What Could Stringy, Loose Bowels With Yellow Balls In An Infant Indicate?

My 17 month old is experiencing stringy loose bowel movements with mucus. He does this about every 20-30 minutes. His appetite has changed to him wanting alot of water or juice and being very picky about what he eats. I know its normal for kids to be picky eaters but not my son he usually loves to eat. I noticed the other day one of his bowel movements looked like a darker version of strawberry jelly and didnt have a smell. Then the past three days it has looked loose stringy and yellow little balls in it. I took him to urgent care and they diagnosed him with an ear infection. Could this be an effect of having an ear infection or could this be a problem with his intestine?