My 10 month old has been on antibiotics (augmentin) for a few days for ear infections/upper respiratory infections. Ever since he has had diarrhea (normal for antibiotics, I know) and he has had numerous black raisin-like bits in it! Also, it has black stringy looking things. Maybe the "raisin-like" bits are made up of the stringy bits kinda? Anyone else experhienced this? I'm freaking out, and want to call the Dr. , but they are out for the holidays. I don't think it's ER serious, he's acting ok...just a bit fussier, but he has ear infections, so duh, of course he's fussy. He hasn't eaten anything that could cause this. No bananas, although it does kinda look like banana strings. He has had issues w/ constipation before, could this be old poo? I have heard that black poop can mean blood! I'm so confused! Should I wait until monday and call the dr? HEELP!!
Well I took him to an after hours clinic....
They checked his poo for blood, negative. And then they said it was the weirdest thing they have ever seen in a baby's diaper. (20 years experience) That was about it. We still have no idea what it is, only that it is not blood. She thought maybe he could have gotten into something he wasn't supposed to, but I know he didn't. Even if he did, we could not think of anything he could have accidentally ingested that would cause BMs like that. If anyone else has any clue, pls let me know...b/c we still have yet to solve this poo mystery.
Call an after hours number for your doctor ANY time you are freaked out.....It's why they have the number and why you pay them.....If you have great doctors, they will reassure you and understand even when it is nothing. Just make the call so you can rest easier and get any needed attention. :) Happy New Year!
Call the doctor/urgent care/on call doctor at your office immediately to find out if this could be serious and if your child should be seen. It's always best to call the doctor's office FIRST to be safe. It could easily be a minor reaction to the antibiotics but it could also be something worth a trip to see a physician.
My first thought was that it is dried blood. Mucousy, stringy poop indicates an allergic reaction in the intestines. My daughter is allergic to cows milk and as an infant would have mucousy, stringy diapers... A food allergy can irritate the intestines to the point that they bleed as well as interfer with the absorption of all other nutrients.
My advice is not to wait 2 more days until the dr's office opens. I wouldn't want my baby to be having an allergic reaction to the antibiotics and not absorbing any food between now and then... Not to mention, 2 more days might make it worse and it could take even longer to heal--hence, perhaps even longer for him to be able to absorb nutrition.
If this poop was not seen before the medicine, then I suggest you stop giving it and ask for an alternative.
Call your dr's after-hours number... Call the pharmacy... Call the ER/hospital and ask to speak to a nurse (for advice).
we have a nurse's line you can call for random questions, do you have anything like that there?
If it happens again, I would have his stool re-checked for blood. Did you bring the diaper with you? I would do that too. Both of my children had blood in their stool and sometimes the test would say "negative" even when you could see the blood (and it was blood). Hope it's gone now!!
Give the doctor's office a call. Yes, they are out for the holidays, but they should have someone on call. Like you said this certainly isn't ER serious, but a doctor may want you to bring a stool sample to the lab.
