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Blood in the stool is always a worrisome sign for both parents and physicians. Fresh blood usually indicates bleeding closer to the rectum, while dark blood comes from closer to the stomach. However, large amounts of fresh blood may come from any area of the gastrointestinal tract.
Rectal bleeding in children is fortunately most often benign (harmless). Right after birth, or if the baby is breast-fed, it may come from swallowing maternal blood (during delivery or from cracked nipples). At any time it may be caused by small tears or anal fissures formed either as a result of prolonged diarrhea or constipation. Food allergies can also cause bleeding.
Even though most of the time bleeding will require no, or minimal, medical intervention, it should always be assessed by a doctor. Sometimes finding blood in the stool may indicate severe, or even life threatening, diseases such as bacterial intestinal infections, or a variety of congenital, bowel or other problems, vascular malformations, intestinal polyps, inflammatory bowel disease, intussusception "telescoping bowel" , volvulas, Hirshprung Disease (congenital narrowing of the large bowel), tumors, "blood disease," and many others.
For additional healthy kids tips, log onto baymed.org, scroll over "Health Checks & You" and join our "E-List." For more information about childhood diseases or development, contact Inez Balinska, MD or Darek Balinski, MD, Bay Regional Pediatrics, Medical Mall, 1456 W. Center Road, Essexville. (989) 895-4840.
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