Constipation occurs when the muscles at the end of your child's large intestine tighten, preventing the stool from passing through normally. It can be difficult to tell if your child is constipated because every child has different bowel movement patterns. If he goes three to four days without passing a stool, or if his stool is hard, dry or painful to pass, he may be constipated. In some cases, drinking more than a few cups of milk each day can contribute to constipation.
Binding
According to American Family Physician, foods such as dairy products and bananas have a binding effect. This means that it can make your child's stool more solid than usual, causing her to have a difficult or painful time passing it. However, milk and other dairy products do not affect everyone the same way. Even though it has a binding effect for some, it may not have a binding effect for your child.
Low Fiber
Milk and other dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt, are low in fiber. Fiber absorbs water in your child's intestine and makes stool soft and less painful to pass. If your child fills up on too much milk, preventing him from having room for high-fiber foods, such as whole grains, peas, beans, broccoli, apricots, plums and prunes, he may experience constipation.
Remedies
You can help relieve your child's constipation and encourage her bowels to move along by offering her water or prune juice. You also can massage her stomach in a gentle circular motion or encourage her to move around. American Family Physician states that you also may want to consider a trial period of no milk or any other foods that seem to make your child constipated.
Recommendations
If your child's constipation does not seem to be improving, or if he is experiencing dehydration, lack of activity or anxiety when it comes to using the toilet, talk to his doctor. He may recommend the use of a laxative to help relieve the constipation or might have other suggestions for remedies that you can try at home.
