1. Avoid Constipating Foods
If your child is often constipated, one culprit may be the foods in his diet. Begin by tracking the foods your child eats. A food diary can help you do this. To keep a food diary, simply record everything your child eats. Note in the diary if your child was constipated that day or if there were any other digestive symptoms.
You may discover that your child is eating a lot of low-fiber foods. These include white rice, white bread and rice cereal. Dairy products, like cheese and milk, can be constipating as well. Certain fruits and vegetables, like bananas, apples and carrots, may also be a problem for some children. Try to limit these foods and see whether your child's constipation improves. Continue to keep a food diary so you can track any changes.
2. Increase Dietary Fiber
Children's diets often contain too little fiber. In addition to limiting constipating foods, try to introduce more fiber-rich foods into your child's diet. Fiber is very beneficial in treating constipation because it softens stools and makes them easier to pass. Fiber-rich foods include whole-grain breads and crackers, bran, oatmeal, dried fruit and legumes. Your child might enjoy laxative fruit, such as prunes, pears, peaches, plums and apricots. You can also serve high-fiber vegetables like broccoli, sweet potatoes and peas.
3. Keep Your Child Hydrated
Water is an essential part of avoiding and treating constipation. If your child is not getting enough to drink, this could be the cause of her constipation. Offer your child plenty of water, especially if you are increasing the amount of dietary fiber. Increased fiber, without sufficient quantities of water, can actually make your child's stools harder instead of softer.
4. Make Use of Natural Laxatives
The best kind of laxatives you can use with your child are naturally occurring ones. Prune juice is the classic laxative, and you can safely use this with infants and toddlers. If your child is reluctant to drink prune juice, you can attempt to disguise prune puree in other foods or spread it on crackers.
Ground flaxseed and psyllium husks are also natural laxatives you can try. These can be mixed into yogurt or smoothies or sprinkled over cereal. A toddler can have 1 to 2 tbs. a day. Similarly, flaxseed oil makes an excellent laxative. This might be a better option if you have a young child. A 6-month-old can have 1 tsp. a day, and a toddler can have 1 tbs. Since flaxseed oil does have a distinct taste, you'll probably want to mix it into another food, such as yogurt, cereal or pureed fruit. Another benefit of flaxseed oil is that it contains valuable omega-3 fats and helps in the absorption of many vitamins.
5. Laxative Suppositories for Severe Constipation
For a child who is severely constipated and not responding to any of the other treatments, you can try using over-the-counter laxative suppositories. These should be used only occasionally, and it is best to consult with your child's doctor before going this route.
