strange poop smell and burping

[wendysculy]

My son has been burping a lot. I took him to his ped who said he was too young for allergy testing. I found out that this was not the case and I am taking him to an allergiest next week.  I am trying to find as much info out as I can so I can ask the doctor intelligent questions that would help my son.  He seems to be burping a lot and his poop seems very loose and smells like natural gas or gasoline.  I know natural gas doesn't really have a smell so it smells like the stuff they put into gas so that it would smell.  His weight is fine, so my ped said not to worry but I am worried that he is hurting.  He also poops a lot, about three times a day.  He is going to be 3 in jan 2014. I didn't think three times a day was normal for a 21/2 year old.  The smell has me concerned. SO I am trying to figure out what I should be asking the doctor and whether we should also be seeing as gasternol doc.

[wendysculy]

Thank you! I was thinking about going to a gestroenterolgist but wanted to check for allergies first. He was an appointment this week so I will bring it up to them.  I had thought about Celiac because my brother has it but we was serverly ill when he was diagnosed and my son is not.  thank you again

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi!

Yes, you are right. Rotten egg smell is added to natural gas to help us detect leaks. There are some bacteria in the gut that produce hydrogen sulfide gas. Sometimes this gas is produced in such huge quantities that the sulfide oxidase enzyme in the wall of the gut is not able to oxidize all of it and convert it to thiosulfate. This gas has a smell of rotten eggs. Burping could be a way of releasing the gas or could be due to diaphragmatic irritation due to gas.

You need to cut down food items for your son that contain sulfites. Most of this gas comes from sulfites a person consumes, which is a part of all preservatives. Sulfites are present in all juices, molasses, yellow dye in ready made food stuffs, and red wine (in cakes, meat preparations etc). Sulfites are present in lesser amounts in mashed potatoes made from dry powder, pickles, tinned shrimp, cookies, crackers, and readymade pie dough.

If your son eats any of the above in small amounts too, then cut down the intake and give him only meals prepared from fresh ingredients. Also give him a lactobacillus preparation and yoghurt with meals. In all probability the smell will go. Certain food items like cabbage, radish, turnip and certain meat products too cause a foul smell in stool and cutting down these food items also helps.  

If it persists, then talk to your doctor. Other causes will have to be looked into such as intestinal infection, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, short bowel syndrome, malabsorption syndromes, pancreatitis or hepatitis and cystic fibrosis. You will need to consult a gastroenterologist.

I sincerely hope you will find this information useful in your journey towards better health.

Hope your son gets well soon! Good Luck and take care!