Green stool in an infant: the main reasons

The green stool of an infant is a fairly common phenomenon. The fact is that in the first months of a baby's life, normal stools are just beginning to form, so they often change color. Nevertheless, this causes concern among parents, and in some cases it is well founded.

Green stool in a nursing child from malnutrition

In fact, the greenish color of feces is not always an occasion for a visit to a doctor. Quite often such a problem is associated with malnutrition, especially among toddlers who are breastfed. If the child does not eat long enough, then he gets only the so-called "front" milk, which contains less nutrients. Therefore, many mothers are recommended to put the baby to the chest for a long time so that he can get "back", more fatty milk. In addition, do not forget about the hormones and other substances that get into the mother's milk - they can also affect the color of stool.

Green baby's chair and nourishment

Quite often, a change in the color of the stool is due to the peculiarities of the food. For example, a baby often has a yellow-green stool immediately after switching to artificial feeding - in such cases, doctors usually recommend changing the formula. In some cases, a greenish tinge indicates an increased content of iron in the porridge. Often, a green stool in an infant appears after the introduction of other foods in the diet. For example, soup with broccoli or greens can affect the color of the stool. And do not forget about food dyes - try to give your child only home-made foods without preservatives and other potentially hazardous substances.

Green stool in an infant with a disease

Unfortunately, sometimes the causes of the appearance of green feces are not so harmless. For example, a discoloration of the stool can signal the presence of an allergic reaction. In this case, it is worth paying attention to the attendant symptoms - the presence of rash, vomiting, diarrhea and other signs of allergy. One of the most common causes is the so-known disease, such as dysbiosis, which is associated with a violation of the normal composition of the intestinal microflora. In this case, the baby has other symptoms - nausea, loss of appetite, increased gas formation, bloating, constipation and diarrhea. In some cases, the dark green color of the stool can signal the presence of bleeding in the digestive tract.

Green chair in an infant: what to do?

Of course, such a sharp change in the color of the chair worries any parent. And if it has nothing to do with the nutrition of the mother or child, then it is worthwhile to see a doctor. Immediate medical attention is required if digestive disorders (diarrhea, vomiting), swelling and severe abdominal pain, fever are observed. In such cases, it is necessary to pass the samples of the feces of the child to a laboratory analysis - only so you can determine the presence of the disease. As for treatment, it depends on the cause and nature of the disease itself.