Sour smell of feces in a child. Causes of sour stool odor in infants

What should babies stool like?

The smell of a baby's stool changes during the first year of life. This is due to the development of the enzymatic system of the child’s gastrointestinal tract, as well as gradual changes in his diet. Changes occur over a short period of time and indicate the correct adaptation of the baby’s body to independent life.

What features of bowel movements of a newborn should a young mother know about in the first days of life: 1 During the first three days after birth, the baby still produces odorless stool, which is a viscous sticky substance of black or black-brown color with a greenish tint (meconium).

In newborns, normal stool has no odor at all.

This is how amniotic fluid with all the substances that were in it is removed from the body of a newborn, swallowed by him during the intrauterine period.

The appearance of such bowel movements indicates the beginning of normal functioning of the baby’s intestines. During this short period, meconium is completely excreted from the baby’s intestines and then the bowel movements take the form of formed excrement , which has its own characteristic features.

So, from the second day, feces acquire a gray tint and become semi-liquid. This transformation of feces indicates good absorption of milk by the baby’s organisms. 2 During the first week of life, an infant's stool may include various heterogeneous inclusions. You shouldn't be afraid of this, because... this is a type of norm. 3 Starting from the second week, the color, consistency and smell of a newborn’s stool depend on the type of feeding.

Influence of feeding method

Not all babies are breastfed. Some children are transferred to artificial feeding, so the stool mass will be different.

With hepatitis B

If a child is breastfed, his own microflora is formed within 10 days.
Due to the activity of beneficial microorganisms, the stool acquires a mushy consistency and a sour smell of kefir or cottage cheese, and should not cause concern.

With artificial feeding

When a baby is immediately transferred to formula milk, the stool is more formed than that of a baby on guard duty. The stool has a uniform, thick consistency, although the color of the stool is similar, and the smell of the stool is typical, but less pronounced.

Acidity increases when complementary foods are introduced to the baby. Pieces of undigested food are found in the stool. If there are no allergic reactions, and solid food does not cause pain, you can ignore the smell of stool.

How stool depends on nutrition

When feeding with breast milk, the color of the stool will be from dark yellow to brown, the consistency will be similar to semolina porridge, and the “aroma” of the stool will be sour milk and rather weakly expressed. There may still be a small amount of inclusions or mucus in the feces, but if the baby is not fussy and gaining weight, there is no need to worry about this. You can find out how to tell if your baby is getting enough breast milk here.

The organoleptic parameters of the feces of a breastfed newborn very much depend on the diet of the nursing mother in the first month. During the first 6 weeks of life, the baby may have bowel movements up to 10 times a day . The older the child gets, the less often bowel movements will occur during the day.

During this period, it is very important to monitor the bowel movements of the newborn for early detection of the development of various pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.

In bottle-fed babies, the “aroma” of stool will be stronger and the consistency will be thicker. If the color of feces in artificial babies changes to orange, green or almost black, you should urgently show the baby to a doctor.

Kuznetsova M.A., pediatrician, candidate of medical sciences, Nearmedic Clinic on Polezhaevskaya, Moscow

If a putrid or sour smell of feces appears in a baby , flatulence, strange inclusions in feces, as well as other manifestations of stomach or intestinal dysfunction, the child should be urgently shown to a local pediatrician.

If a serious condition develops, when, against the background of intestinal changes, the temperature rises and vomiting begins, you must immediately call an ambulance.

Also, bowel movements will be unpleasant for the nose during mixed feeding, when breastfeeding alternates with various milk formulas.

Particularly strong changes in feces will be observed with the introduction of complementary foods into the infant’s diet. The more varied the foods introduced into the baby’s table, the more his excrement will resemble “adults.”

How to distinguish normality from pathology?

The nature of feces is considered the most important indicator of a baby, so the mother should carefully consider the contents of the diapers/diapers. The norm is considered to be discharge of a greenish-yellow hue with a sour odor, in which there are no undigested food particles and pathological inclusions.

Signs signaling the development of the disease include:

• the occurrence of pain in the abdominal cavity;
• difficulty with bowel movements;
• bloating, increased gas formation, flatulence;
• change in color, consistency, smell of stool;
• Difficulty gaining weight.

Below we will consider the pathologies that provoke the appearance of foamy stools in breastfed infants.

