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“Unabsorbed iron can form complexes with compounds in your gastrointestinal tract that can lead to black stools,” says Samuel A. Akinyeye, M.D., assistant professor in the division of ...
Melena is a form of blood in stool which refers to the dark black, tarry feces that are commonly associated with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. [1] The black color and characteristic strong odor are caused by hemoglobin in the blood being altered by digestive enzymes and intestinal bacteria. [2]
Children have different bowel movement patterns than adults. In addition, there is a wide spectrum of normalcy when considering children's bowel habits. [1] On average, infants have 3-4 bowel movements/day, and toddlers have 2-3 bowel movements per day. At around age 4, children develop an adult-like pattern of bowel movements (1-2 stools/day).
Digested blood from the upper gastrointestinal tract may appear black rather than red, resulting in "coffee ground" vomit or melena. [2] Other signs and symptoms include feeling tired, dizziness, and pale skin color. [18] A number of foods and medications can turn the stool either red or black in the absence of bleeding. [2]
The stool of a person with a lower gastrointestinal bleed is a good (but not infallible) indication of where the bleeding is occurring. Black tarry appearing stools medically referred to as melena usually indicates blood that has been in the GI tract for at least 8 hours. [1]
Voluntary withholding of the stool is a common cause of constipation. [17] The choice to withhold can be due to factors such as fear of pain, fear of public restrooms, or laziness. [17] When a child holds in the stool a combination of encouragement, fluids, fiber, and laxatives may be useful to overcome the problem. [36]
Children with loose stools and diarrhea (colonic hypermotility): This group of children has an overactive colon. Rapid transit of stool results in frequent episodes of diarrhea . This means that even when an enema cleans the colon rather easily, stool keeps on passing fairly quickly from the cecum to the descending colon and the anus.
Oily stool, a.k.a. steatorrhea. Steatorrhea refers to bulky, foul-smelling, oily stool that tends to be pale in color and float in the toilet bowl, resisting flushing.