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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffTo help prevent constipation in children:
- Offer your child high-fiber foods. Fill your child's diet with high-fiber foods, including fruits, vegetables, beans and whole-grain cereals and breads.
- Encourage your child to drink plenty of fluids. Water is often the best bet.
- Promote physical activity. Regular physical activity helps stimulate normal bowel function.
- Create a toilet routine. Regularly set aside time after meals for your child to use the toilet. If necessary, provide a footstool so that your child is comfortable sitting on the toilet and has enough leverage to release a stool.
- Remind your child to heed nature's call. Some children get so wrapped up in the activity at hand that they ignore the urge to have a bowel movement. Postponing the event can lead to problems in the long run, however.
- Review medications. If your child is taking a medication that causes constipation, ask his or doctor about other options.
References
- Ferry GD. Constipation in children: Etiology and diagnosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 19, 2009.
- Ferry GD. Prevention and treatment of acute constipation in infants and children. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 19, 2009.
- Ferry GD. Treatment of chronic functional constipation and fecal incontinence in infants and children. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 19, 2009.
- Evaluation and treatment of constipation in infants and children: Recommendations of the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. 2006;43:e1.
- Constipation in children. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/constipationchild/index.htm. Accessed Feb. 20, 2009.
- Parenting corner Q&A: Constipation. The American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.aap.org/publiced/BR_Constipation.htm. Accessed Feb. 20, 2009.
- Parenting corner Q&A: Soiling (encopresis). http://www.aap.org/publiced/BK5_Soiling.htm. Accessed Feb. 20, 2009.
- Wald A. Constipation and defecation problems. American College of Gastroenterology. http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/gihealth/pdf/constipation.pdf. Accessed Feb. 24, 2009.
- Kay M, et al. Common gastrointestinal problems in pediatric patients. American College of Gastroenterology. http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/gihealth/pdf/pediatric.pdf. Accessed Feb. 24, 2009.
- Culbert TP, et al. Integrative approaches to childhood constipation and encopresis. The Pediatrics Clinics of North America. 2007;54:927.
- Hoecker JL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 10, 2009.
- Grothe RM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 18, 2009.
