Infant Passing Black Sticky Stools Frequently. What Should I Do?

Posted on Sat, 22 Dec 2012

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 Answered on

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : My 11.5 month old son is passing black chocolaty sticky stools from 3-4 days, although my doctor said it's normal and asked us to discontinue formula feed, but he's now passing 10-15 times a day. I dont think its normal what should i do...although he's active and otherwise behaving normal

Answered by Dr. Ganesh Sanap (5 hours later)

Hi,

Thanks for the query.

As the symptoms are persisting for more than a week, your son needs evaluation and treatment.

I don't feel persisting stools of 10-15 episodes in a day for 4 days is normal. Therefore I would urge you to report back to your doctor. He/she will need to screen your son and look for signs of evaluation. Adequate rehydration is needed at the earliest to avoid complication. Stool and other battery of test are warranted.

In the interim I encourage you to give him plenty of fluids in the form of oral rehydrating salts.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if you need further assistance.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Ganesh Sanap (13 hours later)

Mostly what i have observed is he pass stools during day time when he's alone with my wife and cries to allow him to leave on the floor, may be due to excess winters here...Once me and my father reach home, he does not feel bound anymore and then behaves too much active and does not even pass stool, is this due to excess winter that sometime he remains on the floor and might have attracted cold due to which he could not control the stool easily and do it again as soon as cleaned. Pls note that he passes as soon as he drinks milk mainly formula feed. Is he allergic to the formula now although he was on this feed mainly since day one and got breastfed only for about a month about 2-3 times a day. We had although started semi-solids and water post 6 months....

Answered by Dr. Ganesh Sanap (29 minutes later)

Hi,

Welcome back.

From the history it looks like allergic to formula feed. There is no such correlation between diarrhoea and winter. May be due to crying, your wife gave him some feed which is allergic.

Hopefully you have started plenty of fluid for baby.

One more important point to note. If child is fed with bottle, it may be cause for infection and diarrhoea.

I will again urge please consult a board certified paediatrician as soon as possible.

If you have any further concern, let me know.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Mohammed Kappan