Constipation in Children: 7 Common Symptoms Parents Should Know

Constipation in Children

Constipation is when a child’s stool is markedly hard or their bowel movements are fewer than usual. Although every child has a unique bowel pattern, most medical practitioners regard fewer than three bowel movements per week as constipation. Besides this, children may feel pain or difficulty passing stools.

There are many day-to-day reasons for constipation. It can be due to change in diet, insufficient fiber, not drinking enough water, or a child being scared of having painful bowel movements, which are the most typical causes. Sometimes children unwillingly hold stool when they are in pain, and this habit of stool retention only worsens the problem over time. Besides disrupting a child’s physical state, constipation can also deteriorate the child’s mood, reduce appetite, and hamper chances for physical development and learning, making parents’ timely recognition very essential.

7 Common Symptoms of Constipation in Children

Children often cannot express their digestive discomfort. Recognizing these typical signs can help parents identify constipation in their kids at an early stage and begin treatment to ease their child’s discomfort.

1. Reduction in Frequency of Bowel Movements

The very first symptom of constipation might be a change in how regularly your kid uses the bathroom. If a kid has less than three bowel movements a week or goes for few days without stool, it can signify constipation.

2. Hard, Dry, or Large Stools

One of the common signs of constipation is kids passing stools that are hard, dry, or small, round, and pellet-like. Sometimes, the stool is big and thus uncomfortable or difficult to pass.

3. Presence of Pain While Defecating

When your child cries or tells you that defecation is painful, they might be indicating constipation. Painful incidents can also make kids scared of the toilet.

4. Stomach Pain or Bloating

If stool accumulates in the intestines, this can cause increased pressure in the abdomen. Kids might tell you that their abdomen hurt, they got cramps, or they feel really full and bloated. 

5. Stool Stains in Underwear

At times, a small amount of liquid stool may leak from the rectum as the feces become hardened. These secretions may be noticed as stains in the child’s underwear, which is often wrongly assumed to be diarrheal stool. However, it is a sign of constipation in most cases.

6. Avoiding or Holding Back Bowel Movements

The children who fear pain might even try to hold off on using the toilet. Parents may see signs like kids crossing their legs, tightening their muscles or making strange motions as if they were doing a small “dance”.

7. Loss of Appetite or Irritability

Since constipation causes discomfort and bloating, they tend to have less interest in food. Furthermore, some children reports becoming moody or even experience outbursts of anger that are not typical for them when they are uncomfortable.

When Parents Should See a Doctor

It is normal to sometimes have constipation, and usually it can be solved with few simple changes in lifestyle. But if the problem continues for more than two weeks or happens quite often, parents should get their child’s health checked.

If one of the following symptoms is found with constipation, the patient should be taken to the hospital immediately: 

• Blood in stool, 
• Severe stomach pain, 
• Constant vomiting, 
• A swollen tummy, 
• or losing weight without a reason
• Rectal prolapse or feel great pain while passing stools.

One of the signs that there is a large amount of stool in the intestines is if your child refuses to use the toilet because of pain or continues having accidents in the underwear. Finding out the root cause by talking with a pediatrician at the best pediatric hospital in Hisar will make sure that your child gets proper treatment before the problem becomes serious.

Simple Ways Parents Can Help at Home

Most constipation cases in children can be easily resolved by making some simple lifestyle changes, for example:

• Incorporating fruits, veggies, and whole grains into meals which are all high in fiber.
• Making sure the child drinks enough fluids because water is what makes stool soft.
• Setting up a fixed time for the child to use the toilet, particularly after meals.
• Motivating the child to do physical activities, play outside and move around so that their digestive system gets a boost.

By being patient and consistent, these little measures are capable of enhancing the bowel health as well as the overall child’s development being of a healthy nature.

Final Thoughts

Constipation is common problem among children but it should never be overlooked. In fact, what might initially seem to be a small inconvenience can slowly impact a kid’s comfort level, their eating habits and their emotional state. 

Parents need to recognize the initial signs and change the lifestyle of their children to keep their digestion healthy. Only in rare instances will children need to visit a doctor, since most children get better after diet adjustments and performing daily activities.

At Sarvesh Health City, the best pediatric hospital in Hisar, the pediatric’s team is always ready to offer guidance and a helping hand in resolving digestive issues, so your children can grow up healthy and comfortable, and focus on learning as the most important phases of child’s development.