# 18 month with vaginal bleeding



## LisaG

SIL noticed some blood this morning on the wipe, when changing her 18 month dd's diaper. Her urine is clear, no blood on the diaper, but when she wipes the vaginal area there's a small amount of bright red blood on the wipe. She looked and could see a small amount of blood in the vaginal canal. To her knowledge, dd hasn't had her hands or any foreign objects there - she's in a dipe.

SIL has had her period return 7 months ago (dd still BF and BF frequently at night), but has been really delayed with her ovulation this cycle (is not pregnant).

Is this bleeding "normal"?

Do you think it's related to SILs hormones?


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## mysticmomma

I don't think this is related to SIL's hormones. I'd be in the doctors/urgent care/er right away.


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## slgt

I've never heard of this type of bleeding except in brand-new baby girls, and even that not bright red. Like PP - I suggest an immediate call to the dr.


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## Juvysen

Yeah, I would go with not normal. I hope everything's ok! Definitely take her to a doctor!


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## zipworth

Please take her to the doctor. Hopefully it's nothing.


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## Marsupialmom

The toddler needs a doctor. Vaginal bleeding can be caused by self exploration, abuse, and very rare a vaginal müllerian duct papilloma. There is another "odd" reason but I don't remember what it is - sorry.

Unfortantly mom and esspecially dad will be "suspect"









Good luck


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## beachcitymama

I know someone whose daughter experienced this and then soon after had other symptoms of "precocious puberty" (as doctors call it). It could be a hormone issue).

Definitely deserves a visit to the doctor as soon as possible.

Good luck!


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## LisaG

Just to add other information - dd has been with her mom all day yesterday and today (my brother is up to his eyeballs writing a massive law school paper), today is the first time this has occurred and dd has been in a dipe the entire time other than for diaper changes.

The amount of blood is SMALL, as in, only noticeable when she is wiped (small amount) or when looking in the vaginal canal.

Given that my niece is her normal, high energetic, happy self, I'm having a hard time understanding why this would constitute a visit to the ER or urgent care?


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## mysticmomma

Because she's a baby that is bleeding in her vagina.


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## Wild Lupine

Here's what Dr. Spock says. In a nutshell, he says it warrants a Dr's visit. While it might not be serious, it is a symptom of more serious things like genital cancer.


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## Wild Lupine

One other thing to take into consideration as to why call right away is how the Dr will see this. Drs do need to take the possibility of abuse into account. The suspicion of abuse might be heightened if a call to the Dr is delayed. This isn't something your SIL wants a baby sitter reporting.


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## Marsupialmom

Also does she have or recently have a diaper rash? Could it have gone vaginal and unseen?


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## katiesk

i would call the dr right away if it were my dd


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## calpurnia

i agree, she needs to go to the doctor. please update us.


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## shantimama

I do not think this is something you could expect to be the result in the mother's hormonal changes, not at 18 months old. I have heard that occasionally newborn girls might have a very slight amount of vaginal spotting due to the influence of the mother's hormones - but this is pretty rare and only happens in the first _days_ after birth - not a year and a half later.

I would be phoning my doctor and have it checked immediately. S/he can let the mother know whether an trip to the ER is required or if a regular office visit will suffice, but I would expect that to happen within the next day or two.


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## noobmom

I wouldn't say this necessarily warrants an ER visit, but I would definitely take her to the regular ped ASAP.


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## eclipse

I agree that the girl needs to be seen soon by a doctor. Even if she doesn't go to the ER/Urgent care today, I think SIL needs to be on the phone with her ped when the office opens, even if her daughter is no longer bleeding. It could be something simple like scratching herself, but it could be something that needs treatment (like an infection - I spot when I get yeast infections, and little girls can definitely get them too) or, as unlikely as it may seem to everyone involved, abuse. In any case, it's defintely something outside the range of normal for an 18 month old, so it needs to be checked out.


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## LisaG

With the next diaper change, there was no blood, with the one after that a very slight brownish tinge. We are wondering if she might have some vaginal irritation as a result of being on antibiotics for a recent ear infection.

There will be no trip to the ER/urgent care today. SIL is keeping an eye on things and will contact the doc if anything continues.

Thanks for your input. I realize this raises huge red flags for abuse and I realize that anything is possible and I know I wouldn't be the first person to be completely shocked, but all the same, I'd be completely shocked. I've worked with a handful of abuse situations and I like to think I have pretty sharp radar for that sort of thing and there's absolutely no blip on my radar, even intuitively, for that. For what that's worth.


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## tinyblackdot

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LisaG* 
With the next diaper change, there was no blood, with the one after that a very slight brownish tinge. We are wondering if she might have some vaginal irritation as a result of being on antibiotics for a recent ear infection.

