Child with trapped intestine – know what to do with constipation in children.
Constipation is bad for everyone, but for babies and children it can be even more unpleasant. After all, little ones are still developing and can’t understand how important pooping is to their health.
Bowel obstruction in infants, also known as constipation or trapped bowel, is characterized by the child having unusual difficulty or effort to defecate. The parental warning signal should occur when the child or baby has two or fewer bowel movements per week.
After 1 year of age, the child must defecate at least three times a week. However, the ideal is that this happens daily and the stool has a normal appearance: regular, not too much volume, neither dark nor light and moist.
Tips and guidelines to help parents know what to do if their children have constipation.
How do you recognize constipation in children?
Observe the child’s behavior and see if he or she has abdominal discomfort, pain in the abdomen, hard and dry stools, or bleeding. Even those who are not yet talking usually show signs that there is a problem in the bowel.
With babies and toddlers, it’s easier to notice signs of constipation because, after all, the diaper is a parent’s ally. If the changes are only because of peeing, something is wrong.
With the big ones, the way to go is to monitor the toilet trips and always ask if everything is okay with the poop. If you get them used to it from a young age, it’s probably not surprising.
What can cause constipation in children?
In general, there are two main causes that lead to constipation in young children:
● Problems in feeding
● Behavioral problems.
If your child is already eating solid foods, then this may be the cause of the problem. It is important to know if the food he is given is not contributing to the constipation. This occurs when the food contains a small amount of liquid or fiber.
Behavioral problems that can accompany constipation include stress – such as the birth of a new brother or sister – resistance to using the toilet, and a desire for control. Some take longer to drop the diaper and have difficulty emptying themselves on toilets or potties. There is a child who intentionally stops because he wants to play with his classmates. In addition, there are situations where the child withholds stool because he has an anal fissure that hurts.
In children who do not defecate when the natural urge arises, the rectum is stretched to accommodate the stool. After the rectum stretches, the urge to empty decreases and more feces accumulates and hardens. A vicious cycle is created that makes constipation progressively worse and can trigger further problems.
There is a third, much more unusual cause that can also occur: the use of medications, physical disorders or toxins. In this case, only a careful examination by a doctor can determine the cause.
How to stop constipation in children?
Since most cases of constipation are associated with food, the solution is usually good along these lines.
Encourage the consumption of fruits, water, juices, fiber, vegetables and whole grains, as these can help regulate the child’s bowels. On the other hand, avoid foods that cause constipation, such as milk, cheese, pasta, potatoes, flour and banana-apples.
These eating habits should be daily and alternate so that children can eat balanced meals.
Physical activity is also important for the proper functioning of the intestines. Let the boy and girl run, play ball, jump and move around as much as you can.
Be very careful with home prescriptions and medications such as laxatives and suppositories. These types of alternatives are more extreme and should only be used with medical advice.
If the cause of the trapped bowel is organic, due to medications, toxins or disease, there is nothing parents can do but seek specialist help.
