Digestive Problems

It's called toddler diarrhea. My son can't eat any sugar, sorbitol, high fructose corn syrup or drink any juice. Milk and water only. We limit pancakes, fruit and anything else with sugar.

have you thought about allergies.that very likely could be.good luck C..lots of people are allergic to wheat.good luck C. s

It sounds like you know the cause. Syrup fruit that's been cooked and Captain Crunch have no nutritional value at all, so you've eliminated an unhealthy cause, not food. Keep monitoring if the loose stools come back and any other culprits, but don't connect eating junk food with a digestive problem. Feed him raw, fresh fruit only and see how healthy he gets. Offer him whole grain, non-sugared cereal and observe healthy bowel movements. And most importanly be thankful you discovered the effects of junk food now when he's only 2 and you can control his food choices more easily. It's much harder when they are older. And congratulations on being smart enough to connect the 'junk food' with his elimination system and not giving him a drug to mask the symptom?

HI-

My daughter cannot process sugar well. She has chronic diarrhea even from eating too much fresh fruit! I would say look at your son's diet and eliminate as much of the processed sugar as you can, including any and all non-fresh fruits, juice (even the 100% kind) and sugared cereals. Even applesauce can cause problems!

See if your son will eat things like peas and green beans for snack instead of fruit so you can alternate veggies and fresh fruit to keep the amount of sugar he takes in down. I actually give my daughter them right out of the bag from the feezer...BTW: as long as nothing is added, frozen veggies are as nutritious if not more nutritious than fresh--if the fresh veggies have been hanging around for a while.

It has taken us a while to get things under control for my daughter, but her rashes have finally gone away and her bowel movements are slowly getting more firm. Her digestive system was so out of wack it has taken months to get things under control...and the most sugary thing she was eating was NO SUGAR ADDED applesauce! She wasn't even drinking juice!

My kids have had green stool before. It's something they ate. It should only last a day.
I try to keep it mostly fruits and veggies...
Of course, certain foods irritate the digestive system; and at the age of 2.5, these foods should be soft, cooked, not raw.
A little olive oil in a smoothie or poured over his veggies - just a tablespoon)is healthy, very soothing for the digestive trac (do it yourself, momma) Olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper is the most delicious dressibng for a salad.

A chamomile tea is tasty and soothing as well.
I liked Cap Crunch as a kid; but any pasteurized item (milk, oj) always bothered my stomach. And the sugar-bomb cereals make a person hyper then crash.
Good old scrambled eggs and toast, peanut butter on toast, or a turkey sandwich (any protein) is best for breakfast to keep up your energy level. Plain yogurt with fresh cut up fruit is a great snack. And kids get used to healthy foods.
Don't hesitate to call your ped for advice.

Also, zinc on the bottom is going to soothe and heal quickest.

I'm a little confused on your post. How do you know for sure those two items are the cause? Did you take them out of his diet and that is when he has normal BMs? Also, most fruit cups do not contain HFCS or dyes... so I don't see the fruit cups being an issue. A small possibility is the Captain Crunch, but like others said, you would have had to buy the berry kind. Kashi makes a similar cereal to CC - called Sunshine. It has tons of fiber in it and no HFCS or dyes. Switch it out and see if that helps with the BMs.

Also, my kids will eat sno-balls (shaved ice w/ flavored syrup) every big once-in-a-while (as a treat) and that dye really does cause their BMs to be discolored (like you described) and cause their behavior to change. I'm a firm believer in dyes changing behaviors like "sugar crashes".

Good luck!

Hi J.,

Very simply, all of our bodies are different. Some people have problems with different foods, nothing to worry about if it's just a few foods. If he gets this alot from a variety of things, then I would bring it up to the doctor. As long as your son is healthy and a good weight, don't worry. Another cause could be teething if he is going through that right now. My daughter calls it "teething pooh" with my grandsons, she always knows when a new tooth is coming because they get the kind of diapers that burn their bottom as soon as they go.

I'm not going to judge you--all five of my kids love Captain Crunch! (and even hubby and I sneak a bowl now and then) But that's definitely the source of the neon color. All of my little boys poop the green poop after a bowl of Crunch Berries. Kinda gross, but hasn't killed anyone yet! :)

www.thosecrazybeans.blogspot.com

Hi!
If it is Cap'n Crunch w/Crunchberries - it is the dye in the blue and green. In this case - it is just an intolerance. hth

ps - When my kids were little I used to eat all the crunchberries out of the cereal box. Now that the dyes are neon, I have a bad reaction, too - a lot like your son- sans the diaper rash!

My girls get that from blueberries.

you already found the cure................it is food he is eating!
start feeding him fresh vegetables and fruits... processed foods'
are full of chemicals and no food value to boot. his toxic food is not digesting and is purifying in his colon.
his body is rejecting these toxins through his elimination system. also eliminating dairy from his diet will help also.
good luck

If you look around, you will find some fruit cups that are packed in juice (not syrup)-I even still buy the little glass gerber jars for my son because it was the only brand I could find for peaches NOT packed in syrup.

