reason to worry.

If alarming symptoms are detected in a child, parents should consult a doctor to examine the baby and find out the reasons for the change in his stool. Early seeking medical help makes it possible to nip the disease in the bud and prevent it from progressing. This means that it will be easier and faster for the baby to undergo all the necessary therapy.

Should I be concerned if my baby produces green stool?

The nature of bowel movements depends on diet and the state of the gastrointestinal tract. The health of the liver and gallbladder is especially important. Improper functioning of the organs is the main factor that changes the consistency and color of feces. In most cases, green feces in a child are released due to the inflammatory process occurring in the digestive system. Such defecation products are not the norm.

Why does stool turn green?

If the child’s diet is dominated by cucumbers, cabbage, parsley, dill and other green vegetation, then food is the provoking factor. By adjusting the diet, parents will notice that the stool has returned to normal. This is the most harmless condition that affects the color of stool.

More dangerous reasons for passing strange feces are:

Dysbacteriosis. The disease develops as a result of enzymatic deficiency, taking antibiotics and decreased immunity. The child may complain of abdominal pain, increased gas production and green loose stools. When an older child or teenager defecates dark green, almost black stool, it is possible that he or she has eaten too much greens, consumed foods with artificial colors, or taken Activated Charcoal tablets.
Liver disease. Hepatitis affects the color of feces. The inflammatory process is indicated by pain in the right hypochondrium, yellowness of the skin and mucous membranes, nausea, and problematic bowel movements. Cirrhosis produces green stools, morning bitterness in the mouth, discomfort in the right side, and swelling. Too dark stool may signal the disintegration of a malignant neoplasm that has formed in the liver.
Pathologies of the pancreas. When inflammatory processes occur in a small organ, the child suffers from enzyme deficiency, and his parents notice altered stools. Other symptoms of pancreatitis include severe abdominal pain, poor appetite and nausea. The color of stool changes depending on diet.
Intestinal infections and poisoning are another answer to the question of why a child poops greens. Infections that cause disruption of the tract enter the body with low-quality food or due to non-compliance with hygiene rules. Acute disorders manifest themselves very rapidly: the child’s well-being deteriorates, he feels sick, vomits and has a fever, the stool changes in color and density. Feces can be green or yellow in color and their consistency is usually liquid. Vomiting and frequent urge to defecate are dangerous due to dehydration.

Reason to see a doctor

If the child is in good health, parents do not have to worry about the stool suddenly turning green. In the summer, a baby at a summer cottage could easily taste natural gifts, and in any quantity. In this case, his feces may be slightly slimy and contain green lumps of vegetables, fruits, and berries that have not been completely digested.

An increased amount of mucus, green or bloody impurities should alert parents. Against the background of foamy, liquid or foul-smelling stool, their appearance means a state of dysbiosis. As additional signs, the baby may experience frequent colic and skin rashes.

Green stool in a small child sometimes indicates lactase deficiency. Only a doctor who has examined the patient’s tests can confirm the diagnosis.

Thus, before contacting the clinic, parents should carefully analyze the situation. Consider whether the child has taken antibiotics or foods that can change the color of feces. If this is true, the color of bowel movements will stabilize on its own in 2 to 3 days.

When should you see a doctor? A specialist arrives immediately when parents excitedly report the following points by phone:

vomit;
diarrhea;
hyperthermia;
unbearable colic;
spasmodic pain in the abdomen;
greenish feces are excreted for more than 5 days.

How to help a child?

Before the doctor arrives, treat the intestines yourself. To improve the microflora of the tract, give your child probiotics:

In case of diarrhea and vomiting, to prevent dehydration, give the patient Regidron solution. If you have food poisoning, try getting rid of green poop with a slurry of Activated Charcoal tablets. Dissolve the drug in a small amount of water at the rate of 1 tablet for every 10 kg of body weight.

Do not ignore such a symptom as green stool in a child. In the absence of a connection with nutrition, it can signal helminthic infestations, inflammation of the small intestine, GERD, thyrotoxicosis, and impaired intestinal innervation in a patient with diabetes. Some children void greens after their ileum is removed.
While the baby is teething, he tries to eliminate the discomfort by putting anything in his mouth. Through objects, bacteria penetrate the intestines and upset the balance of flora. Buy silicone rings for your child and pour boiling water over them every time they are on the floor.

Monitor your child's diet and do not allow him to overuse leafy vegetables and garden herbs. Otherwise, green food will constantly provoke a change in the nature of the stool.

Causes of green stool in a child: in what cases is this normal, and when is treatment required?

