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Original poster

4.5 year-old with pale poo ... is it something to worry about?

42 replies

imaginaryfriend · 11/03/2007 20:15

My dd's been having pretty beige-coloured poo and lots of them, 4-5 a day, not runny though. She now and then says her tummy hurts but hasn't been sick or seemed to have a tummy bug.

Is this anything to worry about or shall I stop thinking about it?

Sorry if too much info.

OP posts:
scatterbrain · 11/03/2007 20:18

Has she been eating a lot of any particular food ?

How long has this been going on ?

foxinsocks · 11/03/2007 20:20

does she drink loads of milk?

in any case, I would think a trip to the GP just to be on the safe side.

Overrun · 11/03/2007 20:20

Is she healthy apart from this?

foxinsocks · 11/03/2007 20:21

is her wee a normal colour?

Eowyn · 11/03/2007 20:23

mine had this last year, seemed ok but then did some violent throwing up every 2 days for a week. Dr tested her poo & wee & found absolutely nothihng, it all got better in the end & i never knew what it meant.

i think it can just mean that they aren't processing something or other quite right, i started a thread much like yours at the time.
Hope that doesn't scare you, just thought I'd let you know.

thirtysomething · 11/03/2007 20:24

doubt it's anything to worry about, but sounds as if she's very frequent! Is this normal for her? I think in very rare cases could be a sign of not absorbing something well (forget what) or sign of a wheat intolerance so it definitely warrants a GP trip just to put your mind at rest. Could just have a little tummy virus that's making it a funny colour..

Currypowder · 11/03/2007 20:24

Have just logged on to search on this very subject. My 22 month old has been doing 'chicken korma' poos for 4 days now, about 12 a day and quite runny. Rang GP today who diagnosed viral enteritis and said there was a lot of it about. Plenty of fluids, dioralyte and it should run it's course. He hasn't been sick but isn't eating anyway. What I need to know is how on earth do you get kids to drink dioralyte????

However in answer to your question, if it's just been for a short while then it's probably a mild viral thing if it goes on for more than a week it's never a bad thing to run it by your GP.

Sorry to those of you who will ever eat chicken korma again, I should have said custard!!!

Original poster
imaginaryfriend · 11/03/2007 20:25

Her wee's a bit strong-smelling, but nothing very major.

This has been going on for about 3 days.

No change in diet at all that I can think of.

She drinks a fair bit of milk but not more than usual.

I just read that it can be a sign of having a gastroenteritis bug but she'd have had other symptoms beforehand, right?

OP posts:
Original poster
imaginaryfriend · 11/03/2007 20:28

cp, dd's poos aren't runny at all actually, they're totally normal-looking except very pale. She's also not massively off her food although she is a little bit. We've both had 2 tummy bugs in the last 6 weeks but I thought we were over the last one 2 weeks ago so I can't imagine it's that again. Please, no!!!!!

OP posts:
foxinsocks · 11/03/2007 20:28

could be the sore tummy is the only other symptom (if a tummy bug) - we all get them in diff ways

I would agree with Korma and take her to the GP if it continues - I imagine it's a bug but I know I was asked about pale poo when they thought I had jaundice once. Think it can mean nothing (but a bug) but can also indicate other conditions so if it continues, may be worth taking her to GP.

Original poster
imaginaryfriend · 11/03/2007 20:32

No, thirtysomething, she'd never normally go to the toilet this many times in a day.

But we couldn't be onto a third tummy bug in 6 weeks could we?!

OP posts:
hillary · 11/03/2007 20:33

Hi imaginaryfriend

I posted a couple of days ago about white poo (as in very pale) with my dd1 who's 3.

She's exactly the same as yours and complaining of a sore tummy. She has since thrown up quite a few times and now the whole house has a sick bug.

I think it must be something going around..wherabouts are you? Im in Essex!

Original poster
imaginaryfriend · 11/03/2007 20:36

I'm in SE London. So the sickness started after the pale poo? In my book it says it goes on for a few days after the sick bug... I can't face another sick bug, as I've said, this will be our 3rd in 6 weeks. Isn't there any immunity to them at all? Even briefly?

OP posts:
DrunkenSailor · 11/03/2007 20:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
imaginaryfriend · 11/03/2007 20:39

That's interesting DS because dd complains of what I often think sounds like acid reflux. She says her throat burns and she wants something cold to drink which helps to get rid of it. Could this be an excess of acid then?

OP posts:
hillary · 11/03/2007 20:42

Yes its strange isn't it, my dd2 & sister are both gluten intollerant but my dd1 has never had any signs of it before, its only been the last week she's had pale poo. Yes about 3 days after the first pale poo she spewed in my car then in bed and on and on .....

We're not that far then close enough for a sick bug! must be something going around, my dd1 has runny poo was getting quite concerned about dd1 she's a bit pale in the face too. Was going to give it a few days and take her to the dr if it didn't clear up, bought her a tonnic with iron in it which always turns her poo black, she's been on it for 2 days and no change!

Original poster
imaginaryfriend · 11/03/2007 20:48

hillary, so was the poo runny from the start?

(can't quite believe we're having this conversation ... )

OP posts:
hillary · 12/03/2007 19:10

Hi If

Well it wasn't exactly runny but not firm either a bit moist I'd say

Its just a funny colour really, she's a shade darker today but not as dark as I'd like. She's been having a vitamin tonnic which has boosted her up a bit. Must be something to do with the tummy bug thing. My dd2 has very very runny poo, she exploded out of her nappy today, saturated 3 layers of clothes, it even reached her neck.

In a dilema now of no nappies left in the house, going to have to order some online How's things at your house?

H.x

Original poster
imaginaryfriend · 12/03/2007 21:02

hillary, we had another pale poo this afternoon, then a reasonably runny but not at all pale one after dinner. Still no sign of a tummy bug and she ate a really good dinner. But she has started with a runny nose / slight cough today so could it have been a precursor to a cold?!

I'm still not counting my chickens re. the tummy bug though, we've been beleagured with the things this year. I can't face another one.

OP posts:
hillary · 12/03/2007 21:19

Good evening IF

Yes its an odd one I must say, my dd's eating too, she's been sneezing today and said her throat hurts. Dont know how its going to pan out! we will have to wait and see

PanicPants · 12/03/2007 21:23

Ds had very very pale poos all last week (some almost white), but not runny ot more often than normal.

He was sick once - but we put that down to him drinking the bath water that evening (he's 18months)

His poos are back to normal now, so don't know what it was at all.

Original poster
imaginaryfriend · 12/03/2007 21:38

and nobody else with a bug panicpants? (cool name by the way!)

hillary, so far dd hasn't shown any signs of feeling / being sick. I wonder though because we've only just got over 2 tummy bugs, she might have caught another one and just had it mildly because of having had so many lately.

OP posts:
PanicPants · 12/03/2007 21:51

No, no tummy bugs that I'm aware of. But tbh, I would have taken him to the gps if it had carried on much longer.

Original poster
imaginaryfriend · 12/03/2007 22:26

Me too, pp. The normal-coloured although rather urgent emission of this evening has reassured me a bit. Plus the runny nose.

OP posts:
sassari · 12/03/2007 22:40

sorry to butt in... but i wanted to ask you pale poo experts - so, does pale poo sometimes indicate a wheat intolerance then? and a fairly solid looking/feeling almost bloated looking tummy could suggest same? in a 2yo, this is...

if yes to both, d'you reckon i should atke him to GP or send off for one of those York test thingies?

TIA