Patient's question:
My daughter is 4 years old. Recently, for the past three days, she has been having white bowel movements without any other symptoms. Yesterday morning, I had her stool tested, and it was said to be due to indigestion, but her bowel movements have not changed. Could it be that a 4-year-old baby has biliary atresia symptoms?Doctor's answer:
The typical case of biliary atresia in infants is a full-term birth, most of whom show no abnormalities, with normal stool color. Jaundice usually gradually appears 2-3 weeks after birth, and in some cases, jaundice occurs in the first few days of life and is initially misdiagnosed as physiological jaundice. The stool changes from brownish-yellow to pale yellow rice color, and then becomes bile-free, clay-like, grayish-white. However, in the later stages of the disease, it may occasionally show a slight yellowish hue. The urine is darker, dyeing the diaper yellow.