Constipation in Children

Keep Constipation Away

Some parents are lucky to never have to deal with constipation in children. Their kids regularly fill their diapers and the potty without much incident. These parents may already be taking the steps necessary for the entire family to avoid constipation altogether:

• Eating diets filled with fiber-rich foods
• Avoiding foods which are binding and promote constipation
• Making sure everyone gets plenty of exercise
• Drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day

These proactive steps assist parents with avoiding constipation issues.

When Constipation in Children Occurs

Even though the aforementioned steps to avoid constipation may be followed diligently by parents, there are some kids who simply seem to have a propensity toward having problems with bowel movements. Sometimes simple dietary changes can fix the problem, while other times there may be emotional reasons for the constipation problems.

Recognize Constipation

A child straining to pass a bowel movement is not necessarily the best indication of constipation because some kids simply like to grunt and push when in the middle of a movement. For this reason, do not assume that just because your otherwise-regular child is grunting while on the potty that you should immediately run out and buy a truckload of prunes and green beans.

A more accurate method to determine if your child is dealing with constipation issues is to examine the stool. Is it hard and dry? This is a good indicator of constipation, especially when combined with an obviously uncomfortable child during potty time. Grunting and pushing is one thing, but a child who cries or gets upset when trying to pass a bowel movement is obviously in need of some help. You don't want to ignore constipation because it can lead to more serious conditions, and also because you certainly don't want your child to develop the association of bowel movements and pain, which can lead to future potty anxiety.

Seek Medical Advice

If altering your child's diet doesn't ease the constipation then it is time to make an appointment to visit the doctor. In addition to medicinal remedies – which are usually only used after all other remedies have been explored – the doctor can suggest other lifestyle changes which may get your child regular again. Your doctor may suggest easing off dairy products for a while, or perhaps including more fresh fruits and vegetables into your child's diet. Your doctor may also suggest a fiber supplement which can be mixed into juice or other liquids.

There are also creams and oils that you can use to help your child with any uncomfortable cuts which may have occurred on the bottom from the straining and pushing associated with constipation. If the constipation is severe enough to merit medicinal treatments, your doctor may prescribe:

• Stool softeners
• Suppositories
• Laxatives

It is far preferable to treat the constipation naturally and solve the problem instead of relying on prescription and over the counter drugs to prompt your child's body to pass stool.

Potty Anxiety

If you think that your child is intentionally holding back on allowing a bowel movement to pass then you need to figure out the reasoning behind these actions. Sometimes it is difficult to tell if your child is avoiding bowel movements because of the pain of constipation, or if your child is instead suppressing the need to pass a bowel movement because of some other reason.

The best thing you can do is to pay attention to how your child reacts to using the toilet, and also to see if there are only certain instances when your child holds back (toilets away from home, for example). You should also discuss the situation with your child in a non-confrontational way and see if you can come up with a solution together. The last thing you want to do is to make a huge issue out of it and make your child even more anxious when the time comes to use the potty.