Take DS to A&E or am over reacting!! TMI

[Strangecat]

Hi,

My son who is 8 years old has been yesterday complaining of feeling a bit dizzy and tired. Tonight right after dinner he ran to the bathroom and called me to tell me he has diarrhoea. Upon looking down the toilet, I’ve notice it to be very dark. It looks tarry. See pictures attached. Sorry TMI!!
Should I be concerned?

Can’t see the pics but i would probably call out of hours before going to A&E

What’s he been eating? Your poo can change colour according to diet.

It’s dark but it doesn’t look bloody. I’d be on the side of thinking he’s got a gastro virus or eaten something that really hasn’t agreed with him.

make sure he’s hydrated and offer plain food if he’s hungry but don’t push it if he’s not, his digestive system is probably telling him to give it a break, if you’ve got diorlyte that’s perfect but try and offer liquids other than plain water to keep his electrolytes up.

I feel like I am over reacting and it’s just diarrhoea. He is complaining of tummy cramps now.

Obviously all diarrhoea smells bad but does it smell particularly awful? Melaena (what I’m guessing you’re concerned about) smells horrendous. Definitely keep an eye and ask to see any more poos, keep taking pics too so if you do need to show someone medical then you can

He hasn’t had any dark food just normal. No dark green veggies or iron supplements as I know they make stools dark.

It doesn’t smell excessively bad. I would say normal diarrhoea smell. When I took one of the pictures, it looked like it had “glowing” seeds. Very strange

Has your son been eating Easter eggs?

Blueberries?

in all honesty, I wouldn’t class those pics as ‘tarry’. They look like the result of a virus or something that’s disagreed with him. I would treat at home for tonight and reassess in the morning. I’d also probably be keeping an eye out for a few weeks further in case this is the first sign of an intolerance or other digestive problem.

that said, you do have to trust your instinct as you’re the one there. Does he have any other symptoms, like a fever? Have you tried him with paracetamol/calpol? Stay away from anything with ibuprofen as it’ll just irritate his gut further.

it does sound like his symptoms started yesterday. Do you know what he’s eaten/drank the past few days or if anyone at school has been ill?

That's really not A&E worthy, it's just a belly ache which could be from anything not just food related. 8 year old boys are not known for the cleanliness so fingers in mouth etc.

Keep his fluids up, plain food and he'll probably be fine in 24 hours.

And glowing seeds is just the light reflecting off the water.

I wouldn’t say that was tarry.

I've got a nasty virus that seems to be doing the rounds and I took have had dark diarrhoea, I'm not stressing though as I'm sure it's just this rotten virus.

Thank you all for reassuring an anxious mama/drama queen!

He hasn’t had blueberries or easter eggs. He was eating normal lunches at school. But, yes, he hate washing hands with soap 😫

@Strangecat it doesnt look at all tarry to me!! I have seen plenty tarry stools in the hospital. keep him hydrated/ make sure you always have liquid anti bacterial handwash if he doesnt like soap. give him dry toast and let him rest.

Have you actually posted pictures of shit? Fuck me.

Tell him this is what happens if you don't wash your hands properly, hopefully it will make him be a bit more hygienic

I did put a warning my dear precious! but I know it’s shit (no pun intended)
Anyway, thank you all. I will be deleting
this thread shortly as my son would be mortified if he knew. Also, don’t wanna shock others.

Tarry is when it looks like treacle/marmite. Just looks like diarrhoea to me

We all take a shit, even you. Why the pearl clutching?

It was fairly clear there was going to be bodily fluids on this thread. Have you never seen shit before?

He hasn't eaten any iron pills has he? Kids do weird things.