How Do I Know What “Normal” Poop Looks Like?

This feels like such a stupid question, but how do I know if my son has diarrhea? Since switching to solids, his poop has been every consistency, and I’ve just assumed they’re all “normal.”

—Spending too much time thinking about poop!

The professor in me has to start by saying, There are no stupid questions!

The first thing to say here is that we want to distinguish between diarrhea that is associated with an illness, and general diarrhea. If your child has the norovirus, they may have watery poop, along with vomiting, fever, malaise, and so on. In these cases, you want to think about treating (or at least supporting through) the illness, mostly by keeping your child hydrated.

Assuming your child is otherwise well-seeming, you can still ask the question of whether their poops are looking good. The easiest way to evaluate that is to use the Bristol Poop Scale, which I’ve included in an image below.

Healthy poop comes in various consistencies. Anything in the 3-4-5 on this scale is great. Types 2 and, especially, 1 are indications of constipation. Types 6 and 7 are considered diarrhea.

It is common for everyone to have the occasional looser or harder poops. If you’re seeing your child consistently have poops in the 6 and 7 range (or 1 to 2) on this scale and they are not sick, it may be worth considering their diet. For diarrhea in particular, more fiber and hydration is usually the answer. Whole fruit rather than juice, more vegetables if your child eats them (try adding dip…).

If you’re seeing consistent diarrhea, it’s worth discussing it with your doctor because something else could be going on. But the range of normal poop is wide, and I’m guessing you’re within it.