There will be no trip to the ER/urgent care today. SIL is keeping an eye on things and will contact the doc if anything continues.

Thanks for your input. I realize this raises huge red flags for abuse and I realize that anything is possible and I know I wouldn't be the first person to be completely shocked, but all the same, I'd be completely shocked. I've worked with a handful of abuse situations and I like to think I have pretty sharp radar for that sort of thing and there's absolutely no blip on my radar, even intuitively, for that. For what that's worth.

Well a huge flag to me would be a mother not taking her child to the Dr or seeming very concerned about her dd bleeding from her vagina. Why wouldn't she call the Dr? If she is concerned enough to ask about it, and show fear about it, why is she so scared to talk to the Dr about it?


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## Juvysen

Meh, I dunno... lots of people don't run to the doctor for every little thing. I'd be more likely to run to the doctor if I suspected abuse than not.







:


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## elmh23

If she was just on antibiotics, this could be a yeast infection (I also spot when I have a yi.) She needs to see the doctor asap! I would call today and see what he or she says.


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## tinyblackdot

I just read the part about the antibiotics, could she have a yeast infection and be itching? Or fallen down on something?

THe first thing that come to my mind is NOT sexual abuse, there is no need to go on a witch hunt before anyone even knows if there is a witch to be found. I would absolutely call the Dr and tell him that she is having some vaginal irritation, see what he says about the slight bleeding and then keep an extra watchful eye out. But it does raise a flag to me, like i said in my pp, that the mother is freaked out enough ot call you about it, but is scared to take her dd to a Dr, or at least call. Bleeding means something, and it cant be very comfortable, That might be an issue with me.


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## Tizzy

I'm not one to run to the Dr. for every little thing, but I would definitely take this child in.


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## LisaG

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tinyblackdot* 
But it does raise a flag to me, like i said in my pp, that the mother is freaked out enough ot call you about it, but is scared to take her dd to a Dr, or at least call. Bleeding means something, and it cant be very comfortable, That might be an issue with me.

I think there's been a huge misunderstanding here. Apparently I haven't done a very good job of conveying the situation.

The mother is *not* freaked out (although a large number of people here seem to be), she and her dd were visiting us for the weekend, she was changing her dd diaper and said to me "hey Lisa, does this look like blood to you? what do you make of this?".

She also is not scared to call her Dr. but she's not one to call her doc unless she thinks there's a real reason to. And while I understand that for many of you, you think this is a very real reason, I have to say that being here, with her, if I were in her same shoes, I wouldn't be picking up the phone to call my doc either over a couple of very small smears of blood on a wipe *that are no longer there.* If it were to continue and/or progress, hell yes, I'd call the doc. But I don't think a situation as minor as this appears to be right now, warrants the potential red flags that a call to the doc re: vaginal bleeding would inevitably raise and the trauma of a trip to the ER.

Perhaps it might be helpful to know that when they called their doc to several months ago to express some concern regarding her poop being foamy (as an infant), their (former) ped told them to go straight to the ER because she was worried she had a bowel abscess for some reason. My niece then had to endure the trauma of a urinary catheter (after they ruled out the bowel abscess) while screaming bloody murder, "just in case" she had a urinary tract infection









And again, her dd is showing absolutely NO signs of discomfort. She's bouncing around, smiling, laughing, being her normal, lovable, high energy, goofy self.


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## tinyblackdot

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LisaG* 
I think there's been a huge misunderstanding here. Apparently I haven't done a very good job of conveying the situation.

The mother is *not* freaked out (although a large number of people here seem to be), she and her dd were visiting us for the weekend, she was changing her dd diaper and said to me "hey Lisa, does this look like blood to you? what do you make of this?".

She also is not scared to call her Dr. but she's not one to call her doc unless she thinks there's a real reason to. And while I understand that for many of you, you think this is a very real reason, I have to say that being here, with her, if I were in her same shoes, I wouldn't be picking up the phone to call my doc either over a couple of very small smears of blood on a wipe *that are no longer there.* If it were to continue and/or progress, hell yes, I'd call the doc. But I don't think a situation as minor as this appears to be right now, warrants the potential red flags that a call to the doc re: vaginal bleeding would inevitably raise and the trauma of a trip to the ER.

Perhaps it might be helpful to know that when they called their doc to several months ago to express some concern regarding her poop being foamy (as an infant), their (former) ped told them to go straight to the ER because she was worried she had a bowel abscess for some reason. My niece then had to endure the trauma of a urinary catheter (after they ruled out the bowel abscess) while screaming bloody murder, "just in case" she had a urinary tract infection









And again, her dd is showing absolutely NO signs of discomfort. She's bouncing around, smiling, laughing, being her normal, lovable, high energy, goofy self.