Most often, green stool occurs in newborns and infants. The older the baby gets, the less likely it is for green stool to appear. The green color of a child's stool is not a cause for alarm: a change in color can be both a symptom of a disease and a consequence of the child's diet.

When green is the norm

During the first week of the child's life. After birth, there is a lot of meconium in the baby’s intestines (this is a mixture of amniotic fluid, iron secretion and intestinal cells).

In the first week, non-standard stool color (black, green or dark green), loose stools are normal. Over time, the feces change to transitional.

What are the reasons

Air, acting on the stool, oxidizes it, which gives it a green or dark green color.
Mom eats too much sugar. Sugar causes green spots to appear in baby's stool.
Some medicines rich in iron make stools green. Also, taking antibiotics can change the color of the stool (antibiotics often upset the balance of microflora in the child’s intestines).
The newborn's intestines are still developing. It is not fully adapted. From time to time, the baby may have difficulties digesting food, since the intestinal microflora has not yet “settled” and is unstable.
Incorrectly selected food mixture (if we are talking about artificial feeding). Not all mixtures are equally useful. Sometimes a child just needs to change his diet.
Abundance of “green” products.” And in older age (2-3 years), the color of food can affect the color of the stool. Broccoli, greens, and eggplants can change color especially strongly. Important: it is advisable not to radically change the baby’s diet in the first 5 months of his life.
Dysbacteriosis. Due to unformed intestinal microflora, children often suffer from dysbiosis, one of the symptoms of which is discolored stool.

A typical normal stool for a breastfed baby is liquid, light brown in color, sometimes with white inclusions and particles of mucus.

In some cases, green stool is a symptom of the disease.

Diseases

The following diseases may be accompanied by green stool in a child:

infection (“fungi”, rotavirus infection);
if the child gets sick with diarrhea;
there may be congenital pathological changes in the gastrointestinal tract (gastrointestinal tract);
stressful experiences of the child;
lactose intolerance in a child - the baby does not have enough “fat” milk;
allergies (especially food allergies);
enterocolitis (simultaneous inflammatory process in the small and large intestines).

The final diagnosis can only be established by a doctor after conducting a comprehensive diagnostic examination - examination, questioning and testing.

Green stool at 2-3 months

If the baby is on artificial nutrition, then, most likely, the green tint to the stool is given by an incorrectly selected mixture. Also at this age there is a high probability of dysbiosis.

What if the baby is breastfed? As you already know, light brown loose stools with small white spots in a baby are normal when breastfeeding. Why is it different? Normal stool is formed due to the infant's consumption of so-called “fat” milk.

In order for the baby to get enough of this milk, he often needs to be fed longer than usual. As an option, the mother can try to feed the baby for a longer time than usual.

Green stool at 8 months

By this age, not all children have normalized intestinal microflora; this is a common occurrence. Perhaps the baby should gradually diversify his diet. Contact a specialist if, in addition to green stool, the child has other symptoms (fever, rash).

Green stool at 1 year

At this age, the cause of green stool will be dysbiosis or intestinal infection. Of course, it may also be due to the abundance of “green” products, but it’s still worth getting tested.

Green stool at 11 years old

As a rule, at this age the intestinal microflora should already be formed.

The older a person gets, the more likely it is that changes in stool color will be accompanied by other symptoms and complaints.

Otherwise, the reasons for the appearance of green stool are the same as those listed above (infections, consequences of taking medications), but each individual case requires a doctor’s examination and thorough diagnosis.

When to go to the doctor

You should carefully monitor the baby's condition. Before contacting a specialist, try to answer the following questions:

Has your child started sleeping differently? Has his routine changed for no apparent reason?
Has his appetite changed? Has the appetite become more pronounced, or, conversely, has the baby begun to eat less?
Has your child become anxious or anxious more often? Have you started crying more often?
Has he developed a rash?
Has your baby started burping more often?
Does the stool have a putrid odor? Is there more mucus in your stool?

The last three points, together with green stool in a child, are a reason to immediately contact a pediatrician.

How you can help your child at home

If the mother is taking medications, or they were prescribed to the baby, and the stool has turned green, but the child has no other symptoms, then monitor the color of the stool after finishing the course of taking the medications.

Sometimes changing your diet can help. Try to eat less cucumbers, greens, broccoli and zucchini - these are often responsible for green stool. This applies to both infants (the diet should be changed by the nursing mother) and older children.

In case of lactose deficiency, in addition to increasing the feeding time, the mother can also alternate breasts every 2 hours (but not more often).

