How to help a child poop when constipated

Constipation (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth

Reviewed by: Kate M. Cronan, MD

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What Is Constipation?

Constipation means:

• having fewer than 2 bowel movements (poops) in a week
• having dry, hard, or difficult-to-pass poops
• feeling that some of the poop hasn’t passed

Constipation (con-stuh-PAY-shun) is a very common problem in kids. It usually isn't a cause for concern. Healthy eating and exercise habits can help prevent it.

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Constipation?

Usually, signs of constipation in kids include:

• going less than usual
• having trouble or pain when going to the bathroom
• feeling full or bloated
• straining to poop
• seeing a little blood on the toilet paper

It's also common for kids with constipation to sometimes stain their underwear with bits of poop.

What Causes Constipation?

Constipation can be due to a diet that doesn't include enough water and fiber, which help the bowels move as they should. Kids who eat lots of processed foods, cheeses, white bread and bagels, and meats may become constipated fairly often.

Sometimes, medicines like antidepressants, pain medicines, and those used to treat iron deficiency can cause constipation. Constipation can happen in babies as they move from breast milk to baby formula, or from baby food to solid food. Toddlers who are toilet training sometimes can become constipated, especially if they're not ready.

Some kids avoid going to the bathroom, even when they really have the urge to go. They might ignore the urges they feel because they don't want to use a restroom away from home, stop playing a fun game, or have to ask an adult to be excused to go to the bathroom. Ignoring the urge to go makes it harder to go later.

Stress also can lead to constipation. Kids can get constipated when they're anxious about something, like starting at a new school or problems at home. Research has shown that emotional upsets can affect how well the gut works and can cause constipation and other conditions, like diarrhea.

Some kids get constipated because of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which can happen when they're stressed or eat certain trigger foods, which often are fatty or spicy. A child with IBS may have either constipation or diarrhea, as well as stomach pain and gas.

In rare cases, constipation is a sign of other medical illnesses. So talk to your doctor if your child continues to have problems or if the constipation lasts for 2 to 3 weeks.

How Can We Prevent and Treat Constipation?

To prevent and treat constipation:

• Give your child more liquids. Drinking enough water and other liquids helps poop move more easily through the intestines. The amount kids need will vary based on their weight and age. But most school-age kids need at least 3 to 4 glasses of water each day. If your infant is constipated during the move from breast milk or to solid foods, try serving just a few ounces (2–4) of apple, pear, or prune juice each day. If the constipation lasts or seems to bother your child, call your doctor to schedule a visit.
• Make sure your kids eat more fiber. High-fiber foods (such as fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain bread) can help prevent constipation. Fiber can't be digested, so it helps clean out the intestines by moving the bowels along. A diet full of fatty, sugary, or starchy foods can slow the bowels down. When you add more fiber to your child's diet, do so slowly over a few weeks and make sure your child also drinks more liquids. Fiber doesn't have to be a turn-off for kids. Try apples, pears, beans, oatmeal, oranges, ripe bananas, whole-grains breads, and popcorn. Adding flax meal or bran to homemade fruit smoothies is another way to add fiber.
• Encourage your kids to get enough exercise. Physical activity helps the bowels get into action, so encourage your kids to get plenty of exercise. It can be as simple as walking, playing catch, riding bikes, or shooting a few hoops.
• Develop a regular meal schedule. Eating is a natural stimulant for the bowels, so regular meals may help kids develop routine bowel habits. If needed, schedule breakfast a little earlier to give your child a chance for a relaxed visit to the bathroom before school.
• Get kids into the habit of going. If your child fights the urge to go to the bathroom, have them sit on the toilet for at least 10 minutes at about the same time each day (ideally, after a meal).

These small changes help most kids feel better and get the bowels moving the way they should. Talk with the doctor before giving your child any kind of over-the-counter medicine for constipation.

Reviewed by: Kate M. Cronan, MD

Date reviewed: January 2021

Constipation Treatments and Prevention for Children Age 11 and Younger

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

In this Article

• Constipation Symptoms
• Constipation Treatments

Has your child ever come out of the bathroom in tears, saying, “Mommy, it hurts when I poop?” The likely cause is constipation, a very common problem in children.

