fat globules floating in toilet?

[snoopy5386]

DD age 3 just pooped and there were these orange fat/oil globules floating in the toilet and an oily discharge on her bum as well as in her panties (similar to anal leakage side effects from xenical). I just talked to DH and he said the same thing was in the toilet when she peed this morning. What the heck could this be? She has no allergies and has been perfectly healthy up to this point. I will be calling the doctor in the morning, but they are closed now. She is acting totally fine...

[luv-my-boys]

Has she eaten something high in fat/oil lately? Even a few days ago? I had a similar issue and it was a problem due to my gallbladder.

[sbgrace]

I don't know! My son had that when he wasn't absorbing fat (fat malabsorption) but he's got a metabolic condition affecting his metabolism as fat we didn't know about and certainly wasn't healthy at that point. (In other words, I'm not saying she's got something going on metabolically but I am suggesting perhaps she didn't absorb fat/that's what you're seeing). Has she eaten more fat than normal lately?

[tanyalynn]

My kids tend to digest fat poorly for a few days after they've been sick, but not after every illness, and sometimes it's a minor illness. Their poop gets lighter in color, sometimes sorta pale, sometimes orange-ish, but within a few days (less than a week) it's looking back to normal.

Maybe a really minor stomach bug? As an adult, I can sometimes feel a bit off without actually getting concrete symptoms, I don't know how often that happens with kids, but maybe a possibility.

[snoopy5386]

it seems to definitely be coming from her butt as opposed to in her pee. She hasn't eaten anything super fatty or out of the norm...we'll keep an eye on it and see what the next few BMs bring.

[jplain]

Try searching this website/forum: link. I used search terms the orange oil toilet. Sounds like this is a really common symptom. Some people find it is related to Olestra intake (sometimes found in potato chips) or certain kinds of fish.

If not related to food intake, it indicates an issue with the gall bladder. I'd watch for a few days, and if it doesn't go away, call a healthcare provider for advice.

Crossing fingers that it just goes away!