Sorry I don't have anything to offer about food allergies/digestive trouble. Just wanted to put my 2 cents in about keeping your child away form un-natural and un-healthy foods. Kashi makes a cereal called Honey Sunshine that is like a healthy version of Captain Crunch.

When my daughter was a baby we had to avoid anything with #10 dye in it as it would because the symtoms you are describing. Also no carrots, sweet potatoes, oranges. Basically anything yellow or orange. You will be surprised at how many foods have this dye in them. I would start reading all labels and cut out anything that has this dye in it and anything yellow or orange. Give it a week or two. It it doesn't help then cut out another dye. The doctor told me it's very common for a baby to be allergic to the #10 dye and oranges, etc.....

It sounds like he has a food allergy. Maybe corn. I would restrict his foods and then slowly add back what may be causing the issue and see if there is a reaction. Lime Green is mucus and that is a protective layer of fluid the body creates to block the bodies surface from absorbing something. Mucus is also used for digestion.

The two other things I would do is get your son on probiotics to add "Good Enzymes" back into his body and get him on a good multivitamin. I like USANimals. http://tinyurl.com/nx7py3

Long term if you don't find out what is bothering him he can have permanent damage to his system. Try adding fresh fruits and vegetables and less processed foods.

Try feeding him real fruit, not fruit cup fruit. It will be less acidic. My daughter never had the green stools you describe, but she always got a rash from grapes and/or too much acidic fruit. Something bland like banana should be okay.
The lady who said to avoid carrots, etc below must have meant processed stuff. Real, natural veggies and fruits should not be a problem, and they do not contain dye.
Also, food dyes are often responsible for kids acting aggressive and/or hyper. Now might be a good time to start removing those from your family's diet. It is sad that our government lets the big corporations put this kind of stuff in food and pass it off as healthy. Your son's digestive issue is a great opportunity to learn more about food. Good luck.

It could be the excessive sugar or the food coloring used.

Maybe your son is sensitive to all the artificial ingredients; artificial coloring, high fructose corn syrup, processed sugar, enriched & bleached wheat, corn solids, artificial flavoring & preservatives, etc.. If you really read and understand the ingredients you will wonder why such food is even made. If you don't know what your reading in the ingredients, look it up. It is worth the time, especially for your son. Knowledge is power!

Hi, J.. He could have some kind of intestinal infection, but it's also likely to be a bad reaction to food. Being overheated and dehydrated will also cause that kind of reaction. Try giving him some yogurt, not the fruity kind, but plain or vanilla. If he doesn't like the plain yogurt, you can mash up a banana and mix it well before giving it to him. Bananas are good for bowel problems. Also, apples and applesauce are very good -- make sure you give him only the unsweetened, because too much sugar can make loose bowels worse.

Make sure he has enough pure water to drink during the day. You can also give him unsweetened apple juice, but make sure it's pasteurized. Avoid any citrus fruits or juices until this problem clears up. Cranberry juice should be ok, but thin it out a bit with some cold water because it can be harsh on the stomach. It will also make him pee a bit more.

If it doesn't clear up very soon, take him to a doctor.

I hope his poor little tummy clears up, and he's right as rain very soon.

Peace,
Syl

It sounds like a yeast problem. Google Candida/yeast infections. You really want to eliminate all sugars... processed foods... white food, etc. Most canned food will have corn syrup so even eliminate that. Give him plain yogurt for good bacteria.

Good lord, what are you feeding him?
The green is you have really upset his gall bladder- and if you see the reaction why keep feeding him that?
Captain crunch does not have anything with which to build a body.
Please check out WestonPrice Foundation- you have been given very wrong data on nutrition.
So the bright point is that this terrible situation is callinf your attention to something you can handle- and he will be healthy the rest of his life from what you are going to learn now!
Go for it!
doc

I'm wondering if it's actually a problem with lactose..... My youngest daughter (now 15) has been lactose intolerant since she was an infant. When she was younger her stools would turn that lime green color whenever she'd eaten too many dairy products...

found this on google:
What is the cause of green poop?
(Question submitted by ap, CrAzYMiC98 and several others)
I have consulted with a doctor, a physiologist and a microbiologist on this question, and the following summarizes their answers:
Healthy people can have green poop if they eat a diet rich in leafy green vegetables, or if they consume large quantities of food coloring (in ice cream, cake frosting etc.).
Green poop can also be caused by excess iron in the diet, from dietary supplements, for example. If the body does not absorb all the iron consumed, the iron may stain the poop green, the color of iron (II) salts. Ordinarily, the green color may be masked by the normal brown poop color, but if digestion is thrown off by illness so that bilirubin is less concentrated in the intestine, the green color may become apparent. This can happen when a person is afflicted with diarrhea.
Green poop in sick babies may come from iron in baby formula not being properly absorbed, or by green pigments in bile salts (again, green from iron).

not sure if it helps.