Im sorry, im really not attacking. I know that some people get very over concerned. But i also know that i have never heard of vaginal bleeding in a toddler, and its something that i would be very concerned about. I know that we are all coming accross harsh, but i guess to us it seems a much bigger situation than it does to you. So maybe we are all getting the wrong picture.

Also is this the same lo with the foamy poops?

If it is i would really stress that a call to the DR might actually be warranted. There could be a fusion somewhere, that could be causing bleeding. Could it have been GI blood that just got into her vagina? Or there could be an issue with her intestines and her reproductive system.

Did they do a sono the time they took her to the ER?


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## mamadelbosque

I don't have a DD (two DS), but if I did, any amount of vaginal bleeding would definetly warrant a call to the doc. This coming from someone who's DS1 hasn't had a 'well check' in nearly 2 years. But whose DS2 *DID* end up in the hospital for four days for a urinary tract infection at ~3wks old (and who had the whole IV/spinal tap/blood drawn workup), and then endured a cath for a VCUG ~2 wks later. I know how scary/awful that is, and totally understand the avoidance of the ER. But a call/visit to the doc DEFINETLY sounds warranted.







s


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## 3*is*magic

The ER is for emergency situations, and I don't think this sounds like one. The baby is happy and comfortable, and the the (very minor) bleeding seems to have subsided. I, for one, would be comfortable calling the doctor on Monday morning and taking her in if the doc felt it was necessary. As a mom to two girls (and a girl myself!) I think that both the original poster and the babe's mama are handling this entirely appropriately.

Leeann


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## 98741

I second the thought that it's most likely a yeast infection after the antibiotics. For that reason, I'd have it checked, even if it doesn't come back, because cronic yeast infections can cause other problems. I'd just get an appt, say there was a small amt of blood, I suspect yeast, and can we please do a swab and culture.


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## XanaduMama

I wouldn't be going to the ER for this either or, most likely, calling the doctor on a Sunday. I probably would take her in during regular office hours, hopefully to a different ped!!! (Foamy poop is usually a sign of food intolerance or another digestive issue...that sounds like a complete overreaction, as PP is clearly aware).

If she's on abx, the YI possibility seems likely. I'd be loading her with probiotics and vit C.


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## LisaG

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tinyblackdot* 
Also is this the same lo with the foamy poops?

If it is i would really stress that a call to the DR might actually be warranted. There could be a fusion somewhere, that could be causing bleeding. Could it have been GI blood that just got into her vagina? Or there could be an issue with her intestines and her reproductive system.

Did they do a sono the time they took her to the ER?

Oh dear, this is starting to feel like a game of telephone gone horribly bad









Yes it is the same LO that had some foamy poop, months ago, as an infant (see my previous post). If I recall correctly she had a cold at the time and my SIL was in the process of honing in on food sensitivities which, as someone else mentioned, is most commonly the cause of foamy poop (think it can also be a hind milk/fore milk situation too). Her poop is completely normal now, has been for a long time. There are no poop issues. SIL cut out wheat, soy and dairy.


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## LisaG

Quote:


Originally Posted by *XanaduMama* 
If she's on abx, the YI possibility seems likely. I'd be loading her with probiotics and vit C.

That's exactly what my SIL started to do as soon as they got home last night.


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## spmamma

Another possibility to consider is vaginal adhesions. DD had these and they're very easily treated - perhaps they were inadvertently torn apart, causing a slight amount of bleeding?


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## tinyblackdot

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LisaG* 
Oh dear, this is starting to feel like a game of telephone gone horribly bad









Yes it is the same LO that had some foamy poop, months ago, as an infant (see my previous post). If I recall correctly she had a cold at the time and my SIL was in the process of honing in on food sensitivities which, as someone else mentioned, is most commonly the cause of foamy poop (think it can also be a hind milk/fore milk situation too). Her poop is completely normal now, has been for a long time. There are no poop issues. SIL cut out wheat, soy and dairy.

Foamy poop absolutly can be a result of both food issues and overletdown or hindmilk issues, but some times (obviously not offten) there can be a fussion of the GI track to other parts of the body.....say the reproductive system, that could cause GI discomfort and foamy poop and/or vaginal bleeding. And if that was already a concern of the Dr before, i would just really make sure that a sono was done somewhere in the near future. I have dealt with every GI issue under the sun for my dd, and doe a billion invasive tests that showed absolutly nothing (which is good) and i know what its like to have to trust a trigger happy Dr, but really a sono should not be a big deal at all, esspecially if its scheduled around nap time and they do it at a childrens hospital where she can breastfeed, and then they will know if its something to be concerned about. But i would have to assume that the Dr that was originally concerned would have done some sort of CT scan or Sono the last time.

