What’s Your Toddler’s Poop Telling You?

Picture this scene: A mom walks into my office and pulls out her phone. She scrolls and turns the phone to face me. On the screen is a photo of a previously used diaper. She’s concerned because when she was changing her toddler’s diaper she realized there’d been a change in the contents. This scene is not at all unusual. Whether in person or via image I examine the remains of the day on a regular basis.

Deep down we all know, our poop tells a story. And so does our toddler’s poop. When the color, consistency or frequency of stool changes there is a reason. Does a red stool indicate internal bleeding? Or is it yesterday’s beet salad? What can I do to change a hard stool that my toddler is withholding? When should I call my doctor (or bring him a dirty diaper to “read”)? Those are all great questions.

When it comes to poop, a picture is worth a thousand words that’s why I’ve teamed up with the good folks at DiaResQ to create this visual poop guide. I hope you enjoy examining it as much as I do.

Note: Dr. Greene is a pediatric advisor for PanTheryx, the makers of DiaResQ.