I bet you it's corn? as in corn syrup in the fruit cup and corn syrup and other corn products in the captain crunch...

mama: your little one needs to eat HEALTHY foods.
there is no nutritional value in fruit cups (heavy on corn syrup which is SUGAR) and captain crunch.
try REAL fruit or, if you must, give UNSWEETENED applesauce and dried, UNSULPHURED fruits. but really, fresh is best.
and cereal: cheerios or rice crispies or shredded wheat (the little ones with NO FROSTING)...

I see you seemed to have fixed the problem. YEAH! Here are some thoughts for you in the future....

After my daughter got a RWI (Recreational Water Illnes) in Feb, drs had no idea how to treat, CDC had no recommendations (yes! I spoke w/ the CDC!!) I found myself at our local Herb Shoppe. I have since treated everything my family gets w/ natural remedies. Hear my heart, I am 100% for modern meds when required. After reading your post, here are my STRONG recommendations....all can be purchased at a local health/herb shoppe.

Please know that i am NOT in the health biz, herb biz. I AM a mom and wife and women that choose to get educated more and take control over my family's health to the best of my ability. I pray that these suggestions help. PLS contact me if you have questions. :-)

You can get ALL of this for around $50+/- and TRUST ME it is worth every penny!! We have not been to a doctor (other than that lake parasite) for an illness in 2 yrs - me, my hubby, nor our 2yo!

Silver Shield Liquid - Get rememdy sheet showing how that one product can be used for at least 30 different medical challenges (from fungus on feet to belly ache to ears and more!) Take as sheet will direct.

Nasal/Sinus Issues (from allergies, virus, cold, etc) - Get Xylitol Nasal Spray. A natural sugar that "attracts the sinus bugs" and when you blow after spray the bugs go to - NOT just the wet gunk. Follow up w/ a 1/2 spray of Silver Shield (put in spray bottle and keep handy for future)

Stomach Issues - Get (specific line for kids) Digestive Enzyme Powder. Give as directed per wt of kid/adult. Rebuilds the lost enzymes from vomiting, etc. Most kids lose 25% during an illness; my daughter had lost nearly 90% (shown in blood work). Literally takes a sprinkle a day for X days. The difference is amazing!!! (She had lost 2 lbs in a few days until we started this product!!)

Sick at all (kids/adults) - Bifadolphis probiotic (aka BIF). Take 1 cap 2X/day while symptomatic. It replaces and/or replinishes what good bacteria was stripped away during illness. THIS is the only one that DOES not counteract w/ antibiotics. The one most ppl take and talk about is Acidolphis - which is in yogurt, etc THAT counteracts antibiotics; and yogurt hurts a belly ache (i.e. dairy product)

ADULTS: Feeling yuck, kids have yuck, been exposed to yuck - Olive Leaf Extract (nature's antibiotic that gets to the source, not stripping u of good bacteria) Take 1 3X/day for 7-10 days.

EARS: Every time our 2yo gets out of a water source (tub, shower, pool, etc)we put one drop of TOPICAL EAR AID in each year. A garlic based herb product. She had 2 ear infections in a month.... none since we used this!

I was told by my pediatrician it is sugar. TOO MUCH of it.
Cut juice w/ water, try rinsing the fruit... cut out frozen juice pops, cut out the high fructose corn syrup and artificle sugars and you should notice a difference. Lots
of water helps as well because it helps cleanse the system.
If you try these things and it continues try your pediatrician.

Are you sure that you need medicine? First of all, change your water.
You and your family need ionized, alkaline, micro-clustering Kangen water. Check www.kangen4everyone.com. It brings back health, energy, young look. It's amazing!

I would Stop giving him any more junk food for a while. Eliminate any fruit juices as well, even 100% jiuce is often too acidic. The coloring of his stool tends to make me think a virus. You can cleanse his system by offering only veggies and protein sources for a few days. Avoid milk and cheese, just for a few days, but do give him yogurt twice a day with live probiotics. Dont get the kid types, they are so full of chemicals, dyes and sugars. Just get the basic natural yogurt, add a frozen banana and even some frozen carrots, spinach and corn and strawberries. I know it sounds gross, but he will love it, give him a silly straw and he'll have a blast with his new green smoothies. The yogurt will help restore his normal digestive bacteria's, his body's number one immune and defense system. Get the organic cherrios from publix or walmart to start him on a healthier cereal or some simple harvest oatmeal. I add forzen blueberries as the "ice" to cool it down before serving. Your child's eating habits formed now will help him ward off cancer and other diseases and ailments when he is older. He isn't designed to run off sugar and artificial chemicals. 50 different chemicals go into strawberry "flavoring" for kids foods, why not just use strawberries? Best of luck, research healthy eating for children, you will find awesome articles.