Is it ok for a doctor to check a babys rectum with little finger to see if baby poop has blood in it
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Not only is it OK to examine the anus (place where the poop comes out) with a gloved, lubricated, 5th finger, at times it is required. While there may be other ways to obtain a stool specimen (cotton swab, rectal thermometer with a rotation or two before removing it), the pediatrician can gain valuable information with his/her "pinkie".
As an example, in a constipated baby, the finger can tell not only if stool is present in "the vault", but whether it is hard or soft. True constipation stools are hard. Babies which are constipated ever since birth actually REQUIRE a digital exam, by the pediatrician or gastroenterologist, to determine the "tone" of the musculature around the anus is appropriate. Failure to do this can miss a very important congenital diagnosis.
As an example, in a constipated baby, the finger can tell not only if stool is present in "the vault", but whether it is hard or soft. True constipation stools are hard. Babies which are constipated ever since birth actually REQUIRE a digital exam, by the pediatrician or gastroenterologist, to determine the "tone" of the musculature around the anus is appropriate. Failure to do this can miss a very important congenital diagnosis.
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Highly unlikely to find anything using a digit. Most bleeding in an infant comes from passin hard stool resulting in small anal tears. Or diarrhea usually from feeding intolerance. I have used my finger tip since o have small hands to feel for hard stool or to rectally stimulate if no BM but usually I use a qtip with lubricant which frequently does the trick
Yes. It is usual practice to insert the gloved little finger into the rectum to check the tone of the sphincter, the consistency of stool and whether there is impaction. Sometimes there is gross blood that could be seen. Other times, a test must be done on the stool to check for microscopic bleeding.
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