Constipation in children
Constipation is one of the most common problems faced by children. Many of the cases that are defined in the definition of constipation depend on the child’s output habit and the nature of his stool. These cases are either difficulty in the output or more effort at that, and may feel pain at the exit, and may come out a small amount of blood with the stool as a result of the anatomy of the anus. Constipation is also relatively stable and can vary in size, such as being large or small in size, as well as going to the bathroom to stand out less often than usual, generally less than three times a week.
The causes of constipation are usually divided into two parts. Most cases are produced for no known reason, and the rest are caused by known disorders or conditions. It is necessary to take the child with constipation to the doctor to determine the cause of the child’s age, and to prevent chronic health problems. Depends heavily on the child’s age, food, activity and movement. It is noted that most children who suffer from constipation eat foods that lack the necessary fiber for the bowel movement, as well as drink little fluids, and may suffer from personal problems causing the disease Anxiety, or they may face problems in getting used to use the toilet.
Treatment of constipation in children
The treatment of constipation begins by determining the underlying cause. If it is due to a disease, it must be treated. The common type, which occurs without a known cause, is treated in many ways:
- Feeding children with fiber-rich foods such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, popcorn and protein-rich milk, as well as drinking enough fluids, such as water, milk and fruit juice rich in fructose and sorbitol, have a reduced effect while reducing their intake of sugary drinks.
- The use of fecal compounds for stool: to compensate for the child’s lack of food rich in fiber, and when using these compounds, the child may need to eat for up to several weeks, so parents should consult with the doctor before stopping them, and not rush if the child’s condition improves, Use glycerin suppositories to get rid of constipation.
- The first is the so-called macrojolz, which is used to add water to the child and drink it, and works with the property of osmosis, withdraws water from the body to the large intestine Vellin stool, One of these drugs is lactose. The other type stimulates the intestine to produce the waste, and is used with the macrojules if not found the latter useful, and has many species, such as sodium picosolvite, bisacodil, and ducosit sodium.
- Exercise the child to use the toilet: as well as accustom to use at specific times, such as encouraging the child to go to the bathroom as he wakes from sleep, and after each meal.
- In rare cases, the child may be admitted to the hospital for a short period if he has suffered from severe constipation, or for a long time or after the failure of the above methods in his treatment. Doctors then use enemas to empty the intestines of the waste.
- Massage the baby’s abdomen: This may relax the abdominal muscles and improve bowel movement.
Causes of constipation in children
There is no known cause of most constipation, although there are some pathological conditions that cause it, as well as many drugs that cause constipation as one of its side effects. The main causes of constipation in children are as follows:
- The child may not go to the bathroom. This may be due to many reasons, most notably the reluctance of the child to do so. , Which in turn exacerbates constipation in children, possibly due to the lack of cleanliness of the bathrooms in the school, or places frequented by the child usually.
- Child’s transition from breast-feeding to formula milk: Children who take breast milk have a higher rate of defecation compared to their counterparts who take formula milk.
- Eat foods that lack fiber, as well as lack of drinking liquids, and children who eat sugars significantly more constipation than others.
- Suffering from certain conditions: Some diseases cause chronic constipation, most notably hypothyroidism, which is often detected at an early age, but may occur in any age group, diabetes and cystic fibrosis, and disorders of the nervous system such as cerebral palsy, but if suffered Child from constipation from birth should be tested to ensure that he is not infected with Hirschpring, which is the absence of a type of nerve cells in the colon since birth, and symptoms appear in the first weeks of life of the child, may be severely constipated if the child has undergone changes in his body As a result of some Diseases are common, such as suffering from certain infections that cause dehydration, high fever, general fatigue, loss of appetite. The prevalence of constipation from paralyzed children is also noted for their lack of movement, as well as the exposure of children who are constantly exposed to lead to chronic constipation.