Greenish foamy stool

Green bowel movements during the period when the stool should turn yellow should be a reason to visit the pediatrician. There are several reasons for the appearance of such foamy stools in breastfeeding infants:

1. Dysbacteriosis. The proliferation of pathogenic microflora gives the stool a greenish tint, which is accompanied by pain in the abdominal cavity, bloating, and diarrhea.
2. Inclusion of green vegetables and green fruits in the maternal diet. Refusal to consume these products will normalize the color and consistency of the baby's stool.
3. Inflammation in the intestinal cavity. May develop due to poor nutrition of the mother.
4. Taking medications with high iron content. Iron-containing preparations can lead to the appearance of a specific color in the stool.
5. Insufficient nutrition of the baby. Malnutrition in infants is usually accompanied by difficulty gaining weight, moodiness when drinking breast milk, and restless sleep.
6. Hypoxia. In some cases, greenish foamy stool is a consequence of intrauterine hypoxia.

Yellow chair with foam

The yellowish color of children's feces can be both a sign of normality and pathology. In most cases, the formation of this phenomenon is influenced by increased production of bilirubin. Therefore, you should not postpone a visit to the pediatrician, who will refer you for the necessary tests.

Also, yellow stools with foam can be the result of the introduction of complementary foods. The brightness of stool may vary depending on the color of vegetables, cereals and fruits consumed. In addition, the phenomenon in question may occur due to incomplete/improper breastfeeding. To do this, you need to increase the time you eat.

Foamy stool streaked with blood

Blood in the stool of a breastfed baby can form due to the development of lactase deficiency. This may mean the mother is consuming excessive amounts of dairy products that the child's body cannot process. At the same time, gases accumulate in the intestines of a newborn during breastfeeding. To eliminate foamy stools with bloody spots, a nursing mother should give up such products.

Streaks of blood in the foamy stool of a breastfed baby may be a consequence of congenital dysbiosis, which is extremely rare. This disease cannot be completely cured. In this case, the use of additional stimulant drugs is indicated.

Light foamy stool in an infant

The brown tint to stool is given by the pigment stercobilin, as well as products that enter the gastrointestinal tract. A nursing mother may consume large amounts of milk or products of plant origin, resulting in clarified baby stool with foam. In addition, light, foamy stool in an infant may indicate a lack of bile or the development of putrefactive processes in the intestines. Less commonly, such feces occur in the presence of an intestinal infection.

We recommend reading: Breast milk for a runny nose in infants

Baby's stool with mucus and foam

Foamy stool mixed with mucus can occur when using various medications or due to an infectious disease in the intestinal cavity. The infection is usually accompanied by increased body temperature. If improvement does not occur within 2 days, you should immediately seek medical help.

Causes

Foul-smelling diarrhea can occur for the following reasons:

• unbalanced diet, poor nutrition, resulting in vitamin deficiency, overeating;
• helminthic infestation;
• inflammatory intestinal pathologies (dysbacteriosis, colitis);
• intestinal infection, food poisoning;
• hormonal changes;
• introducing new foods to the baby;
• rotavirus infection;
• ARVI;
• failure to comply with hygiene rules;
• enzyme deficiency (pancreatitis);
• psycho-emotional state;
• putrefactive dyspepsia;
• allergy;
• some medications, in particular after treatment with antibiotics.

Sour smell

A suddenly putrid smell of feces is a reason for urgent examination by a pediatrician . What does sour stool smell mean in a baby? When should you be concerned about this?

A child’s stool has a pronounced sour odor in the following conditions:

A sour, vinegar-like stool odor is a deviation

1. Fermentation in the intestines. Occurs in infants as a result of the nursing mother consuming carbohydrate foods, as well as drinks caused by fermentation processes (for example, grape juice, carbonated sweet drinks, etc.).
2. Inflammatory processes of the gastrointestinal tract of the newborn.
3. Disturbance in the production of enzymes in infants.
4. Other problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

In any case, the baby must be shown to the pediatrician to identify the reasons why the feces began to smell unpleasant and to eliminate them.

Komarovsky E.O., pediatrician, candidate of medical sciences, TV presenter, writer, Kharkov

The cause of stench from feces in an infant may be lactase deficiency.

This enzymatic disorder is quite rare, but it should not be discounted. Most often, this condition is caused by genetics. However, a thorough examination of the child should always be carried out.

