My sweet little 3 1/2 mo old daughter caught a stomach bug last week. It has been a very strange bug. She started vomiting a little Friday, then after every feed Saturday. She vomited once Sunday and had a formula colored poop (right texture, but very pale beige) then I took her to urgent care. They said it was a virus going around and that they had seen a lot of it. Told me that color poop was normal with a stomach bug, and not to worry unless it continues. She vomited once Monday morning, once Monday night and had more formula colored poop, but now, diarrhea. She vomited once yesterday, but, so far today, has kept everything down (yay!). She had more of the same diarrhea this morning, though. I called her pedi yesterday to ask when I should start to worry that she is not getting over this bug (it's been 5 days). They said to give it a week. She is having wet diapers. They are not AS wet as usual, but her appetite is down. She acts fine, otherwise. More sleepy than usual and she has been sleeping through the night (wouldn't complain if she was taking plenty of formula during the day). My question is, have any of you mamas experienced the pale, perhaps "clay" colored poop? When you google it, you get some pretty frightening results about liver problems. Her urine is not dark, she is not jaundiced. Have any of your little one's had a stomach bug that lasted this long? Really stressing about this bug because she is so young. Thanks in advance!
This is so common for us. The pale poop can last a week or two. Sometimes they need to get off milk/formula with lactose temporarily. It doesn't sound serious and it sounds like she's getting over it.
both my kids have had pale poops with a tummy bug and i also researched on the internet. I freaked, my kids are fine. A lot of times ive realized especially with my daughter if she is sick with a tummy bug she becomes lactose intolerant for at least a week. If she pukes she isnt allowed any milk for that week because it will make her puke. she will be running around so i think she is fine and she gets that milk in her and just hurls. I dont know what kind of formula she is on right now but maybe switch to a sensitive formula til she is better?
I have always been told that white poop bowel movements meant get to the ER immediately.
When you have a stomach bug, a lot of the food does not digest, and it travels quite quickly through you. This in turn changes the color of the poop. When my son had the stomach bug, his was a lot lighter. Once they can keep food down,fluids, etc their poop should return to the normal coloring. Do not be alarmed, as it is the natural process. It sometimes can take up to 10 days to recover from a stomach bug. Watch out more for dehydration, and make sure she keeps having wet diapers .
i worry when you say that her appetite is down and her diapers arent as wet as usual. and with the diahhrea you have to worry that she is getting dehydrated. I would take her back to the urgent care or if you have a good childrens hospital close to you take her there. all this to me seems to be more than just a bug, with all this plus with her sleeping so much. i am very much a better safe than sorry kind of parent when it comes to their health. one of my docs always says they would much rather me take them in 100 times with nothing wrong than to not take them in once and there be something wrong.
I agree completely with what Sarah & Lea said and would add that you might want to ask your ped if you should put her on a liquid probiotic to help restore the healthy bacteria to her GI system.
My 2 yr old son had that 2 weeks ago. I thought it was from drinking pool water. His poop stayed that color for at least 8 days and he also didn't want to drink his milk or have much of an appetite. He's over it now.
DD had the clay poop thing over the winter (when she was just shy of 2 yrs old). Was very weird and I remember internet search results freaking me out too. She got over it and back to normal in about a week.
