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Original poster

Should I be worried about ds (2) black poo?

19 replies

tutu100 · 20/10/2007 18:51

Ds has had terrible diahorrea since Tuesday morning. He is fine in himself although he did have some stomach cramps earlier in the week. We have been to the dr who has sent off a stool sample but the results will not be back until tuesday.

I wasn't too worried as Ds seems so well in himself, but he has just done a black poo which looked like a meconium one. Should I be worried by this sudden change in colour or is it normal if you've had the runs for several days for it to change colour.

OP posts:

3littlebats · 20/10/2007 18:58

whar has he had to eat in the last 24 hours?

3littlebats · 20/10/2007 18:59

sorry - what, not whar.

Am cooking dinner but will check back.

loopylou6 · 20/10/2007 19:52

if he has been drinking vimto then its normal

Original poster

tutu100 · 20/10/2007 20:11

He has not been drinking vimto! In the last 24 hrs he has eaten 2 bananas, a very small amount of pasta, a small amount of ham, 2 malted milk biscuits and half a slice of bread. He isn't really eating much. The dr said not to worry too much about getting him to eat, but to let him eat if he felt like it.

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coolkat · 20/10/2007 20:18

Have you given him any kiddie neurofen or anything like that? This had this effect on my daughter.

3littlebats · 20/10/2007 20:23

If you really can't think of anything that might have caused the black colour, then you should save a sample in a clean container to take for testing. However, if your ds seems well, active, and does not look pale or ill, then I would just keep an eye on him. However, if he seems unwell, he should be seen by a doctor and the poo sample should be tested. Black poo can be caused by the presence of blood, BUT - the child would be unwell, as I have described. In a child who was otherwise well, it would be much more likely to be something eaten or drunk.

boolepew · 20/10/2007 20:26

Has he had any tonic with iron in it? (or been sneaking the Guinness?) There is a terrible sickness and diahorrea bug doing the rounds where I am.

3littlebats · 20/10/2007 20:33

How old is he? He should not be having anything with iron in it unless specifically prescibed by a doctor.

Original poster

tutu100 · 20/10/2007 23:51

He's 2.4 and doesn't have anything like supplements which would have iron in. A poo sample is being tested but obviously that one was from yesterday.

He hasn't had any nurofen for 3 days, is it possible that it could be from then?

I am keeping a close eye on him. Dp said that although the poo looked black what was on the baywipe was a very dark green colour.

Thank you all for your advice. I will watch him closely and wait for his results to come back.

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coolkat · 21/10/2007 18:31

Yes I am sure my daughter had this reaction from medicine, just give leaflet in the box a quick read. Hope he is ok.

SpacePuppy · 21/10/2007 18:39

Is it really black or dark green or dark brown? I don't think black poo is at all normal and you describe it as tar like (meconium like) and my first instinct is blood in the stool, phone NHS direct or go to your gp asap!

Sorry also keep in mind I'm the mother of a precious first born and won't take chances, maybe someone else will have more info.

Original poster

tutu100 · 21/10/2007 23:24

Poo has now turned dark green. He has gone longer between each episode today so I hope is getting better, although today is day 6 of the runs (not fun at all).

I am going to ring to see if his results are back early tomorrow. Space Puppy he is my pfb and dp nearly had to hide the car keys yesterday to stop me taking him to casualty!

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littleNonSpecificHolidaylapin · 21/10/2007 23:28

tutu, I had EXACTLY the same thing with DS a couple of months ago. I googled it and came up with "blood in the stool" , spoke to NHS Direct and they said to go see the GP immediately.

Saw the GP (who is a paed specialist) and he a) told me off for Googling and b) said not to worry, he very much doubted that it was blood in the stool. DS seemed otherwise well, and was unbothered by stomach palpation.

Sure enough, his poos then went dark green and gradually returned to their normal colour - it took a couple of days. No recurrence, and he's fit as a fiddle.

littleNonSpecificHolidaylapin · 21/10/2007 23:30

Here's my thread on the subject!

StarryStarryNight · 21/10/2007 23:31

DS1 used to have black poo or green poo intermittently. He was suffereing iron deficient aenimia, and building up to appendicitis. Since his appenectomy his poo has been lovely brown in colour.

However, when I mentioned this to his doctor he said poo could be all colurs really, and he would only be concerned if poo was grey white in colour as that meant the food was going through the body without being digested proprly which could mean a kidney/liver problem.

susiecutiebananas · 21/10/2007 23:40

Black stools in an adult is almost always due to blood in them. its old blood too, which means its coming from somewhere further up the system, even as far up as stomach. Also the other cause in adults is Iron supplements or loads of Guinness.

I dont think the same can always be applied in paeds. ( well obviously not the Guinness!)

it sounds very much like he's had a nasty gastroenteritis of some sort. wiith a possible infection. That can make the poo turn greenish, ( dark green) if its particularly offensive smelling and at all mucousy, it is an infection. Either way, you ought to go back in the morning to GP and tell them of this change in the stool.

HTH .. but prob not! sorry

boolepew · 22/10/2007 12:51

My dd had dark green poo when she had gastroenteritis.

Original poster

tutu100 · 23/10/2007 16:46

Qucik update. Ds results came back today as normal, but the receptionist who gave me the result6s didn't nkow what normal meant and I don't know what they were testing for. So we are going back to see the GP tonight as ds is still not right (5 poos in 5 hrs).

Poor thing looks so pale and he has lost quite a bit of weight.

Thank you again everyone who has given advice. We're off to grill the dr a bit more, my main worry is that my brother has ceoliacs and I remember him having absolutely terrible diahorrea for months before it was diagnosed.

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Original poster

tutu100 · 23/10/2007 20:47

The dr has referred us to the hospital for a blood test to rule out ceoliacs, but thinks it is probably just toddler diahorrea. Ds has lost quite a bit of weight. Just got to keep going as we are and see what happens.

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