If your baby is bottle-fed, switching to a new formula may help you out.

Conclusion

Now you know that the green color of a child’s stool in itself is not an alarming symptom; more often than not, it’s all about nutrition.

We recommend that you closely monitor your baby’s appearance and changes in mood, maintain a balanced diet - it is not advisable for “green” foods to take first place in the diet. We remind you that the putrid smell of feces is a reason to immediately contact your pediatrician.

Green feces in a child: what does it mean and why is it dangerous?

Green feces in a child can be either a sign of gastrointestinal diseases or infections, or a consequence of feeding certain foods. There are some symptoms that should alert parents. If they appear, you must immediately consult a doctor to avoid serious consequences, which may include dehydration, poisoning, multiple organ failure, cardiac arrest and even death.

Green stool can be either a symptom of a gastrointestinal tract disorder or a consequence of changes in the child’s diet.

1. Intestinal infection - salmonellosis, yersiniosis, hepatitis, norovirus, rotavirus, giardiasis, helminthic infestation.
2. Disturbances in the functioning of the pancreas, liver, gall bladder, dysbacteriosis, decreased acidity of gastric juice.
3. Enzyme deficiency - lactase, maltase, etc.
4. Mastitis (inflammation of the mammary gland) in a nursing mother, infection from the maternity hospital, respiratory tract at home.
5. Allergy to milk formula, intolerance to gluten, casein, and other substances in food.
6. The child’s consumption of greens and colored foods.

The first five reasons can be manifested by the baby's restlessness, crying, in addition to changes in the color of the stool.

A small intestinal infection is one of the most likely causes of dark green stool. Salmonella, E. coli of various types (enterotoxigenic, adhesive, hemorrhagic, pathogenic), Yersinia are bacteria that cause digestive disorders. These microorganisms are factors that provoke inflammation of the intestinal wall.

Due to damage to the small intestine, the absorption of bile acids, which cause the green color of stool, is affected. This leads to their discharge into the large intestine, irritation of the mucous membrane, burning and liquid, foamy stool. The processes of digestion and absorption are disrupted. The child experiences pain in the abdomen. There may be blood in the excrement.

Rotavirus, norovirus, and infectious hepatitis can cause digestive upset. Botkin's disease (hepatitis A) sometimes manifests itself in the form of gastrointestinal disorders. The development of infectious processes in the gastrointestinal tract is facilitated by problems with the production of digestive juices and protective factors - antibodies (secretory immunoglobulin A). Immunodeficiency is one of the causes of chronic giardiasis.

Liver problems - insufficient bile secretion, hepatitis - phenomena typical for children under 5-8 years of age. In this case, digestion is disrupted, namely the emulsification of fats, which leads to osmotic diarrhea - water diarrhea with accelerated intestinal function. Fatty stools of various colors, including green, are characteristic if dysbiosis with the participation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other pathogenic or opportunistic microorganisms is associated.

Enzymatic insufficiency of the pancreas or spasm of the sphincter of Oddi negatively affects digestion - a deficiency of enzymes (proteases, amylase, lipase) that break down food leads to stool disorders. The feces have a putrid odor due to the breakdown of protein substances and are green in color due to secondary malabsorption. This is often accompanied by a disturbance in the microbial composition of the intestine.

The stomach is important in digesting food, especially those containing proteins. With a lack of hydrochloric acid, the child suffers from diarrhea, hypovitaminosis, and allergic rash.

Not only the pancreas, but also the intestinal mucosa is involved in digestion and the secretion of enzymes. It secretes various enzymes - lactase, maltase, isomaltase for digesting carbohydrates.

With infections, inflammation and congenital fermentopathy, the small intestine stops secreting enzymes that digest lactose and other sugars. At the same time, a baby on breastfeeding at the age of one, two, or three years begins to develop green feces, regurgitation, and diarrhea. Intolerance to breast milk and formulas containing lactose may also occur.

Inflammation of the mammary gland and the presence of pus in it leads to infection of the milk by pathogenic microorganisms, leading to dysbacteriosis. The main dangerous bacteria are Klebsiella, Proteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus.

The infection penetrates from the mucous membranes of the mother and people in the same room with the baby (in the maternity hospital).

Some infant formulas contain casein, lactose, and soy protein, which sometimes cause allergic reactions and intolerance in children. This replacement of breast milk disrupts digestion, is difficult to digest, and causes hypovitaminosis, urticaria, and diathesis in addition to changes in stool.

