ABSTRACT
A 4-year-old child, whose mother is a physician, is referred to your clinic for rectal bleeding. The child was completely healthy until 4 months prior to presentation, when he started to have fresh blood mixed with the stool approximately every other day. He has not had any bleeding episodes without defecation. He has been constipated intermittently, with painful defecation at times. He has had no abdominal pain or any other gastrointestinal symptoms and is otherwise growing normally. A complete blood count ordered by his pediatrician is normal. The mother has pictures of a recent stool that clearly shows intermixed fresh blood.
