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Constipation is hard, dry,
painful, rock-like stools or no stools for several days.
You can tell if
your child is constipated by:
- Changes in his normal
bathroom pattern.
- Straining on the toilet.
- Bleeding with bowel
movements.
- Smear of stool in
underwear (leaky BMs).
- Change in appetite.
- Stomach cramps and
bloating.
Constipation in
children often happens when they:
- Don’t drink enough.
- Don’t eat enough fiber and
roughage (found in breads, cereals, fruit and vegetables).
- Eat and drink too many
milk products.
- Wait too long to use the
bathroom (hold stool).
- Have stressful toilet
training or other activities.
Home
care
- Older children should have
a balanced diet that includes plenty of raw vegetables and fruits
(carrot sticks, lettuce, celery, broccoli, peaches, pears, apricots) and
breads and cereals high in fiber (Raisin Bran,Cheerios, oatmeal, graham
crackers, whole wheat bread). Offer your child water and fruit juices
often.
- If your infant has started
eating baby foods, give him peas, apricots, peaches, pears and prunes.
Offer your infant cherry, prune, grape and apple juice.
- Limit the amount of
constipating foods like milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt, cooked carrots,
squash, applesauce, and bananas.
Call your
child’s doctor if your child:
- Tells you his bottom
itches, hurts or is bleeding.
- Has a lot of soiling in
his underwear (leaky BMs).
- Has not had a bowel
movement for three days after you have changed his diet.
Take your child
to the Emergency Room if he has severe stomach pain with or without
fever.
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