The greens that the baby eats can color the stool the appropriate color. Food dyes affect the appearance of intestinal contents.

Children aged 1, 2, 3 years experience restlessness, crying, screaming due to pain caused by colic, and the discharge of liquid green stool. With food intolerance, regurgitation is possible.

At 4 years, 5-7 years and older, the baby complains of abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and bloating. With chronic dysbacteriosis, the baby develops diathesis, signs of vitamin deficiency - sticking in the corners of the mouth, “geographic tongue”.

If the color of your stool changes, you should consult a doctor for help as soon as possible. It is recommended to take a stool test for intestinal infections and dysbacteriosis.

If there is excessive diarrhea or vomiting, the baby should be given more fluids to avoid dehydration.

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2 year old child has green stool

Green feces in an adult, in a child - causes, treatment

If an adult or child’s stool is light brown, yellowish or dark brown in color, then this is considered normal (the person is healthy and has no problems with the gastrointestinal tract). By the color of stool you can determine whether a person is healthy, whether he has gastrointestinal diseases, and how the patient eats. A change in the color of stool is the first sign of ill health.

I'm healthy and my stool is green

In a healthy body, green feces can be a consequence of poor nutrition, in particular foods that contain green dyes or green pigment. Basically, green feces are formed in a healthy person in the summer, when the diet is based on a large amount of vegetables and fruits.

The causes of green stool can be:

Current antibiotic treatment;
Dysbacteriosis;
Gastrointestinal diseases.

Green feces and a rotten smell in a person indicate that leukocytes in the body die, are not removed from the intestines, but accumulate in it and provoke inflammatory processes in the body.

When a patient is diagnosed with dysbiosis, the gastrointestinal tract does not function properly and does not fully digest food. As a result, the foods that have been eaten are not processed in the stomach, but begin to gradually rot, then ferment and negatively affect the entire body and the color of stool in particular.

Stool becomes green due to dysbacteriosis.

Intestinal infections are another disease that causes stool to change its color to green. An infectious disease manifests itself as:

Vomiting;
Nausea;
Increased body temperature;
Weaknesses in the body;
Severe pain in the lower abdomen;
Changes in stool color to green.

Poor nutrition

Poor nutrition is the answer to the question of why stool may be green. If you eat a lot of foods rich in iron, it is not surprising that your stool will be green. But, again, this condition cannot be called pathological. As soon as you change your diet, your health will improve and your stool will return to its normal light brown color.

And an unhealthy diet, containing artificial dyes in large quantities, leads to a change in the color of stool.

Green feces appear when consuming foods such as beans, fruit and vegetable juices, cereals, herbs, dill, onions, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, spinach, muesli, any confectionery products containing dyes (in simple words, unnatural sweets ), red fish, meat.

If you have green stool, then reconsider your diet.

Green feces in children

For a baby in the first month of life, green feces are the norm - there is no need to panic or worry about this under any circumstances. A change in the color of stool in a small child can occur at the time of transition from breast milk to artificial feeding (formula) or during the introduction of complementary foods.

An infection in a child may cause green stool. In this case, the symptoms will be as follows:

Loss of appetite;
Weakness, lethargy;
Moodiness, irritability;
Increased body temperature;
Green feces

In all these cases (if such symptoms are present), it is imperative, urgently, to consult a pediatrician and gastroenterologist.

By the way, green feces in babies under one year of age are common when the baby is teething. Children in this state produce copious amounts of saliva, which has a direct effect on the color of the stool.

Green stool in a teething baby may be a response to increased salivation. In this case, bile is released with increased intensity. As a result, parents are faced not only with green feces in their child, but also with painful colic.

Another reason for the green stool of a small child may be dysbacteriosis.

Dysbacteriosis is a pathological condition in which there are much fewer beneficial bacteria in the intestines than beneficial ones. Consequently, the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is disrupted.

If you have intestinal dysbiosis, you need to contact a pediatrician to prescribe appropriate treatment (drugs containing beneficial bacteria, for example, Linex).

So, green feces in a small child may be associated with:

Lactose intolerance (breast milk);
Dysbacteriosis;
Switching from breast milk to artificial formula or introducing complementary foods;
With teething;
With an infectious lesion of the body.

If parents become concerned about the green color of the baby's stool, then they need to show the child to the doctor. Because In some cases, the green color of feces in a baby or infant may indicate intestinal dysbiosis. Green feces in infants may be associated with individual intolerance to milk protein.

