Get your health question answered instantly from our pool of 18000+ doctors from over 80 specialties
146 Doctors Online

By proceeding, I accept the Terms and Conditions

Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

HCM Blog Instant Access to Doctors
HCM BlogQuestions Answered
HCM Blog Satisfaction

What Causes Black Stool In A Child?

Hi, my 10 month old has had 4 bm s that are blackish/tar-like with a weird aroma in the past 36 hours. It does not seem to look like meconium but my wife and I are concerned. She has been eating many different foods lately and does not have any stomach pain nor any other symptoms. Should we be concerned? Should we schedule a Drs appointment? Or wait to see if it passes?
posted on Sat, 20 Aug 2016
Twitter Mon, 8 Jul 2019 Answered on
Twitter Tue, 9 Jul 2019 Last reviewed on
Report Abuse
General & Family Physician,  's  Response
Hello,

Dark color stools (black or tar-like color) warrants a check with the doctor to rule out bleeding as the cause of the stool color change.
I would recommend you to have your son checked so the doctor can order stool tests to rule out the presence of blood with the stools. Also, the doctor may ask for some blood tests to rule out anemia as a complication of the bleeding.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards,
Dr. Antoneta Zotaj, General & Family Physician
I find this answer helpful
Disclaimer: These answers are for your information only and not intended to replace your relationship with your treating physician.
This is a short, free answer. For a more detailed, immediate answer, try our premium service [Sample answer]
Share on
 

Related questions you may be interested in


Loading Online Doctors....
What Causes Black Stool In A Child?

Hello, Dark color stools (black or tar-like color) warrants a check with the doctor to rule out bleeding as the cause of the stool color change. I would recommend you to have your son checked so the doctor can order stool tests to rule out the presence of blood with the stools. Also, the doctor may ask for some blood tests to rule out anemia as a complication of the bleeding. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Regards, Dr. Antoneta Zotaj, General & Family Physician