“Child with pale colored poop?”
My almost 5 year old son came out of the bathroom this evening and said “my poo is white mommy”. He had of course flushed it away so I couldn’t see it. But he was adamant after we asked him several different ways. His poop was a white/cream color. All I keep reading about this is that it is a bad sign and is potentially dangerous, etc. Looking for advice and insight...please help!
Male | 4 years old
Complaint duration: Today
5 Answers
PediatricianPediatrician
It's probably not white stool. That only happens in the setting of jaundice and is extremely rare.
Look at the stool first. It might just be mucus. Take him to the pediatrician if the stool seems abnormal to you.
Look at the stool first. It might just be mucus. Take him to the pediatrician if the stool seems abnormal to you.
It seems like he eats a lot of dairy products. The white poops don't have to mean something serious. It could be dietary.
Go see a pediatric GI specialist. Do not ignore this.
Can be significant but not an emergency but could be trivial. If it continues- collect one or two specimens outside (wrap in a plastic container and put first outside if you are going for two) and bring them and your son to the doctor.
It’s not always indicative of a serious condition so don’t panic please. First check to see if there’s any yellow discoloration of your child’s skin or eyes. Does he have any other symptoms? You must check the next time he poops and note the color, then take him to his pediatrician if the color is indeed pale.
