A healthy child's stool is brown. Their hue is given by the pigment stercobilin, which is the end product of bilirubin metabolism. With the development of certain pathologies, the substance may be produced in insufficient quantities.
White poop can be a sign of disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract, bile stagnation, pancreatitis and other diseases. But don't panic right away, because there are other conditions that affect the color of feces and do not require treatment.
Physiological causes of white stool in children
The color and consistency of stool depend on the age of the baby. In newborns, the stool is black and viscous; after a few days it begins to lighten. The presence of white or yellowish spots in a baby's stool is considered normal. There are many reasons for the appearance of white feces. If the child does not have diarrhea, fever or other warning signs, then there is no need to worry.
A change in stool color could occur under the influence of physiological factors:
- introduction of complementary foods;
- taking medications;
- violations of personal hygiene;
- insufficient water consumption;
- teething;
- climate change;
- changes in daily routine.
After the influence of such factors stops, the stool acquires a natural color.
Nutrition
In children who are breastfed, the color of stool changes depending on the mother's diet. Unusual coloring of feces is observed within 24 hours, after which they acquire a normal shade. Also, light-colored feces are formed in artificial babies who eat dry formula.
White poop in a child can also be observed after the introduction of complementary foods, which is also considered a variant of the norm. The reason for this phenomenon is the immaturity of the baby’s digestive system. Gradually, the condition will normalize, and the stool will acquire a darker shade.
If the problem is detected in a child after 2 years, you need to pay attention to what the baby ate the day before. If digestion is not impaired, there are no symptoms of the inflammatory process, then the cause is most likely in the excessive consumption of certain foods, for example, dairy.
Effect of medications
In some cases, white feces in a child may be a variant of the norm.
With long-term treatment with antibacterial drugs, the color of the feces may also change. This is a sign of dysbiosis, so the child will need treatment that will help restore the intestinal microflora.
White poop may also appear in a child after using other medications:
- antipyretics;
- anti-inflammatory;
- antiepileptic.
If you notice a violation, you need to seek advice from a specialist who prescribed medication. Usually, after stopping the drug, the condition returns to normal.
Why does loose white stool occur?
Diarrhea in a child can occur as a result of:
- consumption of low-quality food products or after their insufficient heat treatment;
- presence of helminths in the intestines;
- drug therapy;
- neglect of personal hygiene rules;
- unbalanced diet;
- insufficient secretion of lactose;
- climate change.
..
One-time diarrhea in a small child is not a symptom of pathology. If loose white stools are not systemic in nature, and the child does not experience discomfort, is gaining weight, and has a good appetite, then there is no reason to worry.
The danger of diarrhea is that the contents of the intestines are quickly excreted without having time to absorb the necessary substances. The body also loses a lot of fluid, which results in varying degrees of dehydration.
If white diarrhea occurs repeatedly, then you need to consult a doctor to find out the cause. Several factors can discolor stool, including those that can be easily corrected and those that threaten complications.
Diet features
A child's diarrhea becomes white if there is a lot of calcium in the body or if there is an excess of carbohydrates in the menu. Since up to a year the child's diet consists mainly of breast milk or artificial formula, the color of the stool, in the case of accelerated peristalsis, acquires a light shade.
If a child’s white diarrhea occurs due to the listed factors (the child ate a lot of flour or white foods, the complementary feeding formula was changed), then it is not the color of the stool that should cause concern, but the fact that the stool has become liquid.
Liver pathology
Light-colored stool occurs when the liver is inflamed, since bilirubin is not excreted from the body. Many people know that with hepatitis the sclera and skin become yellowish, but this symptom appears much later. At the early stage of development of the pathology, the clinic is limited to changes in the color of urine (becomes dark) and feces.
Therefore, if a child has had white diarrhea for a long time, then you need to make an appointment with a hepatologist.
Delay in treating hepatitis can lead to significant liver damage
Pathology of the gallbladder or its ducts
Another reason for white stool in a child is bile duct obstruction. Bile gives stool a yellowish tint; if its amount is reduced, the stool becomes discolored. If the outflow of bile is obstructed, the stool acquires an extremely unpleasant odor.
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This pathology leads to the formation of gallstones and pancreatitis. When the pancreas malfunctions, abdominal pain occurs, body temperature rises, vomiting appears, the pulse quickens, and the sweat glands produce more secretions.
Dehydration
White diarrhea can also be a symptom of dehydration. With this pathology, the child’s appearance and behavior change, saliva becomes viscous, the tongue is dry, urination is rare (and the urine has a strong odor), nausea and vomiting appear.
Dehydration can occur as a result of:
- vomiting or prolonged diarrhea (for example, caused by food poisoning);
- increased sweating (the room is very hot, the child is dressed warmly or moves a lot);
- sunstroke or heatstroke (being in direct sunlight without a hat or in a very hot, unventilated room);
- frequent urination.
