Which department should an 8-year-old child with painless rectal bleeding visit?
Disease description:
Recently, I’ve noticed a small amount of blood in my child’s stool, but there are no other discomfort symptoms around the anal area. A friend suggested visiting a proctology department. For an 8-year-old child with blood in the stool but no associated discomfort, which specialty should we consult?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Xie Zixing
An 8-year-old child presenting with rectal bleeding but no other symptoms (e.g., pain, fever, or abdominal discomfort) should be evaluated at a reputable local hospital—ideally in the Department of Pediatrics and/or the Department of Anorectal Surgery. Rectal bleeding in an otherwise asymptomatic 8-year-old may result from developmental abnormalities in the gastrointestinal tract during growth, or it may be caused by benign proliferative lesions—such as polyps—in the intestinal mucosa. Recommended diagnostic evaluations include colonoscopy, routine stool analysis, and complete blood count (CBC), which can help determine the underlying cause of the bleeding.
