The main cause of the children's chapter turning green

In fact, defecating can be an indicator, aka a sign of whether your child is healthy or not. Usually, changes in the color and shape of bowel movements in children, indicating that they may have certain health problems. So, what if the child's bowel movements or feces turn green? Is this dangerous?

The cause of child defecation to be green

The color most normal and often seen in the stool of babies and children is brown. Under normal conditions, brown stool is caused by a pigment called bilirubin.

Not only that, it is also caused by a brownish green liquid that comes from the liver, or so-called bile.

If the liver and pancreas are working normally, the stools that come out will be brownish in color.

It's just that some of the natural dyes found in food cannot be fully digested by the body.

Therefore, various things such as the type of food can affect the color of stool, including in children.

Quoted from Healthy Children, parents should pay attention when there is a change in texture, quantity, until the color of the stool looks strange or different from usual.

Sometimes, a child's bowel movement can change colors, one of which is green or dark green.

Even though it is still classified as normal, here are some of the causes of green children's bowel movements, such as:

1. Food

Every food consumed by children can actually affect the shape and color of the stool.

Logically, this first cause is perhaps the easiest to understand why a child's bowel movement or feces turn green.

Foods that have a natural green color, such as spinach and broccoli, include vegetables with natural dyes.

Green vegetables are rich in chlorophyll, the pigment that gives vegetables their color.

When your child's green stool is caused by eating vegetables, you don't need to worry.

If you eat only small amounts of vegetables, your stool may not turn green.

Stool discoloration will occur if you consume large amounts and this does not only apply to green vegetables.

Vegetables that are red, purple, or yellow in color can cause green stools.

In addition, food with artificial coloring can also affect this condition.

Here are foods that might make a child's bowel turn green:

Green leafy vegetables: spinach, cabbage, or lettuce
Candy or cake with artificial coloring
Iron supplements that turn stool green or black.

2. Diarrhea

One of the reasons why a child's defecation can turn green is diarrhea.

Diarrhea in children usually occurs due to lack of water in the small intestine, causing the virus to appear.

One of the digestive disorders of this child changes the water and electrolyte content in the feces, then the contents in it move quickly into the digestive system.

Therefore, it can change the color of the child's stool. Well, diarrhea itself is usually caused by several things, namely:

Bacterial infections, such as salmonella
Medicines, such as antibiotics
Caffeine
Food poisoning
Parasites, because children rarely wash their hands, they are susceptible to parasites.

Although diarrhea will pass over time, you shouldn't let your guard down.

If this disorder lasts for days, parents should watch for some signs of dehydration caused by diarrhea, such as:

Decreased frequency of peeing
Not excited
Don't sweat it
Dry lips
Dry and itchy skin
irritation

If the color of the child's stool or stool turns green and starts to turn very dark, immediately consult a doctor for further treatment.

In addition to the two things above, there are several causes that make children's bowel movements green, such as:

Babies who drink more formula than breast milk
Take certain drugs or supplements that contain iron

When should your child be taken to the doctor?

Indeed, not all discoloration of a child's stool is dangerous or needs to be worried about.

However, this must be considered because it can be an early sign to detect a certain health problem.

So, if after having a green child's bowel or stool there are the following symptoms, please do an examination:

Symptoms of dehydration
Nausea and vomiting for days
Fever up to 38 ℃
No appetite

So, is a child's stool turning green in color dangerous or normal?

It is important to remember that stool discoloration is temporary and not something to be afraid of.

This includes when a child's bowel or stool is green. When you change the source of fiber other than green vegetables or your diarrhea has recovered, the color of the stool will return to normal.

Thus, it can be concluded that green stool in children is a fairly normal thing to happen.

On the other hand, parents still have to ensure that their children's daily fiber intake needs are met so that their digestive health is well maintained.

If parents have doubts and are worried about the child's health condition, they are still encouraged to ask for advice and help from a doctor.