Constipation in children Sometimes what is normal for one child is not for another. This also occurs in the defecation patterns that each one has. Boys and girls, just like us adults, can regularly suffer from an episode of constipation, causing a series of discomforts in them. For this reason, it is important to prevent and solve it. To do this, there must be a series of healthy guidelines that will favor the intestinal transit of children.
In this para Babies article, we are going to see when to worry in the event that the boy or girl has constipation, what are the home remedies for constipation in children , what foods are good for these cases and what natural infant laxatives we can give safely.
Contents
Constipation in children: when to worry?
Constipation is a fairly common problem in our society, including children. It occurs when you have not had a bowel movement for many days and the stools are hard, which bother or cause pain when expelling them. It can also be accompanied by pain in the abdomen and bright red bleeding from the anus, among others.
There is no specific number of days to know if a child is constipated or not, since it is normal for one to have a bowel movement every day and for another every three days. The important thing is to observe that when you do it, the stools are not hard or in the form of balls, nor that it causes pain when doing so.
Childhood constipation is usually not serious and can be treated. However, there are cases in which it is convenient to take the child to the pediatrician, because there may be something more than simple constipation:
- If constipation has been established for two weeks or more.
- The child does not eat .
- He has a fever .
- The abdomen is swollen .
- You are losing weight .
- Blood is seen in the stool.
- It hurts to pass stool.
- A piece of intestine is sticking out through the anus, which is known as a prolapsed rectum .
- In the following sections, we tell you how to get rid of constipation quickly in children and what can be given to a child with constipation.
15 Natural Remedies for Constipation in Children
What is good for constipation in children? As we mentioned in the previous section, childhood constipation can be treated. Next we will see healthy habits, natural solutions and home remedies for constipation in children:
Hydration : The boy or girl has to drink plenty of water and liquids, especially in the summer, and even more so if they usually suffer from constipation.
The consumption of foods rich in fiber, along with water, help the stool to become softer, which greatly facilitates its evacuation. But if the child is less than three years old, we must be careful with the fiber, since his intestine has a slower rhythm than ours and an excess of this can cause an excessively large fecal mass.
Physical activity: Exercising is one of the natural laxatives for children. It is necessary to encourage games that require movement and avoid a sedentary lifestyle, since in this way intestinal movements are secondarily stimulated. Here you will find 40 games and activities for boys and girls at home .
Establish routines : If we talk about home remedies for constipation in children, establishing routines is very important, including going to the bathroom. After eating, get him used to sitting on the putty or toilet for a while every day.
Teach him to listen to your needs : You have to make your little one understand that if he wants to poop he doesn’t have to put up with it, even if he is having a great time playing.
Offer rewards : Avoid getting angry with him or punishing him if he doesn’t succeed and reward him for his effort and for having tried regularly.
Beware of medications : If your son or daughter is being treated with a drug, check the package insert to see if it may be causing constipation. If so, you can check with your pediatrician to see if another medication can be substituted.
Consume probiotics : Probiotics are living organisms beneficial to our intestines, present in yogurts and other foods. These help repair the imbalance of bacteria that may be in the intestine.
Take prebiotics : Prebiotics are elements that cannot be digested by our body, but serve as food for a group of bacteria that are beneficial to us, which causes them to increase.
Abdominal massage . If the child has a tummy ache due to the accumulation of gases and constipation, you can give him a small massage on his belly in a clockwise direction , since this is the direction that the intestine follows. Abdominal massage is a natural laxative for children. This relieves the pain a little and favors the expulsion of gases and intestinal movement.
Hot water baths : The previous massage will have more effect if you previously take a hot water bath for about 10-15 minutes, being careful not to burn. This will relax them.
Caution with sugar . Certain foods such as industrial fruit juices or jams contain a large amount of sugar that children do not digest well and can lead to aggravating intestinal problems.
Avoid certain foods :Another of the remedies for constipation in children is to put aside astringent foods such as white rice, cooked carrots or potatoes, as well as processed foods such as sliced bread or pastries, as it would be counterproductive.
Out stress : Although it is difficult for us to think, children can also suffer from stress, and there are times that consequently they retain the stool due to nerves or anxiety. So we must try not to be so strict with them and try to understand them more. Here you will find 15 relaxation exercises for boys and girls .
Pause diaper removal : If you are in the process of leaving the diaper and the child suffers from constipation, it is best to forget it until it does not improve, since otherwise it can worsen even more. Such a change requires time and a process of adaptation.
If your son or daughter is still a baby, in this article, we tell you what are the home remedies for constipation in newborn babies .
Foods for constipation in children
As we can see, there is no instant home and natural remedy for constipation. Rather, it is about adopting healthy habits, routines and strategies to promote proper intestinal transit. As for food, we know that it should be healthy and varied, but is there any food that is hand of saint for infant constipation? There are certain foods that we can use as allies in the constipation of our sons and daughters. They are the following:
Foods with a high fiber content : whole grains, legumes, vegetables and some fruits such as plums, grapes, kiwi or pear.
Probiotics : Yogurt, Sauerkraut, Kimchi, or Kefir.
Prebiotics : bananas, onions, garlic and honey. Let us remember that honey for constipation in children cannot be given before they are one year old.
Others: some foods such as olive oil are used for constipation.
natural laxatives
We must bear in mind that we should never give children enemas or laxatives on our own without first consulting the pediatrician, as they can be dangerous to their health. For this reason, we must choose foods that act as natural laxatives as the first option, before using the laxative formulas that they sell us in supermarkets, even if they are designed for children or no matter how natural they are.
Two good choices are kiwi and plums . Both cannot be given to children under one year of age. Plums in particular contain a substance called sorbitol that has a natural laxative effect In this article, you will see if fruit porridge works for constipated babies.