Pathologies

Green feces can appear with the following pathologies:

If a child or an adult has bleeding in the stomach, then the pressure decreases, the heartbeat quickens, weakness appears in the body, the skin turns pale, and shortness of breath begins.

Green feces are a symptom of blood pathologies and liver diseases.

About treatment

It is impossible, without knowing the cause of green stool, to prescribe some kind of treatment for yourself. Already on the first day of deterioration in your health and the appearance of green stool in you/your child, you should consult a doctor, take a blood test, as well as a test to determine existing infections.

Patients with chronic diseases of internal organs and digestive organs should tell their doctor about this during examination. It is advisable to exclude foods that can impart a green color or reduce its intake.

Depending on whether the patient has constipation or diarrhea, prescribing or laxatives are prescribed, for example, Enterosgel, activated carbon. Antibacterial therapy in this case will also be appropriate.

If there is any internal bleeding, you should consult a doctor. If you do not receive qualified medical care in a timely manner, this can lead to serious consequences, including death.

The reasons for the appearance of green feces can be very different. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to this problem in a timely manner. First you need to undergo an examination and tests and only then begin treatment, if necessary.

The color of stool is greatly influenced by diet and the condition of the human digestive system, primarily the liver and gallbladder. Violation of the functions of these organs entails a change in the consistency and color of stool.

Sometimes the stool is colored green. There are many reasons for this condition, in most cases they are associated with the presence of inflammatory processes in the digestive tract and are accompanied by various manifestations from the body. For example, a sharp deterioration in health. In any case, the green color of the stool is not the norm, and therefore requires contacting a specialist.

Why is stool green?

Pancreatic diseases. Inflammatory processes contribute to a decrease in pancreatic function, in particular the production of enzymes involved in the digestion of protein and carbohydrate foods. Therefore, patients with pancreatitis often experience changes in stool. If you have this disease, consuming large amounts of fatty foods leads to a deterioration in your health: nausea, loss of appetite, as well as changes in the consistency and color of stool. Stools with pancreatitis can be dark brown, light or green, depending on your diet. Chronic pancreatitis occurs without pronounced symptoms; exacerbations may be caused by poor diet, stress, alcohol consumption, or smoking.

Liver diseases. Inflammatory liver diseases () also affect the composition and color of stool. Hepatitis is almost asymptomatic. The presence of an inflammatory process may be indicated by periodic aching, nausea, stool disturbances, and yellow discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes. The greatest danger to human health and life is cirrhosis of the liver, a disease that often occurs against the background of hepatitis and is characterized by a gradual complete loss of organ function. The first manifestations of cirrhosis are: bitterness in the mouth in the morning, nausea, discomfort and heaviness in the right side, upset stool (yellow, green stool), . Dark green stool may also be a sign of liver tumor disintegration, not accompanied by other characteristic symptoms.

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Intestinal dysbiosis. The cause of disruption of the intestinal microflora is a decrease in immunity, the use of antibacterial drugs, and a lack of certain enzymes due to dysfunction of the digestive system. Dysbacteriosis affects the condition of the entire organism as a whole. Initially, the skin condition worsens. Regular loose stools, abdominal pain, flatulence are signs by which imbalances in the intestinal microflora can be identified. Black-green feces due to dysbiosis can be caused by diet and medications. For example, this effect is achieved by consuming activated carbon, large amounts of greens, and food products containing artificial colors.

Intestinal infections and poisoning. Infections accompanied by intestinal upset are caused by bacteria that enter the body mainly through food. This is facilitated by non-compliance with hygiene rules, disruption of food production, and improper preparation of food. Acute intestinal disorders manifest themselves violently, beginning with a sharp deterioration in health, twisting pain in the abdomen, vomiting, increased body temperature, fever, chills, and upset stool. Intestinal poisoning is the most common cause of changes in the color and consistency of stool. When poisoned, feces become green or yellow and have a liquid consistency. Frequent urge to go to the toilet and vomiting during poisoning quickly lead to dehydration.

Very often the intestines are the first to react, for example, the stool becomes greenish in color.

Causes of changes in stool color in adults

Green stool is not always a symptom of a disease

Normally, the color of a person's stool should be brown. But by coincidence, under the influence of certain factors, it can change its color. The most harmless reasons for changing the color of stool include eating large amounts of dyes. Dyes are added everywhere, but most often people who love candies, lemonades (tarragon, etc.) are faced with the problem of green feces. Also, taking dietary supplements can also lead to a change in the color of stool to green.

