Care Advice
What You Should Know About Unusual Stool Color:
- Strange colors of the stool are almost always due to food coloring.
- The only colors that may relate to disease are red, black and white.
- All other colors are not due to a medical problem.
- Normal stools are not always dark brown. Sometimes they are light brown, tan or yellow.
- Here is some care advice that should help.
Green Stools:
- Green color of the stools is always normal. Most often, green stools are caused by bile.
- Green stools are more common in formula fed than breastfed infants. But, they can be normal with both.
- Green stools are more common with diarrhea. This is due to a fast transit time through the gut. However, formed stools may also be green. This is normal and nothing to worry about.
- If your child takes iron, be sure your child is not taking too much.
Avoid Suspected Food or Drink:
- Don't eat the suspected food.
- Don't drink the suspected drink.
- The strange stool color should go away within 48 hours.
Save a Sample:
- If the strange stool color doesn't go away, bring in a sample.
- Keep it in the refrigerator until you leave.
What to Expect:
- Remove the cause of the unusual color from the diet.
- Then the stool should change back to normal color.
- This should happen within 48 hours or 2 stools later.
Call Your Doctor If:
- Strange color without a cause lasts more than 24 hours
- Suspected food is stopped and strange color lasts more than 48 hours
- You think your child needs to be seen
- Your child becomes worse
Remember! Contact your doctor if you or your child develop any "Contact Your Doctor" symptoms.