In a young child, a loss of 10% of body weight due to dehydration can be fatal
Dehydration can lead to kidney failure, shock, and death. Therefore, if a small child has signs of a lack of fluid in the body, then it is necessary to urgently go to the hospital.
Disturbance of intestinal microflora
Stool becomes light and uncharacteristic in color due to dysbacteriosis, when the natural intestinal microflora is altered. This pathology can occur as a result of taking antibacterial drugs, since they destroy not only harmful, but also necessary microorganisms.
With dysbacteriosis, flatulence and abdominal pain often occur, stool contains a small amount of mucus and undigested food particles, diarrhea is replaced by constipation. Children lose their appetite, sleep deteriorates, they lose weight, and become restless. A fungus can settle in the intestines, leading to candidiasis.
Intestinal infection
White stool is also caused by rotavirus infection. The infection first manifests itself with vomiting and fever, then diarrhea of an unnatural gray or white color occurs.
Intestinal viruses can cause sore throat and rhinitis. If a child has diarrhea with blood or mucus, this indicates that a bacterial infection is present. In this case, it is necessary to take antimicrobial drugs, which must be prescribed by a doctor.
White diarrhea in a child over three years of age, although extremely rare, can still be caused by Whipple's disease. This is an infectious disease affecting the small intestine. With pathology, muscle pain, severe thirst, rapid heartbeat, and gingivitis appear.
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Some medications have a negative effect on the liver. When taking Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Tetracycline, Augmentin, Paracetamol, stool may become discolored. If during drug therapy a child develops white or yellow-white diarrhea, then you need to consult a doctor to change medications.
Infection is the most common cause of light-colored diarrhea in young children.
Pathological causes, diseases
Changes in the color of stool in children are not always harmless. In some cases, this is a sign of serious problems in the body. At the same time, the baby’s general condition suffers, and other unpleasant symptoms arise that cannot be ignored.
Rotavirus infection in children
Changes in the color of stool can occur with rotavirus infection. The pathology is characterized by severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, acute pain in the intestines, and increased body temperature.
The child may also suffer from other manifestations:
- increased sweating;
- headache;
- respiratory symptoms (cough, runny nose, sore throat).
Fecal masses with this pathology can become clay-like or liquid, foamy, they lighten or acquire a grayish tint. Such changes are noted in the first days after infection or as a reaction to taking medications used to treat the disease.
Dysbacteriosis
A common cause of discolored stool in childhood is dysbacteriosis. In infants, the intestinal microflora is too vulnerable and susceptible to the negative effects of bacteria that upset the natural balance.
The development of the disease can be triggered by pathologies suffered by the expectant mother during pregnancy, the use of antibiotics by the child, and the nutritional habits of the woman and baby. At the same time, the feces acquire a pungent odor and become lighter in color.
In addition, the pathology is accompanied by:
- stool disorders. Diarrhea may alternate with constipation;
- abdominal pain;
- bloating;
- nausea, heartburn.
Pancreatitis
White poop in a child may be a sign of pancreatitis. In childhood, inflammation of the pancreas is rare; the pathology can be caused by medications or poor nutrition, which creates an increased burden on the child’s underdeveloped internal organs.
The baby's stool becomes white and watery, and severe pain occurs in the upper abdomen. The disease is also accompanied by nausea and vomiting, temperature fluctuations, a constant feeling of thirst, and diarrhea.
Hepatitis
Children aged 3-7 years are more at risk of developing hepatitis. You can become infected through food, drinks, and toys. The infection can also enter the body through airborne droplets.
Children may develop hepatitis B, which has a hidden course. Sometimes six months pass before the first symptoms appear. Then the feces lighten, and the urine becomes darker and acquires a pungent odor, and yellowing of the skin is noted.
In addition, the child loses his appetite, sleeps poorly, and his general condition is impaired. Possible fever, nausea and vomiting.
Discoloration of stool is also observed with hepatitis A, which is accompanied by the same symptoms. If you notice warning signs, you should immediately contact a doctor.
Steatorrhea
The cause of steatorrhea is excess fat in the body. The stool becomes oily, its color changes to grayish or white, and blood may appear.
Children also suffer from other symptoms:
- frequent urge to go to the toilet, accompanied by pain;
- cough, runny nose;
- appetite disorders;
- deterioration of general health.
Gallbladder diseases
Bile is removed from the body naturally. It contains a pigment that colors excrement. Some gallbladder diseases affect the color of stool.
When an organ is twisted, bent, or obstructed, it becomes lighter. A patient with such pathologies requires urgent treatment.
