Blood in DD's poo. Any other likely causes? I'm starting to upset myself

[ComradeJing]

DD is 5m and has blood in her poo and rather odd mucousy nappies. The dr is doing a full stool work up and we'll get results in about a week.

Dr says the most likely causes are polyps, this thing where the bowel telescopes inside of itself, maybe an allergy or who knows what. The thing is DD has NO other symptoms apart from the blood. She is skipping up the percentiles weight wise, very happy but did have some reflux which has largely cleared up now.

I've just been an idiot and looked at dr google and really upset myself with visions of infant colon cancer. Is there anyone who can come and hold my hand and tell me it will be fine and is very unlikely to be something worrying because she's such a happy little mite.

:(

[winnybella]

Mucus makes me think of allergies or perhaps some infections. DS had blood in his poo with a stomach bug.

How long has it been going for?

[BertieBasset]

I know a newborn who was admitted to hospital with blood in his stools, it was due to a bug and a course of anti biotics cleared everything up. At the time doc's said it could also be an allergy.

[ScarlettIsWalking]

YOu poor thing - I am sure she will be ok. Could she have a fissure of some sort? Is the blood actually inside the poo or around bottom area?

[ComradeJing]

It's been happening on and off for almost 2 months now. The mucousy nappies started first (like someone had spat onto the pooy nappy IYSWIM) and then the mucous got pinker with some "threads" of blood in the poo. The it all stopped and went back to normal and then on Sunday it was the worst it has ever been with a patch that just looked like she had farted blood.

The blood isn't old blood - it's nosebleed red so we're assuming it's from the colon or bowels.

The dr has had a peek and couldn't see a fissure.

[RedundantTautology]

Is she breastfed? I had this with my first years ago, at a few months old - it was like tiny streaks through his poo (not sure we had mucus though). Took him to the docs who couldn't give any explanation but pronounced him fit and healthy. Afterwards I read somewhere that it can be a symptom of an overactive let down - which fitted for us and solved the mystery.

I hope you solve yours too. It's very unlikely to be anything serious

[winnybella]

Hmm. I think it's actually better that it's a bright red blood- if it was dark i.e. old than that would suggest that it comes from the intestines, surely? Sorry, can't help much, but I really think it is much more likely it's some sort of allergy.

[winnybella]

Oh and DD had mucusy poos for some weeks as a baby iirc. Never found the cause.

[RedundantTautology]

x post. Yes, we definitely had mucousy nappies too but can't remember if they coincided. We only ever had the streaks of blood, nothing larger.

[winnybella]

Oh, I see that red blood can come from colon. But it seems it could be polyps, something called telescopic bowel (?), allergies, infection...colorectal cancer affects 3 in 15 million children it seems- extremely unlikely.

[cakeforbrains]

DS2 had this and it turned out that he is cows milk protein intolerent, which was causing colitis. He was BF and the only symptoms was bloody poo and being quite a 'sicky' baby until he was weaned, when he stared eating dairy for himself the symptoms got much worse and he started loosing weight.

Are your DD's poos 'normal' looking otherwise? DS started producing pale green poos which looked curdled.

Take some photos (boak) of your DD's nappies - when we finally convinced the GP to refer DS to the hospital it was really useful to show them exactly what was happening.

[ComradeJing]

Yes she is breastfed and it could well be to do with an overactive let down.

Thanks everyone. Still a worry but I suppose we just need to wait and see.

[TwigletStiglet]

sounds very much like DD1, turned out she had cow's milk protein allergy. mind you, none of the stool tests or allergy tests confirmed anything. only exclusion of all dairy (me that was, as she was exclusively breastfed then) and challenging the diet periodically after she weaned.

keep a close eye on her especially if she has a noticeable clump of "red current jelly" (my SIL's words and she's a consultant pediatrician) as this can be a symptom of the telescoping bowel problem (can't remember proper name atm!) it can get bad fast and needs treatment very quickly. A&E then rather than waiting to see GP, and take the nappy with you if you have to go! i hope it isn't this but it's worth being aware.

at memories of taking pics of poopy nappies to show Drs and going to appts with dirty nappy in nappy sack in change bag [vom]

[TwigletStiglet]

Intussusception - the proper name for the bowel telescoping. Don't google it :)

[ComradeJing]

Sorry X-posted
Winny - the telescoping bowel thing is (I'm told) where the bowel goes "into" itself rather like closing and opening a telescope. Rather rare and again DD would be a screamy, sicky baby which she just isn't.

I'm really relieved that so many people seem to have the same thing.

Cake - She is very happy and not sicky at all apart from the reflux. Nappies look quite normal usually - mustardy and seedy/curdy. When they are bloody or mucousy they tend to be darker, smellier, thicker and not curdy at all.

[ComradeJing]

x-posted again :)

Twiglet - There has been times when it has been a BIT like red current jelly but it's more pinky than red red. Dr seems to think there would be other symptoms if this was the case though. AGH! I hate this.

[RedundantTautology]

Interesting to see other replies - I often wondered about some sort of dairy intolerance/allergy with DS but results came back normal (in fact he still has oat milk instead of cows). Maybe it would be worth you looking into this further?

[DeWe]

Two of mine have had this (in one case a lot of blood) on more than one occasion and it's never been anything nasty. Had the stool testing done and alway come back fine.

[mummytopebs]

My dd had internal bleeding from her upper colon caused by asprin and this showed up as blood in the poo. She had an emergency scan for interseption or something like that and it wasent that, but the gastroentrologist told us she would have been in agony with that, so just to reassure I dont think the doctors must think that that is a possibilty in your dd as I am sure they would have done an ultrasound scan straight away to rule it out, and she would be in pain. Hope this reassures a bit and good luck.