How do you Doo? Part 3: Get Set – position matters

WEANING: Often times during weaning the texture of baby’s stool will change . The colon and rectum must adapt to this change and expel the firmer, sometimes drier stools efficiently.  Many toddlers will undergo transient constipation with FIRM DRY stools and INFREQUENT passage of stools (less than once every 3 days) during this adjustment phase.

WITHHOLDING STOOL: Subsequently a few children, boys more than girls, may develop a tear “FISSURE” because of the hard dry stool. This will cause blood on the tissue or on the stool, and PAIN on the passage of stools and consciously or unconsciously avoiding stooling thereafter.

POTTY TRAINING: After potty training, most children are keen to sit on the toilet like a “big kid”! Many children do just fine on the toilet, but there is a large number of children who struggle to pass stool in that position… feet a dangling.

      Dangling vs Potty Squats     

WE ARE OBSESSED WITH SQUATTING

SQUATTING IS GOOD!

Squatting is the bending of the hip and knee joints simultaneously

It results in a straightening of the rectum and enhances natural relaxation of the anal sphincters.

Numerous articles have been published about the importance of the squatting position for ease of passing stools. We at Caribbean Tots to Teens do NOT support any particular brand commercial product, but we do like this video explanation of the benefits of squatting seen here.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYcv6odWfTM?rel=0&w=640&h=360]

It is important to note that you do NOT need a commercial device, toddlers can be held in the squatting position  with their backs towards the adults chest and a steadying hold just below the bended knees. They may also squat naturally when using a potty placed on the floor. Older children (up to about 20 kilograms) can stand on the toilet seat … be sure its sturdy… and squat down OR pull up a drink crate / stepping stool to allow little feet to rest comfortably with the hip and knees bent while sitting.

Does your little one need to be set in position to pass stool? Have you tried and of these techniques? Do you use a technique we haven’t mentioned here? Share with our readers, contact us! We want to know.

How do you Doo? is a series written by Dr Carolyn Jackson that addresses common infant and child stooling issues.

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How do you doo? Part 2: A rainbow of possibilities

Many parents marvel and panic over the colour of the stool their child passes. Stool colour is DIRECTLY affected by what a child eats and the health of the intestinal tract. Once the first sticky (dark green and very gooey) meconium of the newborn is passed your child’s stools will take on a range of colours from green to gold to brown, varying with food intake, illness and antibiotics. Almost any colour in the green-gold-brown range is normal and no cause for alarm once the consistency of the stool is normal (see How do you Doo?: Part 1). Below is a picture of the acceptable colour ranges for stools of a normal BSF type 3 and 4 consistency.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(photo taken from facebook.com/EnzymaticTherapy)

A stool that is greener in appearance indicates that the bile was released into the intestine but not “processed” but the lining bacteria. This may be because of rapid emptying (including diarrhoea, high fruit or fibre intake and laxatives) or because of a disruption to the bacterial population of the large intestine (colon) such as with antibiotic medication. As bile is processed it goes from gold to green to brown. The colour alone is NO reason to be alarmed in this situation.

GET A SAMPLE

Any drift from this safe ring of colour may be an indication that something is awry in the intestines. Although guilty foods can often be identified as the culprits, the safest thing to do is to GET A SAMPLE of the oddly coloured stool and make a trip to your doctor as quickly as possible. Stool may be collected and stored in a small air-tight plastic container, preferably in a cool environment. The sample should be delivered within 24 hours for best representation.

TAKE A PICTURE

When in doubt TAKE A PICTURE also. Any information you can preserve is always helpful!! STOP and consider what to do before you flush any concerning specimen away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A picture is worth a thousand words, and many pictures are not for the faint of heart. You can upload your pictures anonymously to http://www.tumblr.com/blog/howdoyoudoo for help classifying what you are seeing at home.

For children under 7 years, it is good for parents to observe the stools consistency, frequency and colour. We will continue to address these issues in this blog. Please post or email your specific questions, we would love to help unravel the mysteries you may be facing.

How do you Doo? is a series written by Dr Carolyn Jackson that addresses common infant and child stooling issues.

Learn More