Question
A five-and-a-half-month-old infant developed colitis for unknown reasons twenty days ago, and the administration of Simeticon and Mamila has not shown any effect. Stool tests show leukocytes ranging from 5 to 10, with the stool appearing black-green. How should it be handled?
Answer
Colitis can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or allergies. Many parents mistakenly attribute their baby’s fever, diarrhea, and runny nose to bacterial infections, but most common infections are actually viral in nature, and antibiotics are ineffective against them. Symptoms of colitis include increased frequency of stools, blood, and pus cells (to be tested in the hospital), with the stool possibly turning dark green. Parents are reminded that some hospital test reports show leukocytes instead of pus cells; a large concentration of leukocytes forms pus cells. If the leukocyte count is low, such as 3 to 5, it should not be considered as colitis.