Constipation in children
As parents you still most likely worry about child constipation even though
it is not a serious disorder. This article discusses the symptoms of
constipation in children as well as treating constipation in children.
You may have experienced constipation yourself, so you know that it involves
hard and dry stools that may be difficult or painful to pass. Usually it is a
temporary condition and should cause no reason for concern. However, there are
situations where there is severe constipation in children, which will be
discussed later on in this article.
Every child is different. Some have bowel movements only a couple of times a
week while others have them every day. If your child has always had infrequent
pools and they do not seem in pain or have hard stools, then they most likely
do not have child constipation.
Reasons for Constipation in children
There are a number of reasons why your child is getting constipated:
- Too much milk without the proper amount of solid food or fiber intake.
- Not enough exercise.
- Refusal to have a bowel movement because they are embarrassed, there is no
bathroom they feel comfortable using outside of the home, lack of confidence,
or pain from such physical disorders as anal fissures.
- Emotional distress brought on by family problems or issues at school.
- Medications.
- Other physical ailments, including the absence of normal nerve endings in
portions of the bowel, spinal cord abnormalities, thyroid deficiency, mental
retardation, and other metabolic disorders. In these cases, chronic
constipation in children can result.
Symptoms of Child Constipation
These reasons for constipation in children can be identified through a
number of symptoms. These symptoms of both regular and severe constipation in
children include:
- Watery stools that appear as if your child has diarrhea but is really the
result of excess build-up in the bowels referred to as "overflow" constipation.
Your child’s underwear may even be soiled, indicated that the stool has stalled
in the rectum.
- Lack of a bowel movement over an extended period or regularly occurring
stools that are hard and dry.
- Abdominal cramps.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Weight loss.
- Child behavior that includes clenching their buttocks, rocking up and down
on their toes, and turning red in the face. These are signs of trying to hold
in a bowel movement.
Severe constipation in children is described as having an episode that lasts
longer than three weeks, which prohibits them from going about their normal
lives. In this case, small tears may appear in the skin around the anus,
causing your child considerable pain.
What happens is that a small piece of the intestinal lining is pushed out of
the anus, causing a hemorrhoid. In this case, straining happens which causes
more damage, pain and possibly liquid or soft stools that leak out of the anus.
This may further traumatize your child.
Treating Constipation in children
Children constipation treatment depends on how old your child is and the
severity of their problem. After all, constipation does not happen in one day
so treatment cannot solve it in the same amount of time.
With regular constipation in children, treatment is fairly simple. It
includes an increase in the number of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to
boost fiber, additional hydrating liquids, regular exercise, a reduction in
high-fat and high-sugar foods, and the encouragement of regular bowel
movements. It is important to not show your anxiety because your child will
pick up on it immediately and it may postpone them from going to the toilet and
trying to have a bowel movement. If you relax, they will too.
When severe constipation in children is diagnosed, other measures may be
necessary. A doctor may recommend an enema to remove the stubborn stool or a
laxative to soften it or prevent a future episode. It is important to note that
laxatives should only be given to children under a doctor’s strict supervision.
One of the best constipation remedies available on the market today is Oxypowder. Check out our review of this product and see why it works. However,
always consult with your doctor before taking any other types of medicinal
treatments and never give anything to children without checking with their
pediatrician. |
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