Constipation Remedies for Children

Constipation is one of the most commonly occurring health problem in children. In this condition, the bowel movement is infrequent and painful. As the stools become hard, elimination of fecal matter is quite difficult and the child may not have any bowel movement for days. The child tries to avoid bowel movement that in fact can aggravate constipation.

Constipation Remedies for Children
The root cause of constipation in children is unhealthy food. An easy way to treat constipation in children is by making some dietary changes. This is one of the most effective home remedies for constipation in kids. Certain modifications in the child's diet can help to get rid of constipation. Diet for constipation involves increased intake of the following foodstuffs to ease the discomfort.

• Fluids
• Fiber foods
• Bran

Increasing fluid intake can help to soften the stools. The child should consume a minimum of 3 - 4 glasses of water everyday. In addition, fruit juices should also be made a part of his diet. Prune and apple juice are often recommended by doctors. Children who are on a low fiber diet generally suffer from constipation. Most children tend to have a high fat diet that is low in fiber. In order to increase the fiber intake, eating plenty of raw vegetables and fruits would be a good option.

Foods rich in fiber include corn, sweet potatoes, raw tomatoes, spinach legumes (beans), turnip greens, peas and beans. Even unpeeled fruits contain a high amount of fiber. Research has revealed that the digestive system works best with a fiber-rich diet. Vegetable soups provide an easy way to include more fluid in the child's diet. Soups can also help improve the problem of constipation as they are rich in fiber. It is necessary to give the child high fiber foods along with plenty of fluids to ease the bowel movement. Bran is food made from the husks of cereal grains. In order to increase the intake of bran, the child should be given bran muffins, bran cereals, graham crackers and shredded wheat. Even whole wheat bread has a high bran content.

Decrease Foods that Contribute to Constipation
Foods that are know to aggravate constipation should be avoided or consumed in lesser amounts, so as to avert any further complications. Some of them are listed below:

• Cow's milk
• Cheese
• Yogurt
• Bananas

Milk and constipation do not go well together. If the child is having too much of cow's milk then it can worsen constipation. However, studies have shown that soy milk plays a key role in softening the stools. As diary products are devoid of fiber content, it may cause severe pain during bowel movement. Process foods and meat also contain very small amounts of fiber, so it is better to skip these foods.

Use of Stool Softeners
Although changing the diet is sufficient to relieve constipation, in severe cases, use of stool softeners becomes necessary. These medicines are available at various drug stores. Stool softeners that are safe for children and provide relief from constipation are milk of magnesia and mineral oil. While these laxatives are one of the recommended constipation remedies for children, they should be used sparingly for a temporary period. Long term use of laxatives, especially mineral oil, can make the child dependent on them for daily bowel movement. Few side effects can also occur and cause problems if laxatives are taken on a regular basis.

Constipation is common in children, but not fatal. Nevertheless it is important to treat it in time. These are some of the constipation remedies for children that can also help to prevent constipation in the long run.