Constipation can be a painful condition that makes your child cry, irritated and miserable. The frequency of bowel movements can vary, and thus it may be difficult to determine whether your child is constipated or not. Signs of constipation include large, hard and dry stools, painful bowel movements, abdominal pain and bloody stool. Adding fiber to your child's diet can help prevent constipation.
Fiber
Fiber is a form of carbohydrate that your body cannot digest. Found only in plants, fiber includes substances such as pectin, cellulose and lignin. Good dietary sources of fiber include vegetables, fruits, berries and grains, especially whole-grains such as oats, bran, brown rice and whole wheat. The Colorado State University Extension states that children 3 years or younger should consume 19 g of fiber daily and children between 4 to 8 years should get 25 g. Children older than 9 years need 26 to 31 g of fiber on a daily basis depending on their age and gender.
Constipation
Constipation is a condition that happens when your child has a difficulty passing stool. Constipation can be caused by several factors including hard and dry stools, lack of bowel movement or tightening of the muscles in the large intestine that prevent the stool from passing. In addition, due to pain associated with dry stool, your child may try to hold it back, making the problem worse. Constipation that lasts few days is normal. Call your pediatrician if your child's constipation lasts longer than three days.
Fiber and Constipation
A fiber-rich diet is a good way to prevent constipation. Fiber makes stools softer and increases the fecal bulk. Lack of fiber can lead to dry and hard stools that are painful to move along the intestinal tract. Encourage your child to eat fiber-containing foods such as prunes, apricots, plums, raisins, peas, beans, broccoli and whole-grain cereals, bread and pasta. Add vegetable and/or fruit purees to your child's regular meals such as burger patties, meatballs and pasta sauces, to add the fiber content. If you have difficulty making your child eat foods that contain fiber, add fiber powder to your child's meals. You can find fiber powder in a variety of stores and pharmacies.
Prevention
Avoid feeding your child constipating foods such as bananas, rice and sugary, low-fiber cereals. Do not give your children cow's milk until they are over 1 year old. Cow's milk can cause constipation because it is harder to digest than breast milk or formula. Add water to your child's diet. Lack of water can make stools hard and dry, making them difficult to pass.
Treatment
You can try giving your child gripe water to help relieve constipation, suggests Infant-constipation.net. Gripe water is a homeopathic medicine that can contain bicarbonate, ginger, fennel, chamomile and dill. Gripe water may help relieve several gastrointestinal disorders including gas, constipation, colic and reflux. In severe case of constipation, your pediatrician may recommend you give your child a laxative or an enema. However, you should never give your child these without a doctor's recommendation.
References
- Colorado State University Extension; Dietary Fiber; J. Anderson, et al.; December 2010
- "Your Baby's First Year"; The American Academy of Pediatrics; 2nd edition; 2005
- Infant-Constipation.net: Gripe Water
