title: A "rare" case of melena in a 3-year-old.
abstract: Melena is a potential sign of life-threatening upper gastrointestinal bleeding; however, there are numerous substances ingested resulting in a stool appearance similar to melena. Examples of such substances include black licorice, bismuth subsalicylate, and iron supplements. We report a case of a well-appearing 3-year-old Vietnamese girl presenting to our emergency department after 2 episodes of "black, sticky" stool. The cause of her "melena" was determined after father revealed that she had ingested 2 bowls of pork blood soup during the preceding 12 hours. This case highlights the need for a careful dietary history and cultural considerations in children presenting with what may appear to be melena.
authors: Pediatric Residency Training Program, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
authors: Matthew N
authors: MN
authors: Alder
authors: Nathan L
authors: NL
authors: Timm
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D000818:Animals; D001769:Blood; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004063:Digestion; D004630:Emergencies; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008461:Meat Products; D008551:Melena / Q000209:etiology*; D013552:Swine