And if these reasons can be classified as relatively harmless, then there are a number of other reasons when green stool can indicate a developing disease that requires immediate treatment:

Dysbacteriosis. One of the most common problems for many people is dysbiosis. This is a violation of the intestinal microflora, and one where there are practically no beneficial bacteria. And because of this, the body reacts in a unique way and begins to behave differently. Namely, the feces become green in color, with an unpleasant odor and the presence of mucus. This disease is provoked by taking antibiotics, which completely kill the intestinal microflora, and to help populate it with beneficial bacteria, it is necessary to take special medications, which almost everyone forgets about. To accurately confirm the presence of dysbiosis, it is necessary to undergo a detailed stool test to determine the presence of beneficial and harmful bacteria in it.
Intestinal inflammation. With this disease, the stool not only becomes green, but also contains mucus and pus. In this case, due to the breakdown of leukocytes, such staining is obtained. With acute inflammation of the intestines, a person suffers from pain, and in order to somehow relieve them, it is necessary to abstain from eating for some time, since the foods eaten will irritate them even more. And to replenish the alkaline balance you need to drink Regidron. To remove toxins, it is better to use Smecta, it is an excellent absorbent
Bleeding in the intestines. Sometimes, when bleeding occurs in the intestines, the color of the stool takes on a greenish tint. This occurs due to iron oxidation
Exacerbation of stomach or duodenal ulcers
An intestinal infection that will manifest itself not only as green stool, but also vomiting, fever, and diarrhea. Moreover, the feces will be mixed with mucus, pus, and often blood
Food poisoning. Adults often do not look at the expiration dates of products and consume them. And sometimes, because it’s simply a pity to throw away soup that has been sitting in the refrigerator for a long time, they take it and finish it. And as a result, they get food poisoning, which in terms of symptoms is very similar to an intestinal infection, with the exception of one point: with food poisoning, the body temperature rises very rarely
Liver problems, especially if they are associated with excessive breakdown of red blood cells and the production of large amounts of bilirubin

If the stool does not change color for several days and remains green, then it is best to consult a doctor for advice.

Green feces in children

If an unpleasant odor is associated with the green color, then you should be wary

Parents are always worried when their child's stool changes color. In the first few weeks after birth, the color of your baby's stool may change constantly, ranging from yellow to green. This is considered quite normal, as the intestines gradually adapt to the new environment. Sometimes children have greenish stool when teething. Doctors attribute this to the fact that at the moment when teeth are being cut, more saliva is produced, and this in turn provokes the production of more bile, which turns the stool a different color and causes colic.

When complementary foods are introduced, the color of the baby's stool may also change and become green, especially when vegetable purees (broccoli, cauliflower, etc.) are introduced. In these cases, you should not panic and run immediately to the pediatrician or call an ambulance. But if green stool in a child is accompanied by fever, abdominal pain, and vomiting, then you should immediately call an ambulance, as this could be an intestinal infection, which is very dangerous. With an intestinal infection, green stool will contain mucus and bloody streaks.

In any case, you cannot ignore the change in color of your baby’s stool. It’s just that if he behaves the same way as always and nothing bothers him, then you should just watch him. It is quite possible that this is a reaction to a new product.

What to do if stool color changes

If the child behaves in a normal way, then green feces may simply be a “temporary phenomenon.”

If an adult’s stool has acquired a greenish tint, but is not bothered by abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, etc., then you can observe the condition for a couple of days. And most likely everything will return to normal. If the stool has changed color and also become liquid, then it is best to drink Smecta or Loperamide in order, firstly, to stop the diarrhea, and secondly, to remove toxins from the body. But if fever and vomiting are added to all this, then it is best to call an ambulance, as this could be an intestinal infection.

Greenish-colored stool can be either a symptom of an incipient disease or a temporary phenomenon. The main thing is to establish the exact cause of such a change, and, if necessary, begin to take measures to restore it.

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Green feces in a child: what does it mean and why is it dangerous?

Green stool can be either a symptom of a gastrointestinal tract disorder or a consequence of changes in the child’s diet.

1. Intestinal infection - salmonellosis, yersiniosis, hepatitis, norovirus, rotavirus, giardiasis, helminthic infestation.
2. Disturbances in the functioning of the pancreas, liver, gall bladder, dysbacteriosis, decreased acidity of gastric juice.
3. Enzyme deficiency - lactase, maltase, etc.
4. Mastitis (inflammation of the mammary gland) in a nursing mother, infection from the maternity hospital, respiratory tract at home.
5. Allergy to milk formula, intolerance to gluten, casein, and other substances in food.
6. The child’s consumption of greens and colored foods.