2 year old’s poop suddenly has a very strong chemical like odor
My 2 year old’s poop has had an extremely foul, almost chemical or mothball-like odor for the last few days. It’s noticeably different from his usual (normal toddler-gross) smell.
A few details:
Age: 27 months
Normal diet overall
Recently has been eating more high-fibre foods at daycare (lots of beans)
He’s been taking occasional Tylenol this week for a lingering cold
No other symptoms - acting normal, eating fine, normal energy
Stools look normal in color and texture, just the very strong chemical-like smell
No new medications, vitamins, or exposures I’m aware of.
I mentioned it to my partner who thinks I’m overthinking it, but the smell is genuinely different and intense.
Is this something that can just happen with diet / illness, or does a chemical/mothball odor point to anything concerning (malabsorption, infection, metabolic issue, etc.)? At what point should I get him checked out?
Thanks in advance!
Posted Nov 14, 2025, 7:01 PM UTC