Whipple's disease
This is a rare disease that most often occurs between the ages of 3 and 4 years. In this case, the infection affects the gastrointestinal tract, causing the appearance of liquid, foamy feces with a pungent odor and a light gray color.
Evacuations occur more than 10 times a day, in addition, the temperature rises, cramps and bloating occur, the lymph nodes become inflamed and iron deficiency anemia develops.
White feces in a child - pathological reasons
One of the main reasons for the appearance of white feces in a child under 7 years of age is dysbiosis, an imbalance of intestinal microflora. This is due to imperfect functioning of the digestive and immune systems; as you grow older, the problem most often disappears on its own.
Additional symptoms are irregular bowel movements, abdominal pain, flatulence, colic. There is a slight increase in temperature, rashes on the abdomen, face, and buttocks. The feces have an unpleasant odor, foam, and have streaks of greenish tint.
What diseases cause white stools:
- Pancreatitis and other inflammatory processes in the pancreas . Discoloration of stool occurs due to incomplete or improper digestion of food. The disease is accompanied by vomiting and nausea, pain in the upper abdomen.
- Rotavirus infection . A common problem in children, it occurs due to poor hygiene and the habit of putting hands and objects in their mouths. Additional symptoms of rotavirus are a sharp increase in temperature, bouts of vomiting, weakness, lack of appetite, diarrhea, and stool has a clay-like consistency.
- Disturbances in the functioning of the gallbladder and its ducts - bending, twisting, obstruction. It is in this organ that the enzyme stercobelin is synthesized, which is responsible for the color of stool.
- Whipple's disease . A rare pathology in children, most often of an autoimmune nature, develops after 3 years. It appears in the form of light, grayish stool of a foamy consistency with a strong unpleasant odor; the number of bowel movements per day increases. The lymph nodes become enlarged and persistent iron deficiency anemia develops.
- Hepatitis . The main symptom of liver disease is yellowing of the skin and mucous membranes.
- Flu . A change in the color of stool to whitish or grayish is often observed on the 3-4th day of illness, or even a few days after recovery. This is due to the fact that the body is actively cleansing itself of drug residues.
- Allergy . Changes in stool color occur with food allergies.
- Teething period . It is difficult to call this a disease, but this process is often accompanied by various unpleasant manifestations. Diarrhea, changes in the consistency and color of stool are some of these symptoms.
Light-colored stool can be caused by long-term use of certain medications - tetracycline antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antifungals, antiepileptic drugs.
General clinical picture
Poop that has turned white due to physiological reasons will darken again after 1-2 days. In this case, the child does not feel unwell.
If the color change is caused by any disease, the disorder will be observed for several days or appear from time to time for no reason. Depending on the pathology that caused the change in stool color, additional signs develop.
The child may suffer from:
- nausea;
- vomiting;
- increased gas formation;
- weaknesses;
- loss of strength;
- lack of appetite;
- temperature rise;
- moodiness and irritability;
- sleep disorders;
- skin rash, itching;
- changes in skin color.
White feces in the shape of worms
If a child has stool with white streaks, he may have colitis or dysbacteriosis. To confirm the diagnosis, you will need to consult a gastroenterologist.
White worms also appear in feces due to helminthiasis. In addition, the child’s sleep and appetite are disturbed, weight loss occurs, constipation or diarrhea occurs, and a rash appears on the skin.
If you suspect the presence of worms, you must contact a parasitologist, get tested and begin treatment under the supervision of a doctor.
When should you see a doctor? Diagnostics
White poop in a child is not always a sign of problems in the body. If stool of an unusual color appears, you need to observe the child for 2-3 days. If the color of the stool becomes normal, then there is no need to worry. If the situation has not changed and other warning signs appear, you should consult a doctor.
The following symptoms may indicate the presence of dangerous diseases:
- pain and severe bloating;
- violation of the passage of gases;
- nausea and vomiting;
- yellowing of the sclera of the eyes and skin;
- increased body temperature;
- lethargy, fatigue, loss of appetite;
- dehydration. This is a very dangerous sign. In infants, the fontanelle sinks and weight decreases. In older children, dry lips and a decrease in the number of urinations are observed;
- change in urine color.
Even if at least one dangerous sign appears, you must urgently visit a doctor. Severe pathologies in childhood are characterized by rapid development; it is important to begin treatment at an early stage of the disease.
In order to establish the cause of the disorder, the doctor will recommend urine and stool tests and refer the little patient for additional studies:
- X-ray of the intestines;
- clinical and biochemical blood tests;
- ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs;
- endoscopy, colonoscopy.
To clarify the diagnosis, you may need to consult a gastroenterologist, immunologist, endocrinologist or infectious disease specialist.
