Constipation in children

Symptoms of constipation in a child

The frequency of bowel movements varies depending on the type of diet, the amount of liquid consumed and other circumstances. It is necessary to understand that each child is different, and each organism has its own norm and symptoms that can signal a problem.

The pediatrician diagnoses "Constipation" if the child's bowel movement occurs less than 3 times a week, if there is difficulty in defecating, severe prolonged straining, accompanied by soreness, if the consistency of the stool is hard, lumpy.

If the above symptoms bother the child for more than a month, then over time there may be a decrease in appetite, nausea, abdominal pain, and general malaise (the child wants to lie down).  Behavioral reactions are also often noted.:  irritability, fussiness, restlessness. Against the background of prolonged constipation, a child may develop fecal incontinence in the form of fecal anointing. In rare cases, the appearance of persistent, progressive constipation in a young child may be due to intestinal abnormalities. Constipation in children may be functional or occur a second time against the background of another disease.

In children of the first year of life without congenital pathology of the gastrointestinal tract, the frequency of stool can be from 1 time every 3-4 days to 6-8 times a day (stool after each feeding). Stool frequency is not that important. It is important that the stool is independent and free of blood.  When introducing complementary foods, it is important to know that your child's stool may normally change in color and consistency almost daily. It depends on the amount and composition of the introduced complementary food.

Causes of constipation in children

Older children often have so-called "psychological" constipation - after a delay in stools and painful defecation, fear arises, fear of emptying. In this case, parents may notice that the child is trying to restrain the urge to defecate - lie down, cross his legs, hide, becomes restless. In children aged 1.5–2 years, one of the causes of psychologically conditioned constipation may be a negative attitude towards the potty - attempts to teach the child hygiene too early. A bowel movement control center is formed in the brain by about 1.5 years of age, and it is from this age that you should start putting your child on the potty at least 2 times a day for 5-10 minutes after meals (toilet training).

Physiological stool retention in older children is more often associated with a busy daily routine.  In collective institutions, toilets do not allow a child to have privacy, and children get used to delaying defecation.

Treatment

Functional constipation in children is well treatable. Medication alone may not always be able to solve the problem. Frequent use of enemas, suppositories (candles) not only does not solve the problem, but even worsens the situation, causing addiction. Treatment of true constipation is a systematic approach to a child's lifestyle, his relationship with his parents and the world around him.

The inclusion of fiber-rich fruits and vegetables, flour and coarse cereals, and vegetable oils in the daily diet, on the contrary, accelerates passage and makes stools more regular.

The colon is able to actively absorb water, but if a person drinks little, the stool will be dry and dense. Therefore, the most important condition for a normal stool is to drink more fluids. It is better if it is natural water.

The most important condition for the normal functioning of the intestine is physical activity.  Patients with constipation especially need an active lifestyle, playing sports, walking, running, swimming.

Drug therapy is the second stage, which should be resorted to only if the measures listed above are not effective enough. Your pediatrician will help you find a solution to the problem, taking into account the individual characteristics of the child.