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My 14 month old son is having
blood in his stool. What could be the cause of this and what
should I do about it?
The first thing that
your son needs is to be examined by your family doctor as soon as
possible. Anytime blood is found in the diaper or stool of a child, it
is best to get a thorough examination to make sure it is not anything of
serious consequence.
The most common cause of
"streaks" of blood in the stool is from a "fissure".
A fissure is a crack or tear around the anus, which can occur from being
constipated or straining too much during bowel movements. Fissures heal
on their own, but require a change in diet to make stool softer. Your
doctor can easily determine this on an exam.
Other causes can include
infection, a bowel defect which bleeds, trauma, and a number of other
possibilities.
An exam will help your
doctor get an answer and solve the problem. Call him/her, and tell them
of your son's problem, and have your son seen as soon as possible.
Thank you. Dr. Mike
hi I'm 33 years old today I noticed blood
in my stool. Could this be from my change of diet ? I have been eating
almost nothing but steak, venison, tuna, very high protein foods and
very little carbs and fruits and veggies.
thank you.
Joe.
Hey, Joe! Happy
Birthday! Boy, isn't that a great birthday gift...blood in the stool.
That's enough to give anybody a heart attack! It's happened to me, too
(but not on my birthday).
You can blame
microscopic blood in the stool on eating meats, but generally NOT
visible blood.
Your change of diet
could be the culprit, especially if you have become more constipated
lately, and have been straining. Sometimes tiny tears occur when the
stool is on the way out, because of straining. This can usually be taken
care of by changing your diet to include some fiber.
I realize that you
are only 33, BUT anytime blood is found in the stool, it's time to see
your doctor. Call him/her up and say you have blood in your stool and
need to be seen immediately.
It's always
important to make sure that the blood is minor, and not an early sign of
something more serious going on, e.g. bowel cancer. Hey, Joe! I don't
think you have cancer...I just think it's better to be safe than sorry
and make sure it's nothing.
You are a young man
with your whole life ahead of you...Call your doc.
Happy
Birthday...Dr. Mike
This article was reviewed 04/23/2010 07:24 AM
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