Bloody stools in children can have a variety of causes, but they should always raise parents' concerns and increase their vigilance. The problem should not be underestimated - in the case of children, a paediatrician should be consulted.
Table of contents:
- Bloody stools in children - damage to the anal mucosa
- Bloody stools in children - what colour blood?
- Bloody stools in children - severe gastrointestinal bleeding
- Haemorrhagic stools in children - the role of medical history
The observation of blood in a child's stools should always arouse a parent's vigilance. The appearance of a bloody colour can have many causes and should be consulted with a doctor. There can be many reasons for the presence of blood in stools - gastrointestinal bleeding (whether upper or lower gastrointestinal) always requires a thorough diagnosis and identification of the cause of the problem.
Bloody stools in children - damage to the anal mucosa
One cause of the appearance of blood may be, for example, an anal fissure, i.e. a rupture of the mucous membrane. Damage of this type can be caused, for example, by constipation or by the child withholding stool. Damage to the mucous membrane is one of the most common problems that cause blood in the stool.
Bloody stools in children - what colour blood?
What the blood looks like can tell you a lot about the cause of its appearance in the stool. Fresh blood (blood-red) is usually indicative of anal varices, which can occur, for example, due to constipation. Dark red blood in the faeces may suggest bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract, the cause of which may be a bacterial infection. Latent bleeding can occur when there is a positive test result accompanied by iron deficiency. In the case of indeterminate bleeding, it is not possible to identify the cause.
Bloody stools in children, photo: panthermedia
Bloody stools in children - severe gastrointestinal bleeding
Severe gastrointestinal bleeding can be life-threatening - blood loss can cause hypovolemic shock, which is a significant risk. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding originates in the oesophagus, stomach or duodenum. Haemorrhages from the lower gastrointestinal tract have different causes. In infants, these are most often haemorrhagic disease, necrotising enterocolitis, coagulation disorders, bacterial enteritis, vascular malformations or mesenteric intestinal torsion. In neonates, the most common causes of bleeding include bacterial enteritis, food allergy, haemolytic uremic syndrome, anal fissure, Meckel's diverticulum, mesenteric torsion, intussusception or intestinal diverticulum. In older children up to about 3 years of age, the main causes are constipation, inflammatory bowel disease, anal fissures, polyps and even nodules in the anal area. In older children, toxic bowel damage or inflammatory bowel disease also occur. Tarry stools or stools with visible blood in a vivid red colour suggest bleeding from the lower part of the digestive system. Intense bleeding can lead to impaired consciousness and an accelerated pulse rate.
Bloody stools in children - the role of medical history
The medical historyand examination in the surgery will allow a diagnosis to be made. The medical history should include the nature of the stools, the circumstances of onset, the intensity of the bleeding, additional symptoms and comorbidities. In the case of bleeding, it is essential to take appropriate measures - in the case of heavy bleeding, hospitalisation may be necessary to stabilise the patient's condition and take the necessary measures to identify the cause of the bleeding and take appropriate treatment. Definitive determination of the cause of bleeding may require gastroscopy, colonoscopy, laparathy, laparoscopy or scintigraphy with technetium-labelled red blood cells. In children whose bleeding is caused by constipation, it is necessary to remove the residual faecal masses, e.g. by rectal infusion (at the hospital IP), and then to implement appropriate dietary and pharmacological management. Remember that any gastrointestinal bleeding in a child requires medical consultation and detailed investigations.