How can you tell if your child is constipated? Besides the obvious painful bowel movements, look for these typical signs:

Constipation Symptoms

• Stomach pain and bloating
• Bleeding with bowel movements
• Soiling accidents

Sometimes a constipated child might actually appear to have diarrhea, which can be confusing. What’s happening here is that a large formed stool has gotten stuck in your child’s rectum, and liquid stool gets passed around it.

When a child is constipated, they have less frequent bowel movements, and when they do “go,” their stool is dry, hard, and painful to pass. There are many possible causes for constipation, including:

• Withholding stool. This means that your child is trying to hold their bowel movements in -- maybe because they're stressed about potty training, maybe because they don’t want to use the toilet in certain places (like school), or maybe because they're afraid of a painful bathroom experience. (Constipation can become a vicious cycle -- if it hurts to “poop” once, the child may be more fearful of going the next time.)
• A diet that’s low in fiber or doesn’t include enough liquids (or both), commonly found in toddlers transitioning from formula to whole milk
• Side effects of certain medications

Constipation Treatments

There are three primary treatments for most cases of constipation, and they usually work hand-in-hand.

• A high-fiber diet with plenty of fluids. This means loading your child’s plate with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, high-fiber cereals, whole grain breads (look for at least 3-5 grams of fiber per serving), and a variety of beans and other legumes, like chickpeas and lentils. Two good sources of fiber that kids are often happy to eat are trail mix (let them make their own) and popcorn with minimal salt or butter. Foods containing probiotics, like yogurt, can also promote good digestive health. While focusing on fiber, don't forget fluids. If your child is eating plenty of high-fiber food but not getting enough fluid to help flush it through their system, you can make matters worse. Your child should be drinking plenty of water throughout the day, along with some milk. Limit sugary drinks to 4 ounces a day in younger children and 6-8 ounces in school-aged kids.
•  A stool softener to clear the bowels. These are typically safe in children. Two common mistakes that parents make when giving their child a stool softener for constipation is not using a large enough dose, or stopping it too soon. For example, you might think that you can stop giving a stool softener after your child’s first normal-looking bowel movement, but stopping too soon may just set up your child for another bout of constipation. Some children may need to stay on a stool softener for a few weeks. As you continue to make and reinforce dietary modifications, your child's pediatrician can advise you on the right dosing schedule for your child.
• Regular toilet time. Encourage your child to use the toilet first thing in the morning and after every meal or snack. Particularly for a younger child, you may get better results by telling, not asking. Instead of suggesting, “Do you need to go to the bathroom?” simply say, “Time to go to the bathroom now.”

You’ll get the best results if you combine all three of these approaches. A high-fiber diet isn’t likely to clear up a serious case of constipation on its own without the help of a stool softener; on the other hand, once your child stops taking a stool softener, if they stay on a low-fiber diet and doesn’t get enough healthy fluids, the problem is likely to happen again.

Children's Health Guide

1. The Basics
2. Childhood Symptoms
3. Common Problems
4. Chronic Conditions

How to help a child with constipation? – health articles

06/16/2021

Contents

• Causes of constipation in children
• Symptoms of constipation
• Diet
• Gymnastics
• Benefits of contacting MEDSI

Constipation in a child can occur at various stages of growth and development. According to statistics, every fifth baby suffers from problems with stool. In this case, violations can occur already in infancy. With the start of complementary foods, the stool usually improves, which is associated with the introduction of fiber into the diet and an increase in physical activity. After a year, the number of children suffering from constipation is growing again. This is already due to the transition to solid food, the rejection of breastfeeding and the reduction in liquid in the diet. nine0003

It is dangerous to neglect constipation!

In fact, their consequences are quite dangerous and can cause:

• baby stress
• rectal deformities
• anal fissures
• general organism intoxication

What to do if the child has constipation?

1. Find out the cause of the pathological condition together with the doctor
nine0007 Diet
2. Pay attention to moderate physical activity

Important! It is forbidden to self-medicate. Laxative suppositories and other means should not be given, as well as cleansing enemas.

