Currant jelly stool

System: Abdominal & Digestive Signs · All abdominal & digestive signs

What it is — and how it is elicited

A dark red, mucus-and-blood stool resembling redcurrant jelly, passed by an infant or small child.

What a positive finding suggests

Associated with intussusception, where one segment of bowel telescopes into another.

Browse the C section of the A–Z list or return to the Clinical Signs hub.

Please note: This page is an educational reference about clinical examination signs. A clinical sign supports — and never replaces — a full clinical evaluation, examination and appropriate testing. A sign being present does not by itself prove a diagnosis, and an absent sign does not rule one out. If you have symptoms that worry you, see a health professional.