Understanding Constipation

Constipation can be painful, stressful and embarrassing for kids and it takes a toll on parents, too. If your child is struggling with constipation, they’re not alone.

What Is Constipation?
Constipation is defined as having infrequent bowel movements or hard, dry stools — in other words — having difficulty “pooping.” According to the National Institutes of Health, fewer than three bowel movements a week over the span of at least two weeks can qualify as constipation. It may or may not be accompanied by pain.

A Registered Dietitian can offer strategies for helping your child cope.

Talk with your pediatrician if your child’s constipation lasts longer than two weeks or is accompanied by a fever, vomiting, swelling of the abdomen or blood in the stool.

What Causes Constipation?
In many cases constipation develops because kids are afraid to go number two, embarrassed to go in an unfamiliar place such as a public bathroom or friend’s house, or they simply don’t want to stop what they’re doing to go. Repeatedly delaying the urge causes the stool to become hard and difficult to pass.

There can be other causes too, such as eating fewer fruits and vegetables, moving less and drinking too much sweetened beverages, which can have the opposite effect in helping digestion. Not drinking enough water also can cause constipation because adequate hydration helps move food through the digestive tract.

By: Susan Moores, MS, RD

Source: Eatright.org (Easing Your Child’s Constipation)

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