Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Development of Human Microbiota01:30

Development of Human Microbiota

The human microbiota begins developing at birth and undergoes continual change as we age. Infancy marks a critical period of microbial sensitivity, offering a “window of opportunity” during which beneficial microbes help mature the immune system. By age three, children typically develop a more stable and diverse microbial community. Newborns acquire microbes from their immediate environment; vaginal delivery favors maternal vaginal microbes, while cesarean births favor microbes from the skin...
Assessment of the Rectum and Anus01:25

Assessment of the Rectum and Anus

Evaluating the rectum and anus plays a crucial role in conducting a thorough physical examination of the gastrointestinal system. Although it may be uncomfortable and often embarrassing for the patient, it holds immense diagnostic value, particularly in detecting gastrointestinal diseases and abnormalities. This guide will explain how to perform this assessment using inspection and palpation methods.
Rectal Inspection
Begin by inspecting the perianal and anal areas for color, texture, rashes,...
Psychosexual Stages of Personality: Anal01:26

Psychosexual Stages of Personality: Anal

Sigmund Freud's theory of psychosexual development describes the anal stage as occurring between 18 months and three years of age. During this period, children derive pleasure from controlling and releasing their bowel movements. However, they quickly learn that societal expectations impose restrictions on when and where this can happen. This stage marks a critical point where children begin to develop a sense of control and mastery over their bodily functions, as well as their broader...
Feces Formation and Defecation01:26

Feces Formation and Defecation

After spending 3 to 10 hours in the large intestine, chyme loses a lot of water and becomes feces, the final product of digestion. Feces consist of undigested dietary fiber such as cellulose, mucus, sloughed-off epithelial cells, and microbes. The descending and sigmoid colon stores feces and uses haustral contractions to dry it out but retains enough water to give it a semi-solid texture.
The mass peristalsis then pushes the feces into the rectum, which stretches the rectal walls to activate...
Irritable Bowel Syndrome II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Evaluation01:30

Irritable Bowel Syndrome II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Evaluation

Irritable Bowel Syndrome II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Evaluation
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is classified into subtypes based on the predominant bowel habits as determined by the Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS). The subtypes are:
Development of the Oral Microbiota01:28

Development of the Oral Microbiota

The establishment of the oral microbiome begins before birth, challenging the long-held belief that the fetal oral cavity is sterile. The presence of oral microbes such as Streptococcus and Fusobacterium in amniotic fluid suggests that microbial exposure may occur in utero, potentially through translocation from the maternal oral or gastrointestinal tract. This early colonization primes the neonatal immune system and sets the stage for subsequent microbial succession. Maternal health,...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Intranasal monoclonal antibodies do not prevent respiratory infection in a randomized, controlled experimental infection trial.

npj drug discovery·2026
Same author

Estimating diagnostic accuracy under uncertainty about disease status: a sepsis case study.

Journal of clinical epidemiology·2026
Same author

QUADAS-3 Explanation and Elaboration: Guidance for Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies.

Annals of internal medicine·2026
Same author

QUADAS-3: A Revised Tool for the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies.

Annals of internal medicine·2026
Same author

Real-world Inter-rater Agreement of PI-QUAL Version 2 for Prostate Magnetic Resonance Imaging Quality Assessment and Its Association with Diagnostic Accuracy.

European urology open science·2026
Same author

Red cell distribution width does not improve prediction of postsurgical infectious complications.

British journal of anaesthesia·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Determining Soil-transmitted Helminth Infection Status and Physical Fitness of School-aged Children
10:57

Determining Soil-transmitted Helminth Infection Status and Physical Fitness of School-aged Children

Published on: August 22, 2012

Infant stool form scale: development and results.

Noor Bekkali1, Sofie L Hamers, Johannes B Reitsma

  • 1Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Emma Children's Hospital, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. N.Bekkali@amc.nl

The Journal of Pediatrics
|December 5, 2008
PubMed
Summary

A new infant stool scale effectively assesses defecation patterns in term and preterm infants. Breastfed infants showed smaller stool amounts than formula-fed infants, with good scale reliability.

More Related Videos

A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect
05:04

A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect

Published on: September 22, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Determining Soil-transmitted Helminth Infection Status and Physical Fitness of School-aged Children
10:57

Determining Soil-transmitted Helminth Infection Status and Physical Fitness of School-aged Children

Published on: August 22, 2012

A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect
05:04

A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect

Published on: September 22, 2023

Area of Science:

  • Neonatalogy
  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Infant Health

Background:

  • Assessing infant stool characteristics is crucial for monitoring health.
  • Existing methods lack standardization for consistency, amount, and color.
  • A reliable tool is needed to differentiate normal and abnormal defecation patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and validate the
  • Amsterdam
  • stool form scale.
  • To assess the scale's utility in distinguishing between term and preterm infants.
  • To evaluate differences in stool characteristics based on feeding type (breastfeeding vs. formula feeding).
  • To determine the interobserver and intraobserver reliability of the newly developed scale.

Main Methods:

  • Development of a 4-point scale for consistency, a 4-point scale for amount, and a 6-category scale for color.
  • Collection of infant data including gestational age, postnatal age, and feeding type.
  • Scoring of 555 infant stool photographs twice by observers to assess variability.
  • Establishment of a consensus database for stool characteristics.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences in stool characteristics were observed between term and preterm infants.
  • Breastfed infants exhibited smaller stool amounts compared to formula-fed infants (P < .001).
  • The scale demonstrated good interobserver reliability for consistency and amount (weighed kappa) and good reliability for color (simple kappa).
  • Excellent intraobserver reliability was found for both observers (kappa values).

Conclusions:

  • The
  • Amsterdam
  • stool form scale is a useful tool for assessing defecation patterns in both premature and term infants.
  • The scale provides reliable and reproducible measurements of infant stool consistency, amount, and color.
  • Findings support the scale's application in clinical practice and research for evaluating infant bowel function.