 Constipation in Adults and Children
Constipation in Children Overview
Constipation is a common problem in children. It occurs in up to 10%, although only 3% of parents actually seek advice from the doctor. Constipation is generally described as the infrequent passage of stools (bowel movements) or the passage of hard stools. Any definition of constipation depends on how often the child normally passes stools and the normal consistency of his or her stools.
For some children, it may be normal to pass stools as far apart as every few days. But you should treat hard stools that are difficult to pass and those that happen only every 3 days as constipation.
How do I know if my child is constipated?
Your child is constipated if one or more of the following are true:
- He or she has fewer than 3 bowel movements a week.
- The stools are hard, dry and unusually large.
- The stools are difficult to pass.
What can I do if my child is constipated?
- Diet--You can start by increasing the amount of fluid your child drinks every day. It may also help to give your baby a bottle of prune juice every day, or add corn syrup or brown sugar to your baby's formula until his or her bowel movements become regular. Check with your doctor about how much corn syrup or brown sugar to add. You can give an older child large quantities of fluids every day, as well as prune juice, bran cereal, and fruits and vegetables that are high in fiber.
- Bowel habit training--Your child should be taught not to wait to have a bowel movement. To establish a regular bowel habit, ask your child to sit on the toilet for at least 10 minutes at about the same time each day, preferably after a meal. Make sure your child can place his or her feet firmly on the floor while sitting on the toilet. If this is not possible, put a footstool in front of the toilet. While your child is sitting on the toilet, you might let your child read a story book or listen to the radio.
- Medicine--Many laxatives are available to treat constipation in children. The choice of laxative depends on the age of your child and how serious the constipation is. Ask your family doctor to suggest a brand name and tell you how much to use.
If the constipation doesn't get better, take your child to see your family doctor. Constipation can sometimes be a sign of a more serious problem.
Constipation Overview
Constipation refers to a decrease in the frequency of bowel movements. For some people, it may mean difficulty in passing stools. A constipated stool is hard because it contains less water than normal. Constipation is a symptom, not a disease.
Generally, constipation is difficult to define clearly because as a symptom it varies from person to person.
- The frequency of bowel movements also varies greatly, ranging from 3 movements per day to 3 per week. Generally, if your bowel has not opened for 3 successive days, the intestinal contents harden, and you may have difficulty or even pain during defecation.
- A common misconception about constipation is that wastes stored in your body are absorbed, are dangerous to your health, and may shorten your lifespan. Some people have an underlying fear that they will be "poisoned" by their own intestinal wastes (feces) if they retain the waste in their bodies for more than a certain length of time. None of this is true.
- Older people are 5 times more likely than younger people to develop constipation. But experts believe that older people become too concerned with having a daily bowel movement and that constipation in this age group is overestimated.
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