How to Care for Your Child with Constipation

Your child may:

• Have fewer bowel movements than usual (two or fewer per week)
• Have hard or bigger than average poop
• Feel pain when having a bowel movement
• Arch his or her back and cry (if still a baby)
• Avoid going to the bathroom.
• Have a small amount of blood when they poop due to straining and pushing to get the poop out.
• Leak small amounts of bowel movement into the underwear

Constipation generally resolves with:

• Simple changes in diet or behaviour.
• Drinking enough fluids
• Regular toilet time
• Sometimes medicines may be required.

1. Encourage your child to:

• Eat more fruit, vegetables, cereal, and other foods with fibre
• Drink some prune juice, apple juice, or pear juice
• Drink plenty of water (about 950 mls per day for children over two years old)
• Avoid milk, yoghurt, cheese, and ice cream during the constipation period

Sit on the toilet for 5 or 10 minutes after meals if he or she is toilet trained. Offer rewards just for sitting there.

2. Stop potty training for a while, if you are working on it

Seek medical advice if:

• Your child is younger than four months old
• Your child has recurrent constipation
• You have been trying the steps listed above for more than 24 hours, but your child has still not had a bowel movement
• Your child Has a lot of blood when pooping or on the diaper or underwear
• Your child is in severe pain