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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.
Because enemas work in 2–15 minutes, they do not allow sufficient time for a large fecal mass to soften. Even if the enema is successful at dislodging the impacted stool, the impacted stool may remain too large to be expelled through the anal canal. Mineral oil enemas can assist by lubricating the stool for easier passage. In cases where ...
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]
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]
Blood in stool looks different depending on how early it enters the digestive tract—and thus how much digestive action it has been exposed to—and how much there is. The term can refer either to melena, with a black appearance, typically originating from upper gastrointestinal bleeding; or to hematochezia, with a red color, typically originating from lower gastrointestinal bleeding. [6]
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).
Toddler's diarrhea is characterized by three or more watery stools per day that persist for 2–4 weeks or more. [2] [6] Newborns and infants may normally have soft and frequent stools; however, any noticeable changes in stool frequency or form (i.e. watery) can indicate toddler's diarrhea. [7]
Encopresis (from Ancient Greek ἐγκόπρησις, enkóprēsis) is voluntary or involuntary passage of feces outside of toilet-trained contexts (fecal soiling) in children who are four years or older and after an organic cause has been excluded. [1] Children with encopresis often leak stool into their undergarments.