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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Dark Brownish Stools In Children?

My 4 year old grandson son has regular bowel movments but change in color they can be dark brown, creamy colored and then bright green all in the same day. Eats a good balanced diet, fruits vegatbles, meat what can cause this? He spends each weekend with us
Mon, 19 Jan 2015
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Pediatrician,  's  Response
THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUERY.
Color and stool size varies just like frequency of bowel movements, but there are a few warning signs.
A stool color other than brown, tan, yellow or green,any shade of these are normal.
Causes:
Almost always due to food coloring or food additives.
Stool color relates more to what is eaten than to any disease.
Sometimes in children the gastrointestinal (GI) passage time is very rapid. Stools often come out the same color as the Kool-Aid or Jell-O that went in.
The only colors we worry about are red, black (not dark green) and white.
While normal stools are typically light to dark brown.
Bile: Most dark green stools are caused by bile.
Green stools are more common with diarrhea (rapid transit time), but also seen with formed stools.
Foods: green Jell-O, grape-flavored Pedialyte (turns bright green), green fruit snacks, spinach or other leafy vegetables. Dark green stools (e.g., after eating spinach) may look black under poor lighting.
Medicines: iron (e.g., in formula)
HOPE THAT HELPS.
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Pediatrician,  Dr. Rohit Khurana's  Response
Stool colors vary with the type of food too. Alarming signs usually are black tarry stool, fowl smelling ones, change in consistency and frequency . a loss of weight is an ominous sign too. If ur grandson is not having any of them , it means he is doing fine.
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What Causes Dark Brownish Stools In Children?

THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUERY. Color and stool size varies just like frequency of bowel movements, but there are a few warning signs. A stool color other than brown, tan, yellow or green,any shade of these are normal. Causes: Almost always due to food coloring or food additives. Stool color relates more to what is eaten than to any disease. Sometimes in children the gastrointestinal (GI) passage time is very rapid. Stools often come out the same color as the Kool-Aid or Jell-O that went in. The only colors we worry about are red, black (not dark green) and white. While normal stools are typically light to dark brown. Bile: Most dark green stools are caused by bile. Green stools are more common with diarrhea (rapid transit time), but also seen with formed stools. Foods: green Jell-O, grape-flavored Pedialyte (turns bright green), green fruit snacks, spinach or other leafy vegetables. Dark green stools (e.g., after eating spinach) may look black under poor lighting. Medicines: iron (e.g., in formula) HOPE THAT HELPS.