Anyone can suffer from constipation - up to 1-in-10 people have it any one time. It tends to affect women more than men, and is more likely if you are older, are immobile for any reason, have a poor diet or have been ill. Children can also easily become constipated.
There are different definitions for constipation. A basic one is that stools are hard, lumpy, difficult to pass and infrequent. But what is infrequent and what is normal? Identifying constipation in children can be complicated. It depends on how well toilet trained the child is and whether he/she also soils clothes. Two weeks of problems with delayed, hard or large stools should prompt you to seek advice.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR?
Healthy babies and children differ greatly in the frequency and firmness of their stools. If your child passes stool less than once every three days, she/he is likely to be constipated. Also, if your child is toilet-trained, but still soils in clothing, constipation could be the problem.
Note : Breast-fed babies seldom get constipated or diarrhea as breast milk contains exactly the right balance of nutrients to keep stools soft and easily passed.
Look into your child's diet - check if she/he is consuming enough of fiber. Introduce more vegetables, fruits, whole grain breads and cereals, and make sure he/she drinks enough fluids. Also, encourage your child to take part in physical activities as this help relieve constipation. For constipated infants, offer water between feeds - do not dilute infant formula.
WHEN TO SEE DOCTOR
If constipation persists for two weeks and/or there is the presence of any of the symptoms below, consult a doctor :
- Vomiting.
- Severe abdominal pain.
- Weight loss or failure to gain weight.
- A swollen, stretched tummy.
- Sores or ulcers near the anus.
- Excessive thirst.
- Fever.
- A baby who does not pass its first stool ( meconium ) within the first 48 hours of life.
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