Causes of constipation in children
Constipation can happen for several reasons:
Your child might be holding their stool in because they are too busy playing, because it hurts to have a bowel movement (or has hurt before), or because he doesn’t want to use the toilets anywhere but at home.
Constipation might also happen if your child isn’t eating enough fiber, or because of an illness that has made your child eat and drink less.
These situations can all lead to a build-up of stool in the bowel. When this happens, the stool gets too hard for your child to push out easily.
There are some underlying medical conditions that might cause constipation in children, but these aren’t common.
Symptoms of constipation in children
A normal bowel movement should be easy to push out and look like a sausage.
If your child is constipated and their stool is hard to push out, they might feel pain and discomfort when they're trying to have a bowel movement. This might make them avoid going to the toilet.
Hard stools might overstretch your child’s anus and cause small, superficial tears, which might lead to pain and bleeding.
Your child might also have tummy pains that come and go. They might show ‘holding on’ behavior like rocking or fidgeting, crossing his legs or refusing to sit on the toilet. They might also seem generally cranky.
If your child has been constipated for a long time, they might have accidents or smearing in their pants without meaning to. It could be a small or large amount of stool and can happen at any time of the day.
Fecal incontinence happens because the hard stool is stuck and stretches the rectum. Your child might then lose the urge to go the toilet because their rectum always feels stretched. Liquid stool might overflow around the old hard stool, without your child feeling it or meaning to let it go.
When to see your doctor about constipation in children:
Treatment for constipation
Your child needs healthy bowel habits.
Diet
The first step towards healthy bowel habits is diet. A healthy diet that has enough fiber helps to prevent constipation. Foods that are high in fiber include wholegrain breads and cereals, fruit and vegetables.
Regular toileting
If your child is constipated, encourage them to get into the habit of sitting on the toilet regularly and pushing. It’s good if they can do this for five minutes about 20-30 minutes after they finish eating breakfast, lunch and dinner. (use a timer)
It can help if your child has a footstool or box to put their feet on while they sit on the toilet. Get them to put their feet flat, knees apart, and lean forward slightly while pushing.
You can also teach your child to be aware of and respond to their body’s urge to have a BM. One way to do this is by starting a sticker or reward chart to praise your child for going to the toilet.
Laxatives
You might need to give your child a laxative if they are constipated, so they can pass the hard stool without pain.
Prune juice is a mild natural laxative that works in some children. If this doesn’t work, you should see your doctor.
Possible laxative medications include:
https://raisingchildren.net.au/preschoolers/health-daily-care/toileting/constipation
Constipation can happen for several reasons:
Your child might be holding their stool in because they are too busy playing, because it hurts to have a bowel movement (or has hurt before), or because he doesn’t want to use the toilets anywhere but at home.
Constipation might also happen if your child isn’t eating enough fiber, or because of an illness that has made your child eat and drink less.
These situations can all lead to a build-up of stool in the bowel. When this happens, the stool gets too hard for your child to push out easily.
There are some underlying medical conditions that might cause constipation in children, but these aren’t common.
Symptoms of constipation in children
A normal bowel movement should be easy to push out and look like a sausage.
If your child is constipated and their stool is hard to push out, they might feel pain and discomfort when they're trying to have a bowel movement. This might make them avoid going to the toilet.
Hard stools might overstretch your child’s anus and cause small, superficial tears, which might lead to pain and bleeding.
Your child might also have tummy pains that come and go. They might show ‘holding on’ behavior like rocking or fidgeting, crossing his legs or refusing to sit on the toilet. They might also seem generally cranky.
If your child has been constipated for a long time, they might have accidents or smearing in their pants without meaning to. It could be a small or large amount of stool and can happen at any time of the day.
Fecal incontinence happens because the hard stool is stuck and stretches the rectum. Your child might then lose the urge to go the toilet because their rectum always feels stretched. Liquid stool might overflow around the old hard stool, without your child feeling it or meaning to let it go.
When to see your doctor about constipation in children:
- You need to give your child a laxative more than a few times a year.
- Your child’s constipation doesn’t get better after you give them a laxative.
- Your child hasn’t had a BM for seven days.
- Your child has fecal accidents in their pants without meaning to.
- Your child has constipation and also fever, vomiting, blood in their stool or weight loss.
- Your child has painful cracks in the skin around their anus.
- Your child has constipation and you’re worried they aren't eating or drinking enough.
Treatment for constipation
Your child needs healthy bowel habits.
Diet
The first step towards healthy bowel habits is diet. A healthy diet that has enough fiber helps to prevent constipation. Foods that are high in fiber include wholegrain breads and cereals, fruit and vegetables.
Regular toileting
If your child is constipated, encourage them to get into the habit of sitting on the toilet regularly and pushing. It’s good if they can do this for five minutes about 20-30 minutes after they finish eating breakfast, lunch and dinner. (use a timer)
It can help if your child has a footstool or box to put their feet on while they sit on the toilet. Get them to put their feet flat, knees apart, and lean forward slightly while pushing.
You can also teach your child to be aware of and respond to their body’s urge to have a BM. One way to do this is by starting a sticker or reward chart to praise your child for going to the toilet.
Laxatives
You might need to give your child a laxative if they are constipated, so they can pass the hard stool without pain.
Prune juice is a mild natural laxative that works in some children. If this doesn’t work, you should see your doctor.
Possible laxative medications include:
- osmotic laxatives like lactulose, Movicol® or OsmoLax®, which increase the water in your child’s poo and soften it
- liquid paraffin oil, which softens and lubricates the poo
- stimulants like Senekot® or Dulcolax SP® drops, which stimulate the bowel to get rid of the poo.
https://raisingchildren.net.au/preschoolers/health-daily-care/toileting/constipation