Constipation occurs when bowel movements are hard and dry, difficult or painful to pass, and less frequent than usual. It is a common problem for children, but it is usually temporary and no cause for parents to be concerned.
Constipation usually occurs in children who do not eat enough fiber rich foods, drink enough liquids, or get enough exercise. It also happens when children ignore the urge to have bowel movement, which they often do out of embarrassment to use public bathroom, fear or lack of confidence in the absence of a parent, or unwillingness to take a break from play. Certain medicines or an underlying disease can sometimes cause constipation.
Symptoms of constipation include
Treatment depends on the child's age and the severity of the problem. Often eating more fiber (fruits, vegetables, whole-grain cereal), drinking more liquids, and getting more exercise will solve the problem. Sometimes a child may need an enema to remove the stool or a laxative to soften it or prevent a future episode. However, laxatives can be dangerous to children and should be given only with a doctor's approval.
Although constipation is usually harmless, it can be a sign or cause of a more serious problem. A child should see a doctor if
Constipation
Complications of Constipation
Diagnosis of Constipation
Treatment of Constipation
Other Treatments for Constipation
Constipation in Children
Simple Tips to Relieve Symptoms and Prevent Recurrence of Constipation
Sources:
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC) (March 2004). Constipation in Children (NIH Publication No. 04–4633). Retrieved April 23, 2007. Web site: http://www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/constipationchild/index.htm
Page Last Revised: May 21, 2012
Constipation usually occurs in children who do not eat enough fiber rich foods, drink enough liquids, or get enough exercise. It also happens when children ignore the urge to have bowel movement, which they often do out of embarrassment to use public bathroom, fear or lack of confidence in the absence of a parent, or unwillingness to take a break from play. Certain medicines or an underlying disease can sometimes cause constipation.
Symptoms of constipation include
no bowel movement for several days or daily bowel movements that are hard and dryConstipation can make a bowel movement painful, so the child may try to prevent having one. Clenching buttocks, rocking up and down on toes, and turning red in the face are signs of trying to hold in a bowel movement.
cramping abdominal pain
nausea
vomiting
weight loss
liquid or solid, clay-like stool in the child's underwear—a sign that stool is backed up in the rectum
Treatment depends on the child's age and the severity of the problem. Often eating more fiber (fruits, vegetables, whole-grain cereal), drinking more liquids, and getting more exercise will solve the problem. Sometimes a child may need an enema to remove the stool or a laxative to soften it or prevent a future episode. However, laxatives can be dangerous to children and should be given only with a doctor's approval.
Although constipation is usually harmless, it can be a sign or cause of a more serious problem. A child should see a doctor if
episodes of constipation last longer than 3 weeksTopics on Constipation:
the child is unable to participate in normal activities
small, painful tears appear in the skin around the anus
a small amount of the intestinal lining is pushed out of the anus (hemorrhoids)
normal pushing is not enough to expel stool
liquid or soft stool leaks out of the anus
Constipation
Complications of Constipation
Diagnosis of Constipation
Treatment of Constipation
Other Treatments for Constipation
Constipation in Children
Simple Tips to Relieve Symptoms and Prevent Recurrence of Constipation
Sources:
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC) (March 2004). Constipation in Children (NIH Publication No. 04–4633). Retrieved April 23, 2007. Web site: http://www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/constipationchild/index.htm
Page Last Revised: May 21, 2012