Also, a change in the “aroma” of a baby’s stool to sour may be accompanied by other symptoms:

• if green, loose stools with a sour smell appear in a child, we are talking about the presence of an intestinal infection in the baby’s body;
• foamy, loose stools with a sour smell in a baby indicate insufficient production of the enzyme that breaks down milk (lactose);
• if the excrement has become a pronounced yellow color with a sour smell, we must look for the cause in a violation of the metabolism of bile pigments. Also, such stool may indicate a state of Rh conflict;
• colorless stools indicate pathology of the organs of formation and removal of bile from the body;
• Black excrement appears when there is gastric bleeding. This is a serious reason to immediately call an ambulance;
• oily feces that leave greasy stains on the tissue indicate problems with the pancreas.

The appearance of mucus in the feces of a newborn indicates the unpreparedness of his internal organs to digest food or overeating. If mucus appears, you should review your feeding regimen with your pediatrician.

Why does an infant's stool smell sour: reasons

The baby cannot tell about problems in the body, but its digestive system gives signals at the slightest deviation. If a mother smells a sour smell in her baby’s stool, she shouldn’t ignore this sign.

Already from the first hours of birth, the baby begins the process of defecation. Original stool is called meconium. They have a viscous, dark green consistency.

While the digestive system adapts to new conditions, feces are heterogeneous in nature: they include mucus and greenish inclusions, but they do not smell and are quickly washed off the diaper.

A week after giving birth, the mass begins to change color and has an odor. How normal it will be in a child depends on the mother’s diet or the quality of artificial nutrition.

Normally, the baby's stool takes on a mustard or brownish tint. Feces are pigmented by bile acids that enter the stomach during digestion.

Is a sour smell normal?

In a newborn at 2 months, not only the color of the stool changes, but also a specific aroma appears. If the stool smells slightly sour, this smell can be considered normal for both a three-month and a one-year-old child.

Amber is provoked by milk sugar entering the baby’s gastrointestinal tract during feeding. It is broken down in the stomach and the reaction produces a sour aroma .

But a pronounced, pungent odor is already a reason to observe the baby in order to evaluate why such a sign arose. Especially if it is accompanied by a change in the color of the stool.

Main reasons

The unpleasant odor during children's bowel movements usually resembles a bite. Various factors can lead to this, and most of them are internal in nature.

In a breastfed newborn, disturbances may occur due to the physiological characteristics of milk production.

Some mothers begin to change breasts during one feeding.

In this case, the baby receives exclusively “front” milk, which is oversaturated with sugar. The “back” portions, containing immune cells and fatty elements, do not reach their destination. This is another reason for the development of fermentative dyspepsia.

Influence of feeding method

Not all babies are breastfed. Some children are transferred to artificial feeding, so the stool mass will be different.

With hepatitis B

If a child is breastfed, his own microflora is formed within 10 days.

Due to the activity of beneficial microorganisms, the stool acquires a mushy consistency and a sour smell of kefir or cottage cheese, and should not cause concern.

With artificial feeding

When a baby is immediately transferred to formula milk, the stool is more formed than that of a baby on guard duty. The stool has a uniform, thick consistency, although the color of the stool is similar, and the smell of the stool is typical, but less pronounced.

Acidity increases when complementary foods are introduced to the baby. Pieces of undigested food are found in the stool. If there are no allergic reactions, and solid food does not cause pain, you can ignore the smell of stool.

Color changes

Mom should worry when a change in the color of the stool is added to the strong aroma of acid. This is already a clear sign of health problems.

The reasons indicated in the table require mandatory consultation with a supervising physician. The combination of a sour odor and a changed color of the baby’s stool is a reason to examine the child.

Change in stool consistency

The stool may not change its color, but the non-standard consistency of the mass should cause concern.

Dangerous species include the following:

• watery and foamy stools are the result of lactase deficiency, and the masses acquire a greenish tint, an accompanying symptom is increased gas formation;
• liquid stool of the usual color is a viral or bacterial infection; if the shade has changed to green, mucus, foam or blood have appeared, and bowel movements have become more frequent, there is a suspicion of progressive dysbacteriosis;
• oily, thick stool is evidence that the pancreas does not fully produce the important enzyme lipase; as a result, fats are not processed and are excreted along with the feces.

