Dr. Lynn Cates
Specializing in pediatric infectious diseases and childhood immunizations.
|
|
 Ask Dr. Cates
Infant with White Stools | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Cates,
My son is six months old. He just got over the stomach flu and now his bowel movements are almost white in color, and they have a hint of yellow to them. He is also on Zantac because his pediatrician thinks he has reflux. Can you tell me if there might be something else wrong with him?— Worried Mom | | | ANSWER |
May 8, 2001 | | | Dear Worried Mom,
I'm glad your son has gotten better. As you may know, there are many things that can cause vomiting and/or diarrhea--what is commonly known as "stomach flu." One of the possibilities that comes to mind when we see pale or white stools in a child who has previously had darker stools is hepatitis, which means inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis can be caused by many kinds of viruses (including hepatitis A, B, or C) and by other things such as reactions to drugs. Many infants and children have hepatitis A that goes undiagnosed because the symptoms are so mild. This kind of infection is rarely a problem in young children but can make adults very sick. The reason it is important to try to diagnose hepatitis A or B is that other people who have been exposed may benefit from special treatment that can prevent them from getting infected.
Another, more remote, possibility is that hepatitis can be the result of a reaction to a drug. You mentioned that your son is on ranitidine (Zantac). This drug has occasionally been associated with hepatitis and should be stopped immediately if it is determined that it may be causing hepatitis.
No matter what the cause, because pale stools may indicate hepatitis, you should consult with your child's healthcare provider. It will be helpful if you bring in a diaper for him to see--it is entirely possible that what looks "white" to you is just normal baby stool--even if it is different from your son's normal stool color.— by Lynn Cates, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
|
