Constipation
Got a kid who's constipated? (The poor thing!) Get the scoop on hard-to-pass poop!
Constipation—the inability to easily pass stools—can be a result of too little water in your kid's intestines and/or poor muscle tone in the lower intestines and rectum. You might notice constipation symptoms in your child (hard, dry stools that are painful to pass) after a change in diet.
To treat your child's constipation at home, increase the fluids (water and prune juice are especially good) and offer your child foods like prunes, peaches, plums and pears, which act like natural stool softeners.
To prevent constipation in children, be sure your child is eating a fiber-rich diet including foods like bran, whole grain bread and fibrous veggies like broccoli, beans and peas. You should also try limiting foods that tend to bind kids up, like rice, bananas, apples, milk and cheese.
While a constipated child's stool may be streaked with blood when he does finally manage to have a BM, you should contact your doc if your home remedies seem ineffective or if you're at all worried about your child's health. Your doctor can discuss alternative options to help clear up the plumbing and get your kid moving again.
report abuseTo treat your child's constipation at home, increase the fluids (water and prune juice are especially good) and offer your child foods like prunes, peaches, plums and pears, which act like natural stool softeners.
To prevent constipation in children, be sure your child is eating a fiber-rich diet including foods like bran, whole grain bread and fibrous veggies like broccoli, beans and peas. You should also try limiting foods that tend to bind kids up, like rice, bananas, apples, milk and cheese.
While a constipated child's stool may be streaked with blood when he does finally manage to have a BM, you should contact your doc if your home remedies seem ineffective or if you're at all worried about your child's health. Your doctor can discuss alternative options to help clear up the plumbing and get your kid moving again.
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