Slimy stool with diarrhea
If diarrhea occurs in addition to the mucus, the child often suffers from an infection or intolerance. Diarrhea in infants is defined as at least five to six thin defecations per day. One of the most common causes of these symptoms is a gastrointestinal infection.
This can be of viral or bacterial origin. Depending on the cause, antibiotic therapy may be necessary less frequently. In most cases, the administration of an electrolyte solution is sufficient to protect the infant from dehydration. An intolerance to certain foods can also be the cause. In such cases, the symptoms are found in mushy form, especially when switching to new foods.
How the therapy is carried out
Many causes of mucusy bowel movements in infants do not require treatment. These include above all the slimy stool during teething. After a few days, the problem resolves itself.
Even in the case of a single occurrence of mucus in the diaper, no therapy is usually necessary. This can occur in the course of normal dietary changes to porridge or bottle feeds and disappears after a few days. The same applies to the occurrence of symptoms after vaccinations.
If the slimy stool is caused by an infection, a specific therapy is not necessarily necessary. In some cases an electrolyte solution should be given to prevent the baby from drying out. Antibiotics are rarely necessary.
In the case of food intolerances and allergies, the triggering food must be identified. This must then be avoided in order to prevent new symptoms. If it is a cow’s milk allergy, the child needs a special milk that does not contain the triggering cow’s milk protein. This usually improves the symptoms quite quickly.
This is the diagnosis
When the baby is presented to a doctor, the doctor first looks at the diaper. The nature of the bowel movement can already provide information about the cause of the symptoms. It is also important that parents report whether their baby is behaving in an unusual way, has shown a change in drinking habits or has shown other signs of pain.
It should also be mentioned if there has been blood admixture, diarrhoea, fever or increased flatulence. The doctor can then listen and palpate the baby’s abdomen to detect any changes in intestinal activity and pain. In addition, the little patient should be looked at from top to bottom in order to detect any rashes that may occur as a result of some infections.
Sometimes an ultrasound examination or a blood test may also be necessary. These measures can already clarify many causes for slimy bowel movements.
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