I hope that its just some crazy weird thing!

(btw sorry about the spelling LOL!)


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## 98741

Quote:


Originally Posted by *spmamma* 
Another possibility to consider is vaginal adhesions. DD had these and they're very easily treated - perhaps they were inadvertently torn apart, causing a slight amount of bleeding?

Another great point. Adhesions should be pretty obvious though. If her vulva looks open and normal (like it's always looked, no recent changes) this is unlikely. If her labia had adhered to each other or her vaginal opening has adhered, and is therefore looking like a smaller opening that it used to, this is a very realistic option.

My DD had aggressive adhesions and there was one time that one was releasing that there was a small amount of blood as it separated.

I also agree that the poop and this seem completely unrelated. Perhaps if they were closer together in occurrence, but close to a year apart, I wouldn't connect them.


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## MRJmama

I'd be thinking along the lines of an infection of some sort. I myself would probably just keep and eye on it and if it continues or baby shows signs of a fever I would take her in.

I tend to go with my mama gut on most things and if mama is questioning but not does not have panic bells ringing in her head odds are it is something minor.

If it were me I would just be keeping an eye on it.


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## tutucrazy

Quote:


Originally Posted by *elmh23* 
If she was just on antibiotics, this could be a yeast infection (I also spot when I have a yi.) She needs to see the doctor asap! I would call today and see what he or she says.









I bet this has to do with yeast. Antibiotics cause yeast in both boys and girls. She should be checked for yeast infection even if the bleeding has stopped.


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## dollyanna

I have heard of girls tearing their hymens NOT from penetration or abuse. Any vigorous activity, doing the splits, seesawing, or falls or anything that day?

My DD had a "period" when she was born, and it was more than just a little spot of blood for a couple of days. It was noticeable, and it lasted about 2 weeks. What you're describing does not sound hormonal to me.

Sounds like it could be yeast, though.


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## Wild Lupine

Just wondering, how comfortable is your SIL with her pediatrician. If she's reluctant to call because of something that happened in the past, and she's afraid DD might not get appropriate treatment, maybe it's time to look for a new ped.

I know this can be ideal world, and that we don't all have choice over who our doctors are, but parents should feel completely comfortable with their child's ped, comfortable enough to pick up the phone, at any hour, and say 'I'm not sure if this is an issue, but here's what's going on. What do you think?'

I agree the ER/urgent care probably isn't warranted in the absence of discomfort, but if she's not wanting to call for advice for something like this, well, maybe it's time to get a new ped. A yeast infection will get uncomfortable (trust me, I know!) and if that's what it is, the sooner seen and treated the better.


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## MeAndVee

Lina Medina started her period at 8 months and had a baby boy in 1939 at the age of 5. Its rare granted but yeah I would personally want to know if my daughter was matureing too quickly.


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## MaterPrimaePuellae

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sarahn4639* 
Another great point. Adhesions should be pretty obvious though. If her vulva looks open and normal (like it's always looked, no recent changes) this is unlikely. If her labia had adhered to each other or her vaginal opening has adhered, and is therefore looking like a smaller opening that it used to, this is a very realistic option.

I thought about labial adhesions, too. DD had them (I believe they resulted from the chronic diaper rash she had as a baby. I have to say, I didn't really notice them. They came on very gradually, I guess, and the ped. pointed them out to me. And, iirc, there was a bit of bleeding as they separated (I just used a good diaper cream and gently pressed on the adhered area while I applied the cream. I was shocked by how quickly they resolved)
Anyway, I can understand your SIL's reluctance. It sounds like she's already been down the medical-overreation road and wants to avoid that situation again. I agree that if she does not feel trust in her pediatrician she should be seeking a new one ASAP.

What I would want to rule out is the possibility of exposure to any sort of hormone-altering substance. I remember hearing a few years about about _young_ African-American toddlers developing breasts because the hair creme their mothers put in their hair had placenta in it as an active ingredient. Even lavender, I think, can have estrogenic effects.


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## twinergy

I changed pediatricians when my kids were 1 year old, and I’m really glad I did, I am so much more comfortable with her. If your SIL decides to look for a new pediatrician, maybe the MDC Ohio forum would be a good place to ask for recommendations. (I’m assuming your SIL is from Ohio since that is on your member profile)


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## maritimemum

I would definitely talk to her dr about it, not an ER visit but a appointment scheduled in the pretty near future. Precocious puberty could be a small possibility and she should be checked for that.. our dd had developing breast tissue that we ended up seeing a ped endocrinologist for and we were concerned she would start infant menstruation but luckily hers didnt progress farther and the breast tissue development stopped.. precocious puberty is important to catch and it would be good to just be careful! I am not a run to the dr for everything mom either







Hopefully it was just the ABX!


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