Dr. Lynn Cates
Specializing in pediatric infectious diseases and childhood immunizations.
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 Ask Dr. Cates
Green Stools | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Cates,
My three-year-old son has been having green bowel movements (almost a blue/green), and I don't recall him eating anything green. Should I be concerned?— Worried Mom in Cleveland, Ohio | | | ANSWER |
May 14, 2001 | | | Dear Worried Mom,
It's amazing how many colors of stool kids can come up with! Green is one of the more commonly seen variations of stool color in normal children. I assume your son doesn't look sick since you didn't mention any symptoms. If he looks good to you and is not having vomiting, diarrhea, or a stomachache, most likely the greenish-blue color is related to something he ate. Remember that food doesn't always come out the same color it went in.
Another time you will see green stools is when a child has not eaten for a few days. In these cases, the bile that normally mixes with digested food in the bowel to turn stool brown, comes out its natural color--green. So, if he is just getting over a GI illness with vomiting and/or diarrhea and hasn't eaten anything for a while, his stools may be green until he starts eating again.
The bottom line is: If your son looks sick to you, has any GI symptoms (including abnormal consistency of his stool, black stools, or blood in his stools), or if this greenish color persists, you should consult his healthcare provider. It will be very helpful if you take her a stool sample so she knows exactly what you are talking about.— by Lynn Cates, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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