It is forbidden to self-medicate. Laxative suppositories and other means should not be given, as well as cleansing enemas.

Causes of constipation in children

The main factors stimulating stool disorders in children include:

1. Insufficient fluid intake
2. Meals with little or no fiber
3. Lack of physical activity

Symptoms of constipation

A pathological condition can be suspected by the following signs:

• the presence of blood (scarlet, fresh) in the stool during the act of defecation and after it in the form of blots (traces) on toilet paper
• rare visits to the toilet for the purpose of defecation (2 or less times a week)
• large large compartments
• the need for strong straining during defecation
• pain in the anus and abdomen

Diet

What can be given to a child for constipation?

This question interests many parents. The fight against the problem should begin not with taking medications, but with changing the diet.

Necessary:

1. Increase fluid intake
2. Establish fractional nutrition
3. Add fiber-rich foods to the diet

You should teach your child to drink plain clean water. For babies over the age of 3, 2-3 glasses of water a day are usually sufficient. Avoid sugary carbonated drinks, coffee and tea. This is due to the fact that they have a pronounced diuretic effect and stimulate constipation and dehydration.

Especially useful is the cool water that children drink in the morning on an empty stomach. Gradually, the temperature of the liquid can be reduced. The following drinks also have a laxative effect: nine0003

• beet juice
• fermented milk (kefir, fermented baked milk, etc.)
• chamomile decoctions
• dill tea

Important! They should be introduced into the diet gradually, starting with a small amount. Otherwise, you can provoke a breakdown in digestion.

You should teach your child to drink plain clean water. For babies over the age of 3, 2-3 glasses of water a day are usually sufficient.

The treatment of constipation in children also implies the introduction of laxative products into the diet, which include: nine0003

• legumes
• nuts
• prunes and dried apricots
• plum
• beets
• dates

They are also included in the diet gradually and under the supervision of a doctor. Cereal porridges can be useful: oatmeal, buckwheat, wheat, pearl barley. It is advisable to refuse rice, pears, sweets, muffins, animal fats, flour products. They have a fixing effect.

What else to feed the child so that there is no constipation? nine0003

The answer to this question should be given by the pediatrician.

Gymnastics

For the prevention of a pathological condition, walking and running, swimming, exercises to strengthen the abdominal press, squats, bends are useful.

It is believed that mobile, active children are less likely to suffer from constipation. For the prevention of a pathological condition, walking and running, swimming, exercises to strengthen the abdominal press, squats, bends are useful. nine0003

If the child is already suffering from stool problems, it is recommended to start the day with simple morning exercises. Massage may also be helpful.

It is important to pay attention to the general change in the behavior of the baby.

The child should be taught to go to the toilet at about the same time, encouraged for observing the daily routine (motivate and praise).

It is also important to create a favorable environment in the toilet. Nothing should distract the child from the act of defecation or scare him in the bathroom. nine0003

Benefits of contacting MEDSI

• Help from experienced doctors. Pediatric coloproctologists, gastroenterologists and psychologists work with patients. They know exactly how to treat constipation in a child in accordance with the reasons that provoked it
• Diagnostic options. The clinic can conduct comprehensive examinations. They allow you to identify the causes of the pathology, find out how and what causes constipation in a child, help him as soon as possible
• Comprehensive approach to troubleshooting. Doctors not only recommend diet and gymnastics. If necessary, specialists prescribe laxatives, antispasmodics, as well as agents that stimulate the evacuation of feces (enemas and suppositories). All drugs are selected individually
• Prevention of complications. To prevent the undesirable consequences of constipation, regular examinations by a coloproctologist are mandatory
• Comfort of visiting clinics. We provide timely consultations without queues at a convenient time for patients

To make an appointment, just call 8 (495) 7-800-500. Our specialist will answer all questions and suggest the best time to visit a doctor. Recording is also possible through the SmartMed application. nine0003

Do not delay treatment, see a doctor right now:

• Pediatric gastroenterologist appointment

symptoms, causes, diagnosis, how to help a child with constipation

How to solve the problem and help the baby?