Additional symptoms
Stool discoloration may be accompanied by:
- pain in the abdomen and right hypochondrium;
- high temperature;
- yellowing of the skin and eye sclera;
- nausea and vomiting;
- bloating;
- constipation or diarrhea;
- darkening of urine;
- deterioration of appetite and gradual decrease in body weight.
If the discoloration of stool is accompanied by an increase in temperature, pain in the right side and darkening of the urine, then, most likely, cholecystitis or hepatitis has developed or the bile ducts are blocked.
If the stool becomes discolored only periodically and emits a foul odor combined with a liquid consistency, then the digestion of fats is impaired in the body. This situation may be a consequence of pancreatitis, cholelithiasis, celiac disease, pancreatic or gallbladder cancer.
White lumps, fibers, or grains in regular-colored stool indicate undigested plant particles. There is no need for treatment: the digestion process normalizes after a few days.
Treatment methods for various diseases
The course of therapy is selected individually, depending on what caused the disorder.
Features of the treatment of pathologies that provoke stool discoloration:
| Disease | Features of therapy | Drugs used |
| Pancreatitis | The goal of treatment is to ensure peace, prevent damage to the pancreas, and eliminate the signs and cause of the pathology. The patient must adhere to a diet for 1-3 days. Specialists suction the stomach contents to prevent enzyme activation. When the pain decreases, you are allowed to eat boiled or steamed food, but without salt. The child should eat fractional liquid or semi-liquid meals. At the same time, medications are prescribed. | The patient is recommended to take enzyme preparations (Pancreatin, Mezim). It is also necessary to use:
In the case of a purulent bacterial process, antibacterial drugs are prescribed. |
| Dysbacteriosis | Treatment of the disease is complex. The patient is prescribed dietary nutrition and medications. The child's diet should contain products with bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. Drinking milk is prohibited, but you can replace it with yoghurt, kefir, and cottage cheese. To ensure sufficient intake of microelements into the body, vegetables, fruits, oatmeal, buckwheat, and millet porridge should be included in the menu. The diet should also contain foods rich in protein (lean meat and fish, boiled or steamed). It is recommended to feed artificial babies with special medicinal mixtures. | The first stage of therapy involves the use of drugs that destroy pathogenic microflora. For this purpose, it is recommended to take antibiotics and bacteriophages. Then replacement therapy with probiotics and prebiotics is used. To restore the microflora, use Linex, Bifiform, Lactobacterin. |
| Hepatitis | Treatment of the disease occurs in a hospital setting. Detoxification measures, symptomatic treatment are carried out, vitamins are prescribed to maintain and restore the liver. | Recommended use:
|
| Whipple's disease | Complex therapy consists of diet and taking medications and vitamin complexes. Treatment is long-term (1 year or more). Food should be light and high in protein. | Treatment is carried out using:
|
| Rotavirus infection | Treatment is symptomatic. It is also recommended to follow a diet excluding milk, fats, fresh vegetables and fruits. The child should consume semi-liquid cereals, jelly, and fermented milk products. | To eliminate signs of pathology, it is recommended to use:
|
Treatment methods
The choice of drugs depends on the reason that caused the appearance of white feces. Selecting medications on your own is useless and dangerous.
How the treatment works:
- Hepatitis . The child is subject to urgent hospitalization. Treatment is carried out with anti-inflammatory and antiviral drugs. After recovery, a special diet is required, the child will be registered with a doctor, and will need to undergo a full examination periodically.
- Anomalies of the bile ducts . Treatment is carried out with painkillers and antimicrobial drugs, vitamin complexes.
- Dysbacteriosis . To restore the balance of intestinal microflora, diet, probiotics, and prebiotics are prescribed.
- Diseases of the pancreas . The therapy uses enzymes, antibiotics, vitamins, antispasmodics, sedatives, choleretic and anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Rotavirus infection. To eliminate the symptoms of the disease, antipyretics, anti-dehydration drugs, enterosorbents, enzymes and probiotics are used.
The most reliable way to protect a child from hepatitis and rotavirus infection is timely vaccination.
Possible complications
If you ignore the problem caused by the disease, serious consequences may occur:
- the pancreas will stop producing enzymes that help digest food;
- intoxication of the body will occur if the cause of the disorder is helminthiasis;
- dysbiosis will become chronic, which will lead to loss of appetite, constant bloating, vomiting and diarrhea;
- the functioning of the gallbladder and liver will worsen, bile stagnation will occur, and the risk of stone formation will increase.
The color of stool can change for various reasons. Many of them do not pose a danger to the child and do not require treatment. But if the poop remains white for several days, and the baby’s well-being suffers, it is necessary to consult a doctor as soon as possible. This condition may be a sign of serious problems in the functioning of the body and should not be ignored.
