Six-month-old pooing up to 15 times a day and in pain/discomfort when doing so. Any ideas what's up?

[PilesMerHour]

My friend's six-month-old DS has been pooing up to 15 times a day, sometimes a few times an hour, and is clearly in pain/discomfort when he's doing so. When he poos, he passes a tiny amount - about the size of a Malteser - but it isn't hard, like constipated poo, but a soft smudge that sticks to his bottom and makes him very sore. This has been going on for about a month, I think. All this effort for such a tiny amount, and so many times per day.

My friend has been to her doctor with her DS, and she gave her the neurotic-new-mum treatment and thought nothing was wrong. But 15 small, painful bowel movements per day wouldn't be considered OK in an adult, would it?

Does anyone have any ideas what could be going on here?

TIA

food allergy?

Hmmm, not sure. Any really loose movements?? My DS, although he was a bit older, went for nearly 6 months with really loose stools and the DR kept sending us away. He ended up in hospital with a rock hard stomach, screaming in agony and a fever of 41.5. On fluids overnight, sent home next morning and he had the biggest most solid poo. It happens a lot where there is a build up of solid waste in kids that blocks stuff getting through apart from watery stuff to the point where there is either it all comes out in one go (painful to watch!) or I do know a couple of kids who had to have surgery to get it solved.

But, not sure if this could be linked. Could it be that it hurts 6m/o to push it out so that's why only little but very often??

I would get a second opinion. Try fresh orange juice to see if it loosens anything up?

Thanks, thisisyesterday and chel86. Where do you start with the food allergy possibility? The little boy has been on dairy formula since a few weeks old, but had this problem only in recent months. So surely not dairy?

chel86, that's interesting. As far as I know, the poo isn't very loose, nor hard; just a normal kind of smudge, just a very small amount of it and often. The baby is content in between pooing, so not in ongoing pain. Hmm.

you said it has been going on for about a month. I was wondering if she had weaned him then? that could lend credence to food allergy possibility.