You’ll see all sorts of things in the Emergency Department – sometimes the concern is related to the appearance of bodily fluids. You will, at one point or another, undoubtedly encounter parental concerns about the potential presence of blood in the diaper of a newborn. As you could imagine this is potentially scary. In the included image you will note the presence of normal stool, as well as a pink/orange tint that was misidentified as bloody fine by the parents.
This common finding is rate crystals in the diaper. They are normal in the first few weeks of life, but may be more prominent if the baby is dehydrated. It is only necessary to provide reassurance and education.
