Constipation is one of the commonest conditions that children suffer from. There is a wide range of frequency of passing stools in children that is considered normal. What is normal mostly depends on the age of the child (infants have many more bowel movements per week than older kids).

So when is it constipation?

• When a child passes stools that are:
  • Hard, lumpy, dry.
  • In pellet forms or huge lumps (so much so that the toilet gets blocked).
• The child strains at stools.
• When the act of defecation is painful.
• When the child passes very small quantity of stools very frequently that just stains the underwear.
• Maybe accompanied by some blood in stools – usually in the form of a streak of blood on the side of stool.

It is a very distressing condition for the child and entire family. The sight of the child wanting to go, squirming around, tightly clenching his buttocks together or assuming abnormal postures, sweating and turning pale is very stressful.

In almost all situations, it is you, dear parent who is to blame. The two main reasons why children develop constipation is because of a faulty diet and poor toilet training.

Problems Of Constipation

• Poorly nourished – not thin, but a child who may even look plump, but is not receiving enough fiber and protein in his diet.
• Low iron and hemoglobin – Iron is the most important micro-nutrient and is responsible for the most important reason that we are alive – it helps carry oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. Iron is also responsible for the activity of various enzymes and body processes.
• Behavioral disorders and social mal-adaptation – This is more so especially, if there is soiling associated with constipation. These children may carry a lot of fecal smell with them, because their underpants are constantly soiled. The painful experiences with evacuation, if chronically present, may lead to psychological disturbances in adulthood.

Evaluation of the constipated child

Most important for us pediatricians, is the dietary and defecation diary that you need to maintain for a minimum of 3 and ideally 7 days prior to the consultation.

You may download this diary here  – Dietary-History. Maintain this diary, ideally for a week, set up an appointment and come and see us

For more on constipation have a look at our sister site

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