Why Blood in Baby's Stool? - Must Know the Causes & Symptoms

Finding streaks of red or dark blood in your child's stool can be frightening and will understandably panic most mothers! Blood in stool or rectal bleeding, however, is not always a sign of a serious health problem and can occur due to a variety of reasons that would require a doctor’s assessment.

Is It Blood or Not?

Firstly, we need to be sure if the red colour is indeed blood or not. Certain foods like betroot and medications like iron also cause the stools to appear red/maroon. A simple routine stool test will be able to confirm the presence or absence of blood.

What Are The Symptoms of Blood in Baby's Stool?

Depending on where the bleeding begins, the stool may appear different. For example if the bleeding is in the upper gut, the stools may appear black or tarry as opposed to the streaks of bright red blood that comes from the lower portion of the gut. Along with rectal bleeding, there may be symptoms such as changes in bowel movements and pain while passing stools.

What Are The Causes Of Blood In Stool In Children?

Anal Fissure Due To Constipation

This is probably the most common cause in children. An anal fissure is a small cut in the lining of the anus due to a hard stool. It causes bright red streaks of blood to appear alongside the stool. Treatment aims to