Common Causes
To help prevent constipation in children: Offer your child high-fiber foods. Serve your child more high-fiber foods, such as fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole-grain cereals and breads. Encourage your child to drink plenty of fluids. Water is often the best. Promote physical activity.
Related Conditions
The first step in treating constipation is to "clean out" any stool that has built up in the intestines (bowels). When a child has not pooped for several days, stool collects in the lower bowel (rectum).
How can I Help my 10 year old with constipation?
Acute constipation can be corrected easily. After the dehydration or illness improves, bowel function improves. Chronic constipation, however, often requires long-term therapy with oral medication. Most children respond to therapy and are able to discontinue medications within a year.
What is the first step in treating constipation?
There are several things you can do that might help relieve your child's constipation before your doctor's appointment, for example: Give your child prune juice. Cut back on constipating foods. If possible, take your child for a walk or run. Ease up on toilet training.
How is acute constipation treated in children?
What can I do if my child is constipated before an appointment?
How do you get rid of constipation in a 11 year old?
If you believe your child is constipated, Webb lists safe and easy options to help get quick relief at home:Juice (pear, white grape and prune). The recommendation for juice is 4 ounces or less per day. ... Abdominal massage. ... Increased water intake (for children older than 1). ... Increased fiber. ... Increased Opportunities.
How can I help my child with severe constipation?
What you can do in the meantimeGive your child prune juice. Prune juice can be mixed with other juices (such as apple juice) if your child doesn't like the taste. ... Cut back on constipating foods. ... If possible, take your child for a walk or run. ... Ease up on toilet training.
What to do if nothing is working for constipation?
They may recommend you:Eat more fiber. Pack your plate with lots of veggies, fruits, and whole grains and don't eat too many low-fiber foods like dairy and meat.Drink more water. Your digestive system needs water to help flush things out.Exercise. ... Take the time to go.
How can I help my 12 year old with constipation?
To help prevent constipation in children: Offer your child high-fiber foods. A diet rich in fiber can help your child's body form soft, bulky stool. Serve your child more high-fiber foods, such as fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole-grain cereals and breads.
How do you remove impacted stool from a child?
Your child's healthcare provider may prescribe an enema to help remove the impacted stool. An enema is a liquid that is placed in your child's rectum. It helps loosen the hard, dry stool. Never give your child an enema without the approval of your child's healthcare provider.
What does it mean when laxatives don't work?
If you often have trouble making bowel movements and have to take laxatives (drugs that help you go) on a regular basis, you could one day have a serious bowel problem called fecal impaction. A fecal impaction is a large, hard mass of stool that gets stuck so badly in your colon or rectum that you can't push it out.
How do hospitals treat constipation?
Depending on what's causing constipation, ER treatments may include removing the stool from the rectum, enemas, laxatives, suppositories, or oral medications. Constipation can become a serious condition, and Landesman says you should never feel embarrassed about talking about your poop with your doctor.
What if an enema doesn't work?
What should I do if I administer an enema and it does not work? If there is no bowel movement after 5 minutes of using, try to empty bowel. Call a doctor promptly after using a saline enema and no liquid comes out of the rectum after 30 minutes, because dehydration could occur.
When is constipation an emergency?
“It would be an emergency if you hadn't had a bowel movement for a prolonged time, and you're also experiencing major bloating or severe abdominal pain,” notes Dr. Zutshi. Slight symptoms will not take you to the emergency room. You should go to the emergency room if your symptoms are severe.
What is a natural laxative for a child?
Prune juice – this is a mild, natural laxative that works in some children. Prune juice may taste better if mixed with another juice, such as apple, apricot or cranberry juice. You can freeze prune juice to make icy poles. At least three servings of vegetables each day.
How do I pass a hard stool?
Home remediesAbdominal massage. Sometimes a stomach massage can help stimulate the bowels if they're not moving enough to help stool digest more quickly. ... Drink more water. Increasing water in the digestive tract can make stool softer and easier to pass. ... Eat more fiber. ... Avoid empty-calorie, low-fiber foods. ... Exercise.
Diagnosis
Infrequent, irregular or difficult evacuation of the bowels.
Constipation is not always related to an underlying condition. It may be caused by:
- Insufficient quantities of fiber and water in meals
- Changes in diet or normal activities
- Physical inactivity
- Holding stool for long periods even with the urge
- Drugs such as narcotics, antidepressants, and anti- acids (especially those rich in Ca and Al)
Treatment
Alternative Medicine
Preparing For Your Appointment
- Your child's doctor will: 1. Gather a complete medical history.Your child's doctor will ask you about your child's past illnesses. He or she will also likely ask you about your child's diet and physical activity patterns. 2. Conduct a physical exam.Your child's physical exam will likely include placing a gloved finger into your child's anus to check for abnormalities or the presence of impacted sto…
Definition
- Depending on the circumstances, your child's doctor may recommend: 1. Over-the-counter fiber supplements or stool softeners. If your child doesn't get a lot of fiber in his or her diet, adding an over-the-counter fiber supplement, such as Metamucil or Citrucel, might help. However, your child needs to drink at least 32 ounces (about 1 liter) of water daily for these products to work well. C…
Causes
- In addition to changes in diet and routine, various alternative approaches may help relieve constipation in children: 1. Massage.Gently massaging your child's abdomen may relax the muscles that support the bladder and intestines, helping to promote bowel activity. 2. Acupuncture.This traditional Chinese medicine involves the insertion and manipulat...
Signs and symptoms
- If your child's constipation lasts longer than two weeks, you'll likely first seek medical care from your child's doctor. If necessary, your child may be referred to a specialist in digestive disorders (gastroenterologist). Because appointments can be brief, and because there's often a lot of ground to cover, it's a good idea to be well prepared. Here's some information to help you get rea…
Clinical significance
Toxicity
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Prognosis
Treatment