Infant Constipation - Constipation in Children and Infants

What is Child Constipation
Constipation in infants and constipation in children occurs when their stools become hard and dry, making it very difficult and painful for them to pass out. The reasons for infant constipation and constipation in children are different for the simple reason that their diets are entirely different.

How Often Must a Child Pass Stools
One of the major concerns parents face is that their child does not pass stools daily. This is absolutely no reason for worry. Some children pass stools daily, some once in 2 to 3 days. If the appearance of the stools are soft and normal, it is not a problem. It is a matter of concern even if your child is passing stools daily, but it comes out as small, hard, and dry pellets. The child will usually strain a lot and even cry at times. At times, after straining the child passes a little watery stools. This also could be a sign of severe constipation, since the hardened stools are still in.

Causes of Constipation in Children
Almost all children suffer from the occasional constipation. It is not very easy to tell if a child is actually constipated because they usually will not have a fixed toilet routine. When a child is having a lot of milk and milk products without the proper intake of more solid foods containing fiber, it can lead to constipation.

Sometimes a child may have a fissure near the anus caused by passing hard stools. Even passing normal stools during this time will cause a lot of pain and the child might just hold back with fear of the pain.

Many children who are just put into school fear using the school toilets and will hold on till they get home. This is a common reason for their stools getting hard, causing constipation.

Signs of Constipation in Children
There are many signs of constipation in children which parent must keep a look-out for. They could include one or more of the following.

-- Passing stools is painful
-- Crying while passing stools
-- Wanting to go to the toilet but holding on
-- A fissure (torn skin) near the anus
-- Bloated stomach
-- Stomach pain
-- Soiled underwear with very soft or liquid stools

Constipation Treatment in Children
Once you know that your child has constipation, you must find out the cause. Once the cause is understood it is usually just a matter of rectifying the fault that will cure the constipation.

Following are some ways in which you can treat / avoid constipation in your child.

-- Toilet train the child. It is difficult, but with patience and regularity it will become a natural habit with the child.
-- Let the child know that anytime is OK to visit the toilet (even 2 to 3 times a day), and it does not matter whether it is morning, noon, evening, or night.
-- If the child is school-going, let the child know that it is perfectly fine to use the school toilet. Explain to the child what bad can happen if they wait until they get home to use the toilet.
-- Find out the cause of your child's constipation and solve it immediately. Waiting for it to subside by itself could only make the situation worse and put your little one into unnecessary pain and suffering.
-- Whenever you have to use a laxative, use a very mild one meant for children.
-- Feed your child more of fresh vegetables and fruits (with skin).
-- Avoid feeding your child too much junk foods, ice-cream and chocolates (a little is perfectly good for them, it helps keep them happy too).
-- See to it that your child drinks enough water. Many children do not drink sufficient water which leads to constipation.
-- Maintain good eating habits in your child.

Constipation in Babies
Newborn constipation is very rarely heard of because the toddlers are almost always breastfed. The baby could pass stools once in a day or possibly only once in a week, but if the baby is breastfed, there is a very slim change of constipation.

Parents tend to think that their baby is constipated because of the strain they put while passing stools, which usually results in a red face. This is perfectly normal, and almost every baby does it. The only time you should be concerned is when the baby is only being breastfed and the stools are hard. If this happens for more than 2 days, visit the pediatrician to find out the cause.

Baby constipation usually begins when breastfeeding is reduced / stopped and the child is put on cow milk / milk formula / baby-feed. Following are some of the reasons why a baby who is on external nourishment could get constipated.

-- If the baby is put on cow milk without the milk being diluted with boiled and cooled water. Just after getting off mothers milk, the infant will not be able to digest cow milk that is not diluted.
-- It is natural to put in a little extra milk formula powder to make the formula more concentrated. The general idea is that the more the formula powder, the healthier the baby will get. Concentrated milk formula will always lead to constipation. Follow the instructions as mentioned. Do not add more or less of the formula powder. Adding less of the powder will not cause constipation, but your infant will not get the desired nourishment.
-- In hot weather, when the baby is bottle-fed, give the baby boiled and cooled water in between feeds. This will reduce the chances of the baby getting constipated. If being breastfed, increased the number of feeds.
-- Do not be in a hurry to start your toddler on solid foods. They do not require it till they are about 9 months old.

Even though a baby does not require any solid foods for the first 9 months, you can start them on well boiled and mashed vegetables from the 6th month. Start with very small quantities increasing it gradually. If feeding them mashed vegetables, make sure that the child is given plenty of boiled and cooled water to drink.

Never give the baby any medication by yourself (for constipation or any other cause). Always consult a pediatrician.

Constipation that lasts for more than 2 days in babies should be taken seriously and shown to a pediatrician immediately.