Please Help So Confused

[loomis]

hi,

i became concerned about my 13 month old son after both his weight and height started falling on the growth curves. The doctor said he needed to eat more and recommended that i feed him a high calorie foods every two hours. I noticed after i started solids that my son started pooping much more frequently (4+ times per day) and sometimes after he ate foods high in fat (such as avocado) his stools became very greasy.

Anyway although the high calorie diet did not improve my babies growth yet (we've been on it for three months), the doctor wants to wait and see if his growth still improves in response to increased caloric intake before ordering any tests. I decided to start a gluten free diet to see if that could be the cause of the greasy stools (we've been gluten free for about a month now). After doing so his stools seemed to be formed (as opposed to loose) more of the time. Also it seems like his stools were greasy less frequently. I was not totatally convinced gluten was the culprit because sometimes his stools seemed normal before i went gluten free too. This week i have been noticing what seems like it could be grease very frequently. In addition his stools have been loose more frequently. I cannot think of any source of gluten that could be affecting my son and am starting to wonder if this "greasyness" i notice could be normal or due to an increase in fiber in his diet as opposed to any sort of health problem.

Anyway the reason i am posting is because i really need some feedback from other parents who pay attention to their babies stools about whether or not my observations are actually a reason for concern.

Here is a description of the greasy stool: The stool itself is soft but not usually watery. There is a significant stain that soaks into the diaper lining (varies in color from orange, yellow, grey, to brown) and sometimes actually soaks through to the out side of the diaper (which looks kind of like a shadow.) the stool does not usually stick to babies bum. Instead it peels off baby and diaper leaving a greasy residue on babies bum that comes off on the wipe and it leaves a very large stain on the diaper.

So i am wondering if an increase in fiber could cause my baby to have stools like this... Do any of you parents whose babies eat lost of legumes, beans, brown rice, veggies, fruit, ever see these type of stools???? Could u please keep an eye out and let me know. I am really desperate for some advice.

thank you so much.

[betsy7]

I've had somewhat similar experiences...my son was not growing well and he always had mushy poops. After pos blood tests at about 16 or 17 months and an iffy biopsy, we started the gluten free diet. Despite him being the pickiest eater and not gaining a ton of weight (he's now 26 mos and about 24 pounds), his growth in height has been dramatic.

At first, his poop got better pretty quickly and then bad again -- I cannot remember if they were greasy or just plain mushy. Regardless, we started a food diary and tested eliminating foods he was eating one by one -- and finally figured out that soy was the culprit. I guess he just he couldn't tolerate soy (didn't test pos. for an allergy to it though). After taking out soy, his poops got better. Now, at 26 months, he's even pickier... so much so, that now we have constipation problems -- fruits and veggies are a real struggle. But, he does eat and have an appetite - say "cookie" and he'll come running with a big smile on his face.

So, in addition to making sure that everything he's eating is gluten-free, it could also be another food intolerance. Often, kids with Celiac have tolerance issues (especially when they are healing) -- milk is one big one. Also, if you happen to still be breastfeeding him, are you gluten free? This is a real gray area, but our son's gastro (who specializes in Celiac disease) believes that gluten can pass through breastmilk (I'm expecting #2 right now and needed to get a recommendation) and she recommends that the mom be gluten-free while breastfeeding if celiac is expected/in the family.

Maybe it's an allergy or intolerance (on top of possible celiac).

Hope this helps.

Betsy

[FeedIndy]

DD (15 months) had the same problem as the above poster. She got better and then she got worse. We started eliminating foods and discovered soy to be the culprit also. Now she's perfectly healthy and normal, though missing her favorite cookies. She's gluten free and soy free, but tested negative for food allergies. I'm hoping it's more an issue of her body healing than that she can never have soy because I'm actually finding that more difficult to eliminate than gluten.

[chrissy]

i've got 9 kids and i'm pretty sure i've seen diapers like that over the years, but i don't think i even thought much about them. there is an awful lot of variation in what is "normal" in bowel movements. i think that pooping more often after starting solids would be normal.

[Electra]

i've got 9 kids and i'm pretty sure i've seen diapers like that over the years, but i don't think i even thought much about them. there is an awful lot of variation in what is "normal" in bowel movements. i think that pooping more often after starting solids would be normal.

Actually the oposite is true. When kids go to solids they should be pooping less frequently. Sometimes kids can go up to 48 hours between each poop and never have any issues. I have been in child care for over 12 years and I have to keep my education up, so I have taken many college and non college coarses and in my experience children usually poop less frequently after being introduced to solids.

[AndreaB]

The following post is from Elvi. It was accidentally posted on the report button.

to loomis,

i read your concern, I have a 12 month old with similar problems.....weird bulky smelly, soft stools which are now very grainy.

i don't want to concern you but you should have him tested maybe for cystic fibrosis....my son was and he was negative, but it's only a test....doesn't harm them.

hope you get answers soon

my son doesn't have celiac disease, i just found out but the doctors are convinced that there is something wrong because he has failure to thrive..

hope i was helpful

elvi