INFANT CONSTIPATION - OVERVIEW

Infant constipation, like constipation in adults, is a common cause of abdominal pain in this age group. Children can have a very wide range of variations in the frequency at which they open their bowel. Constipation can occur in the newborn, infant, toddler, or indeed a child of any age.

Babies who are being breast fed will usually open their bowel with each breast feeding, and could pass stool up to 5 times a day. Bottle fed babies on the other hand can pass stool only once a day or even once every two or three days.

Each child comes up with what is normal for him or her within this range of passing stool up to 5 or 6 times a day to passing stool only once in 2 or 3 days. Infant constipation can said to occur if there is a deviation from what is normal for that child, both in frequency and consistency.

Infant constipation is a very common problem. Up to one in every ten child suffers with constipation at one time or the other. The good news is that most causes of constipation in children are not due to medical problems.

In the neonatal period (first 28 days of life), constipation is rare in breast feed children, and could occur in bottle feed kids.

Between the first months to the first year of life, the bowel habit of a child could change considerably, reflecting changes in feeding patterns, constituents and consistency.

Up to ninety-five percent of constipation after age one often arising from deliberate with holding of faces due to reluctance to go to toilet or "fear of defecation" due potty training. Rarely infant constipation is caused by a medical condition that will require some form of intervention.

Constipation in infants, whether caused by potentially serious medical conditions or change in feeding pattern and constituents, or poor potty training, needs attention.

Unresolved constipation in children leads to stacking of stool in the child's rectum, with resultant distension and abdominal pain.

Children with prolonged constipation more prone to developing urinary tract infection.

We shall discuss in more details, causes of constipation in children, but briefly, the following are non-medical causes of infant constipation:

• Changing over from breast milk to bottle feeds, or to solid meals
• Potty training anxiety. This is especially common in toddlers and older children. Parents should not be too harsh with potty training. It could cause the kids to resist opening their bowel
• Playing and not like getting distracted, thus not going to the loo
• Eating food not rich in fibre: eating to much desserts and candy or chocolate
• Not drinking enough water or fluids.
• Medication. Some kiddie’s medications like cough medication can cause constipation.

Medical conditions which cause infant constipation or constipation in children conditions are often as a result of defects arising from birth. They include:

• Down’s Syndrome
• Lack or blocked anus from birth (anal stenosis)
• Hirschsprung’s disease… this is a problem from birth where the child does not have the type of nerve cells that connect the brain to the gut. The brain can not therefore communicate with the gut to go to toilet.

  The child becomes severely constipated and the belly distended. The disease is usually diagnosed from very early childhood, a few days after birth. Treatment is by operation. Other medical abnormalities that could cause infant constipation include:

• Cystic fibrosis

• Prune belly syndrome

• Low thyroid function

• Diabetes

• Lead poisoning

• Reduced or excessive body electrolyte

• Sexual abuse.

If your child is having constipation, try to understand what may be causing the constipation and help resolve it.In newborn babies, a few days old, discuss with your doctor immediately. Constipation in this age group if on breast milk may be due to medical problems.

For children just weaned, they may settle to become used to their new meal. They may otherwise need more fibre rich diet.For non medical constipation, good potty training, encouraging the child to drink liquid that has some bulk to it like corn syrup, or fruit juice may help.

For a older child, a diet rich in fibre is highly recommended, containing pulses, vegetables, oats, beans, and fruits.

Karo, Movicol, Senna and Lactulose could be used at the advice of a qualified medical doctor. Always check from your doctor. Infant constipation do not usually require laxatives initially. Infant Constipation Misery? Ring a G.P now.

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