Constipation is a common problem that children face during toilet training. Your toddler’s bowel habits can be disrupted as he gives up diapers and learns to use the toilet. Dietary changes and a relaxed approach to toilet training are often enough to bring your child relief, and your doctor can recommend additional treatments if necessary.
Symptoms
When your child is constipated, he may go several days without having a bowel movement, or he may pass hard, dry stools, according to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in San Francisco. Abdominal pain, bloating and loss of appetite are other common signs of constipation, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. If passing bowel movements causes your child pain, he may seem fearful of using the bathroom or try to hold his stool in. Sometimes, liquid stool may involuntary leak out around the hard stool impacted in your child’s colon.
Cause
During toilet training, a child’s fear or reluctance to have a bowel movement in the toilet can cause him to become constipated. The longer he holds his stool in, the more difficult it becomes to pass. Once your child has a painful bowel movement, he may try even harder to avoid moving his bowels, which worsens constipation. Lack of fiber and inadequate fluid intake can also contribute to constipation during toilet training.
Prevention
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents approach toilet training in a relaxed manner. Focus on praising your child for toilet training success, but do not punish him for failure. Try to avoid power struggles, which may encourage your child to withhold stool and lead to constipation. Make sure your child gets plenty of fiber and liquids in his diet throughout the potty training process.
Treatment
Dietary changes can help your child overcome constipation. Serve plenty of fruits, vegetables, fruit juice and whole grain foods to encourage bowel movements, recommends Seattle Children’s Hospital. Limit dairy products, which can lead to constipation, to three servings per day. If your child’s constipation seems to be caused by toilet training difficulties, consider a temporary delay in training and avoid commenting on his bowel habits for a while, recommends the American Academy of Pediatrics. If he uses the toilet without a problem, encourage him to sit on the toilet and try to have a bowel movement after meals. Make sure he gets plenty of exercise and physical activity, which can help ease constipation. Your child’s doctor may recommend stool softeners or other treatments for severe cases of constipation.
Warning
Physical abnormalities or other disorders can sometimes cause constipation in young children. If normal bowel habits do not resume, have your child’s doctor rule out underlying disorders and form a treatment plan.
