Infant Constipation - Symptoms - How is it treated?

Are you worried about constipation related to your child? Learn about the Infant Constipation, its symptoms, and how to treat it.

Dr. Ajay Jain Dr. Ajay Jain Oct 31, 2019 1621 0

Infant Constipation - Symptoms - How is it treated?
Constipation in children - Symptoms and Causes

Constipation in baby and children

Stoppage in newborn children and kids happens when they have hard stools or have issues passing stools. A kid may have pain while passing stools or might be not able to have a bowel movement after straining or pushing.

Considerations

Well, constipation is common in children. However, normal bowel movements are different for every child.

Signs and symptoms of constipation find in infants and children may include:

  • Being extremely fussy and spitting up more often (newborn children)
  • Difficulty passing stools or appearing to be uncomfortable
  • Hard, dry stools
  • Feeling pain when having a bowel movement
  • Abdomen pain and bloating
  • Large, wide stools
  • Blood on the stool or on used toilet paper
  • Traces of fluid or stool in a child's underwear (an indication of fecal impaction)
  • Having less than 3 bowel movements a week (children)
  • Moving their body in various positions or clenching their buttocks

Ensure your baby has a problem before treating constipation:

  • Some kids do not have a bowel movement each day.
  • Also, some healthy children always have very soft stools.
  • Other children have firm stools but are able to pass them without any issues.

Causes

Constipation happens when the stool stays in the colon for a really long time. An excess of water gets consumed by the colon, leaving hard, dry stools.

Constipation may be caused by:

  • Ignoring the urge to use the toilet
  • Not eating enough fiber
  • Not drinking enough fluids
  • Switching to solid foods or from breast milk to formula (infants)
  • Changes in the situation, such as travel, starting school, or stressful events

Medical causes of constipation may include:

  • Diseases of the bowel, such as those that affect the bowel muscles or nerves
  • Other medical conditions that affect the bowel
  • Use of certain medicines

Children may ignore the urge to have a bowel movement because:

  • They are not ready for toilet training
  • They are learning to control their bowel movements
  • They have had previous painful bowel movements and want to avoid them
  • They don't want to use a school or public toilet

Home Care

Lifestyle changes can help your child avoid constipation. These changes can also be used to treat it.

For infants:

  • Give your child additional water or juice during the day in between feedings. Juice can help in carrying water to the colon.
  • Over 2 months old: Try 2 to 4 ounces (59 to 118 mL) of fruit juice (grape, pear, apple, cherry, or prune) twice a day.
  • Over 4 months old: If the toddler has begun to eat solid foods, try baby foods with high-fiber substances such as peas, beans, apricots, prunes, peaches, pears, plums, and spinach two times in a day.

For children:

  • Drink a lot of liquids every day.
  • Eat more fruits and vegetables and foods rich in high fiber, such as whole grains.
  • Avoid certain types of foods such as cheese, fast food, prepared and processed foods, meat, and ice cream.
  • Stop toilet training if your child becomes constipated. Resume after your child is no longer constipated.
  • Teach older children to use the toilet right after eating a meal.

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