Constipation is one of the most common problems in children. According to statistics, in Russia constipation occurs in one in four children ¹ . And this problem significantly complicates the calm and cheerful life of both the child and and parents, because constipation often causes pain, the child the mood deteriorates, the parents are on their nerves - in general, there is little good.

In order not to miss the problem of constipation in the baby, we armed ourselves nine0179 scientific knowledge and talk about how to identify constipation,
why does it occur and what to give a child with constipation?

Causes of constipation in children

There are quite a lot of them and almost all of them depend on age child. That is, constipation in infants and schoolchildren cause different reasons. Let's consider them in more detail. nine0003

Stress and change routine

These reasons are typical, as a rule, for babies. under the age of one year. In this tender age, coordination muscle contractions of the intestinal wall can be violated ⁵ , which leads to difficulties with defecation. In addition, constipation in infants may occur after switching to artificial mixtures ¹ . In breast milk contains many beneficial intestinal flora substances - dietary fiber, a large amount of fat, proteins in the optimal ratio. All of them contribute normal bowel movements ⁶ .

Stress and change routine

Common causes of constipation are new conditions that break the child's usual daily routine and environment. So, for example, a violation of defecation often appears during potty training, with the start of attending kindergarten or schooling ¹ .

Irritable syndrome intestines

This disorder is noted in an older age group - in children from 4 to 18 years old. In this disease, the child periodically abdominal pain occurs, which may be accompanied by symptoms indigestion and constipation ^1.7 .

How to understand that a child has constipation?

It seems that the answer to this question very simple - child rarely walks "big". However, this is not quite correct figure. A business that the frequency of stool in healthy children can be very different ¹ .

However, if a child's routine of going to the toilet has changed, you should be alert and analyze what is happening. Yes, yes, literally turn into a patient detective and examine the contents of a pot or toilet. This may not be the most pleasant occupation, but the result of research can greatly facilitate both your life and the child's.

So, first of all, you need to evaluate the shape of the stool. This will help to determine with some accuracy whether there is constipation or not ¹ . We will not determine the shape “by eye”, but with the help of the Bristol scale of fecal shapes, developed by doctors. According to this scale, there are seven types of stool. We are only interested in two of them.

Constipation criteria according to the Bristol Stool Form Scale

Hard and dry, nut-like lumps (called "sheep" stool) nine0003

Sausage-shaped stool with a lumpy texture.

In addition to determining the shape of the stool, you should pay attention to other signs of constipation. For example, a child may begin to push too hard, take uncharacteristic positions, try to poop, and in general, spend much more time on the potty or toilet than usual. ¹

If there is no stool for several days, constipation is considered acute. If the constipation problem persists for 3 months or more, this is regarded by specialists as a “chronic condition” ^2.4 .

Treatment of constipation in a child

So what should you do if your child is constipated?
First of all, you need to make certain changes in the daily routine. All of them are quite simple and effective. Remember.

Maintain regular toileting

Natural urge to defecate usually appears after eating. Therefore, a small child stands in the morning some time after taking put food on a pot or invite him to go to the toilet. You can develop a kind of reflex in a child - for example, "had breakfast - pooped" ¹ .

Comfort

To form a positive perception of going to the toilet in a child, it is also important to provide comfortable conditions for him: for example, to choose a suitable potty so that the child can take a comfortable position ¹⁰ . In addition, it is necessary that during defecation, the baby has some kind of support where you can rest your feet, for example, a low bench that can be placed in the toilet, since increasing intra-abdominal pressure when straining is important to resolve constipation ¹ .

Correct nutrition

This is a very important step in the treatment of constipation. From the menu you need to remove fats, sweets (yes, we understand how difficult it is with this item) and marinades.
And replace all this splendor with cereals, vegetables and fruits. Especially good for constipation are plum, peach and apple purees and juices ¹ .

Important to understand

Lifestyle changes may not help immediately. Therefore, there are modern remedies for constipation in children, which can contribute to a faster resolution of this problem. One of these is Guttalax®, a topical laxative that can stimulate colonic activity, which can lead to softened stools and normal defecation ⁸ . However, it is important to remember that prescription medications in children drugs should only take place after consultation with a doctor. Only a specialist can determine the cause of constipation and help deal with them. nine0278