- 1. Reddish foods
- 2. Diaper rash
- 3. Cow's milk allergy
- 4. Anal fissure
- 5. Rotavirus vaccine
- 6. Very concentrated urine
- 7. Intestinal infection
- When to go to the doctor
The presence of blood in the baby's diaper is always a cause for alarm for the parents, however, in most cases the presence of blood in the diaper is not a sign of serious health problems, and may arise only due to more common situations such as diaper rash butt, allergy to cow's milk or anal fissure, for example.
In addition, when the baby's urine is very concentrated, it may contain urate crystals that give the urine a red or pink color, making it appear that the baby has blood in the diaper.
To test if it is really blood in the baby's diaper, you can put a little hydrogen peroxide over the stain. If there is foam production, it means that the stain is really blood and, therefore, it is important to consult the pediatrician to identify the cause and start the appropriate treatment.
1. Reddish foods
The baby's poop can become reddish due to the ingestion of red foods such as beets, tomato soup or some food with red dye, for example, which may create the idea that the baby has blood in the diaper.
What to do: avoid giving these foods to the baby and if the problem persists for more than 24 hours, consult the pediatrician to identify the problem and start treatment.
2. Diaper rash
The diaper rash is the presence of irritated and red skin on the bottom that can bleed after cleaning the skin, causing the appearance of bright red blood in the diaper.
What to do: If possible, leave the baby a few hours a day without a diaper and apply an ointment for diaper rash such as Dermodex or Bepantol, for example, with each diaper change. See all the necessary care to take care of the baby's diaper rash.
3. Cow's milk allergy
The presence of blood in the baby's stool may also indicate that the baby is allergic to cow's milk protein, for example. Even in babies who only breastfeed, cow's milk protein can be passed to the baby through breast milk when the mother ingests cow's milk and its derivatives.
What to do: remove cow's milk from the baby or mother and observe if the blood continues to appear in the diaper. Here's how to identify if your baby is allergic to milk protein and what to do.
4. Anal fissure
The existence of blood in the diaper of a baby who is frequently constipated can be a sign of fissure in the anal area, as the baby's stool can become very hard and, when leaving, cause a small cut in the anus.
What to do: give the baby more water and make the porridge with more water to be less consistent, facilitating the elimination of feces. Also see a home remedy for constipation in the baby.
5. Rotavirus vaccine
One of the main side effects of the Rotavirus vaccine is the presence of blood in the baby's stool up to 40 days after taking the vaccine. Therefore, if this happens, it should not be given importance, as long as the amount of blood is low.
What to do: if the baby is losing a lot of blood through the stool, it is advisable to go immediately to the emergency room.
6. Very concentrated urine
When the baby's urine becomes too concentrated, the urate crystals are eliminated by the urine, giving it a reddish color that may look like blood. In these cases, when testing with hydrogen peroxide, the "blood" does not produce foam and, therefore, it is possible to suspect that it is only very concentrated urine.
What to do: increase the amount of water that is given to the baby to decrease the concentration of urine and urate crystals.
7. Intestinal infection
Severe intestinal infection can injure the intestine internally and cause bleeding from the stool, usually accompanied by abdominal pain and diarrhea, and vomiting and fever may also appear. Check for other symptoms that may indicate an intestinal infection in the baby.
What to do: Take the baby immediately to the emergency room to identify the cause of the problem and start appropriate treatment.
When to go to the doctor
Although in most cases blood in the diaper is not an emergency, it is recommended to go to the emergency room when:
- The baby is bleeding excessively; Other symptoms appear, such as fever above 38ยบ, diarrhea or excessive desire to sleep; The baby has no energy to play.
In these cases, the baby must be evaluated by a pediatrician to perform urine, feces or blood tests and identify the cause, initiating appropriate treatment, if necessary.
