It is quite common for children to experience constipation. Generally, the causes are not enough intake of fluids, insufficient fiber, and excessive consumption of constipating foods like milk, cheese, bananas and many others.

Indications of Constipation in Children

All too often, children with constipation might have either have very large hard stools or hard pellet like stools. Children may also have infrequent and painful bowel movements. They will often also encounter cramping abdominal pain together with having pain when they pass a bowel movement.

How to Diagnose Constipation in Children

Generally, children are identified as having constipation after a very careful history and physical exam nevertheless it is not normally necessary to have more testing.

It is essential to give careful attention to kids who may have had severe constipation from birth, most importantly if they did not pass meconium stools until 2-3 days after they were born as these children may have Hirshsprung’s disease.

Constipation Treatment In Children

Commonly, treatment options for child constipation consists of colon cleanse, stool softeners and altering child’s diet to less constipating foods and integrating more fiber and fluids.

Apples, prune juice and soy milk for older kids are great choices of fluids. Constantly read food labels as this may help you acquire foods high in fiber.

Here’s what you need to learn about constipation:

Whenever a child is having soft bowel movements, then she’s not constipated, even when she doesn’t have one every day.

Often times there are kids with severe constipation who’ve already been potty trained that develops reflexive withholding of stool which in turn might cause them to leak stool into their undergarments known as the involuntary fecal soiling or encopresis.

In contrast to laxatives, colon cleansers and stool softeners are not generally habit forming and may be given when important. In many cases, parents make a common error of stopping the usage of stool softeners when a child begins to have soft bowel movements as this may cause the child to develop constipation again in a short time.

The utilization of stool softeners is recommended for 4-6 months however it should be decreased to avoid reoccurrences.

Laxatives shouldn’t be frequently used to assist your child have bowel movement.

Apart from change in diet and stool softeners, children may need colon cleanse. Colon cleanse is safer for children particularly when they have really serious constipation.