Constipation in little kids is usually temporary and caused by dietary changes or premature toilet training. In nearly all cases, home treatment can ease constipation and prevent a recurrence. Sometimes laxatives or other medical care is needed to prevent stool impaction, anal fissures and other complications. Consult your child's pediatrician if his constipation lasts longer than 14 days, fails to respond to home treatment or is accompanied by vomiting, fever, bloody stool, weight loss, abdominal pain or other symptoms.
Step 1
Feed your child plenty of high-fiber foods, such as whole grains, beans, vegetables and fruits. Limit the amount of meat, processed foods and dairy in his diet. Fiber helps bulk and soften stools, making them easier to pass.
Step 2
Increase the amount of fluid your little kid takes in, especially if he begins a high-fiber diet. Offer water regularly throughout the day and make sure he drinks extra fluids after sweating and when he is ill. Milk may increase constipation, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Step 3
Create a routine for your child that includes sufficient time on the toilet, preferably within 30 minutes of mealtimes. If your child eats and sits on the toilet at the same time every day, his body may naturally fall into a routine. Let him spend as much time on the toilet as necessary.
Step 4
Relieve constipation associated with anxiety by encouraging your child to perform deep breathing exercises before bowel movements and by massaging your child's abdomen to help relax the muscles that support the intestines.
Step 5
Encourage your child to get plenty of exercise, at least some every day, to promote bowel movements. Exercise speeds up the movement of food through the large intestine, which limits the amount of water the body absorbs from the stool to prevent it from becoming hard, dry and difficult to pass.
Step 6
Speak with your child's pediatrician about any medications that may be contributing to his constipation. Antidepressants, antacids and other common medications can cause constipation in little kids.
Step 7
Give your child laxatives only under the supervision of a pediatrician or other medical professional. Different types of laxatives work in different ways and each type can potentially cause side effects in your child. Your pediatrician can advise you on the type and dose appropriate for your child.
Tips and Warnings
- Not all little kids have a bowel movement every day, and the frequency of bowel movements is not enough to diagnose constipation. Constipation in children may cause difficult or painful bowel movements, large and hard stools, abdominal pain, stool withholding, or a leakage of stool into the child's underwear.
