Is Your Child’s Stool Colour Normal?

A child’s stool colour can change quite a lot. Most colour changes are harmless and may be related to food, drinks, supplements, medications, or how quickly food moves through the gut.

However, some colours—particularly red, black, white or very pale grey—may need medical assessment.

Which Stool Colours Can Be Normal?

Depending on age and diet, normal stool may be:

• Brown or light brown
• Yellow or mustard-coloured, especially in babies
• Green
• Tan

Green stool is common and may occur after eating green vegetables, foods with colouring, or when stool passes more quickly through the gut.

In newborns, dark green to black stool (meconium) is normal during the first few days of life.

What Can Change Stool Colour?

Common causes include:

• Food and artificial colouring
• Beetroot, dragon fruit, berries and tomatoes
• Green vegetables
• Iron supplements
• Certain medications
• Changes in milk or formula
• Diarrhoea or rapid bowel movement
• Constipation

Stool colour alone does not tell us the cause. Your child’s age, diet, medications and other symptoms are important.

Colours That Need Attention

🔴 Red Stool

May be caused by foods such as beetroot or red food colouring, but can also indicate blood in the stool.

Small streaks of bright red blood can occur with constipation and anal fissures, particularly when the stool is hard.

⚫ Black Stool

Iron supplements and certain foods can make stool black.

However, black, sticky or tar-like stool without an obvious explanation should be assessed by a doctor, as it may indicate bleeding higher up in the digestive tract.

⚪ White or Very Pale Grey Stool

White, chalky or very pale grey stool is not considered normal.

It may indicate that not enough bile is reaching the intestine and can sometimes be associated with liver or bile-duct problems.

This is particularly important in babies, especially when accompanied by:

• Yellow skin or eyes
• Dark urine
• Poor feeding
• Poor weight gain
• Unusual sleepiness

A baby with white or very pale stool should be assessed promptly.

What Should Parents Look For?

If you notice an unusual stool colour, think about:

• What did my child eat?
• Any new medication or supplements?
• Is the stool hard, loose or watery?
• Any tummy pain, vomiting or fever?
• Any yellowing of the eyes or skin?
• Is my child otherwise active and feeding normally?

Take a photo if possible. Stool colour can be difficult to describe accurately and a photograph may be helpful during consultation.

When Should Your Child See a Paediatrician?

What Happens During a Consultation?

The paediatrician will assess the stool colour, consistency and frequency, when the change started, your child’s diet and medications, and any associated symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, tummy pain, fever or poor feeding.

Most changes in stool colour can be assessed clinically. Stool tests, blood tests or other investigations are only needed when the history or examination suggests they may be helpful.