Sometimes feces leave watery streaks around them on diapers or onesies. If this happens in the first 10 days of life, the situation can be considered normal.

When such periods occur at a later date, the child should be shown to a pediatrician.

What other smells do feces have?

Baby stool smells differently, but scents other than milky ones should cause mom concern.

Strong unpleasant odor

Foul-smelling amber appears in the feces of babies, regardless of the method of feeding. The unpleasant greenish tint of feces is also added to the aromas. The stool becomes watery and frequent. Sometimes you can see mucus or blood.

This is how food allergies manifest themselves. If the baby is breastfed, then the mother’s entire menu, which includes the wrong foods, is to blame.

A child on IV reacts sensitively to low-quality formulas, so you need to choose hypoallergenic formulas for nutrition.

Putrid smell

Such “flavors” are produced by frequent loose stools that have changed their color to an atypical one. Symptoms include vomiting, abdominal pain, and hyperthermia. All this is clear evidence of an infection developing in the gastrointestinal tract (most often rotavirus).

Is treatment necessary?

The sour smell itself is not an indicator of deviation from the norm. But a number of accompanying symptoms should alert parents.

When to call an ambulance

Urgent seeking help is necessary in the following cases:

• if the stool is colorless or has a black or crimson tint;
• the mass contains mucus and streaks of blood;
• the stool is loose, the child defecates more than 12 times a day.

Any deviation from the norm, accompanied by vomiting, fever, or crying of the baby, requires medical intervention. But you cannot prescribe treatment yourself - this can pose a threat to the child’s life.

In other cases, it is enough for the mother to reconsider her diet if the baby is pregnant and choose the right foods for complementary feeding.

Methods for normalizing stool odor

A growing baby's stool will still have a slight sour odor as long as breast milk (or formula) is present in his diet. But if the aromas are not entirely typical, then before doing anything, the cause of the failure is determined.

Examination of the digestive system plays an important role here.

If the doctor determines that there is no need for medical intervention, the mother can take the following measures:

• feed the baby with one breast for at least half an hour so that he has time to reach the “hind” milk;
• exclude harmful foods from the menu;
• To normalize microflora, take prebiotics (but only in consultation with your doctor).

If complementary foods are poorly digested and come out as coarse particles, then the first portions are administered in a liquid or crushed state in small doses.

Conclusion

Sourish yellow stool (sometimes with a green or brown tint) is normal in infants. But the appearance of uncharacteristic signs should alert you . It is necessary to look for the cause of deviations in order to eliminate them in time.

Source: https://vseozhivote.ru/kishechnik/defekatsiya/kislyj-zapah-kala-u-grudnichka.html

What does a putrid smell indicate?

The pungent smell of feces in an infant indicates rotting of protein products in the intestines when the composition of the intestinal microflora changes, i.e. We are most often talking about dysbacteriosis.

A putrid stench from newborn feces appears when:

1. Inflammatory bowel diseases.
2. Slow motility of intestinal smooth muscles.
3. Indigestion of a putrid nature.
4. Dysbacteriosis.
5. Various disorders of the digestion process.

The foul odor of feces, if there is mucus in it, indicates pathological processes in the intestines that appear as a result of allergic reactions , as well as exposure to an infectious or toxic agent on the baby’s body. Another reason for the appearance of mucus in excrement against the background of their unpleasant “odors” is dysbacteriosis. You can find out how and where to get tested for dysbacteriosis here.

If a strong stench from excrement appears in an infant, you should urgently contact a pediatrician for a thorough examination and identify the reasons that caused this condition!

What other smells do feces have?

Baby stool smells differently, but scents other than milky ones should cause mom concern.

Strong unpleasant odor

Foul-smelling amber appears in the feces of babies, regardless of the method of feeding. The unpleasant greenish tint of feces is also added to the aromas. The stool becomes watery and frequent. Sometimes you can see mucus or blood.

This is how food allergies manifest themselves. If the baby is breastfed, then the mother’s entire menu, which includes the wrong foods, is to blame.

A child on IV reacts sensitively to low-quality formulas, so you need to choose hypoallergenic formulas for nutrition.

Putrid smell

Such “flavors” are produced by frequent loose stools that have changed their color to an atypical one. Symptoms include vomiting, abdominal pain, and hyperthermia. All this is clear evidence of an infection developing in the gastrointestinal tract (most often rotavirus).