Small amount red blood when wiping bum.

[MegCleary]

DD is 7. She had had this occur on occasion last Christmas. I have been giving her orange juice daily since January and it happened again today the first time since January.

I think with all the busyness of holidays she’s not been drinking enough water and less fruit and veg.

She called me to the loo and tmi warning it was a massive poo. She feels fine a bit shocked. On checking tmi warning looks like the little ‘cracks’ in her bum hole have bled a little.

Advice appreciated. Do I just keep going with the orange juice. If I take her to the doctor I am worried about making her more anxious about it and starting her on the path of bowel meds etc but not sure if I am bring to blasé about it either.

Bump for advice

They're called anal fissures. Head to doctors. They'll probably give her some mild laxative until they heal. Orange juice probably isn't going to cut it unless she drinks a carton a day, which would be very unhealthy! Lots of veg. Lots of water.

Doubt she needs strong medication. Just something to help whilst she heals.

She absolutely needs bowel meds. Or this is likely to keep happening, and she'll be in pain when pooing. Movicol/laxido to soften her poo - GP can prescribe. Anal fissures are incredibly common, and are sorted by treating the constipation that caused them. You might find www.eric.org.uk useful.

More fibre and lots of water

*fiber

🤔 which spelling is right?!

Fibre - right first time. The problem, though, is that fibre is great for not getting constipated, or for coming off constipation medication, but it doesn't work very well if you are properly constipated. Because it can't work its way into the hard rocks that don't want to come out. For once I agree with NICE guidance, when they say that dietary measures alone don't work in children who have got properly constipated, and advice a macrogol laxative (movicol/laxido). This can work its way into hard poo to soften it up, so even works eventually on poo generated by food already eaten whereas fibre can only work on new poo.

Ooh, thanks for the clarity