Constipation

Causes of Constipation in Children

• There are many different causes of constipation in children. It can be difficult to find just one obvious reason.
• Most children have what’s known as functional constipation. This means that there’s no underlying physical cause. Their bowel should work properly, but for some reason they’ve become constipated.
• When children don’t drink enough or have a well-balanced diet their poo can become hard to pass.
• An illness such as a stomach bug can cause dehydration and some medications can be constipating.
• Children with additional needs such as autism or a learning disability are more likely to have tummy problems and become constipated.
• A change in routine such as starting potty training, starting school or feeling worried about something. When children feel anxious it can be hard for them to relax on the potty or toilet.

Symptoms of Constipation

• Doing fewer than 4 poos in a week. Ideally, children should pass some soft poo every day, or at least every other day.
• Pooing more than 3 times a day. This can show that their bowel is full, and poo is leaking out a bit at a time (soiling). It might be hard bits of poo, soft or even liquid poo called overflow.
• Poo that looks like little pellets or rabbit droppings.
• Big poos, or lots of poo all at once.
• Pain when they poo and needing to strain. There may even be some bleeding when they poo or afterwards. Hard, large poos can cause an ‘anal fissure’ or small tear in the bottom.
• Having a swollen, painful tummy. They might not feel like eating, or even feel sick.
• Smelly poo, wind, and bad breath.
• Bladder problems such as doing lots of small wees, needing to wee urgently, bedwetting and urinary tract infections.
• Difficulty with potty training including children who refuse to poo unless they are wearing a nappy.

How to Treat Constipation

• The best way to get rid of constipation is to treat it as early as possible. The longer it’s left, the harder it will be to treat.
• Use a poo diary to keep track of their bowel habits for a few days.  Record what their poo looks like using the Poo Checker, how often they’re going and if they’re in any pain.
• Book an appointment for your child to be seen by your GP. Take the poo diary with you.
• The doctor should examine your child and check to make sure the constipation hasn’t been caused by an underlying condition.
• If your GP diagnoses your child with constipation, they prescribe medicine ( laxatives)
• Constipation is not a problem that can be helped by a change in diet only, or waiting for your child to ‘grow out of it.’

Using Laxatives to Treat Constipation

• Laxatives are the recommended treatment for constipation relief in children.
• Medication like Movicol, Laxido or CosmoCol should be prescribed to soften their poo and help move it along.
• These laxatives need to be given correctly for them to work properly.
• Overflow soiling may get worse before it gets better. There is no magic wand for treating  constipation. It takes patience and hard work.
• Most children start with disimpaction – this means having increasing amounts of laxatives to clear out the backlog of poo.
• Younger children and babies can also be treated with laxatives if your doctor thinks they are needed.
• Some children may need to take laxatives for a long time to keep their poo soft and regular. You might feel worried about this, but you needn’t be. Undertreating constipation does more harm to the bowel in the long term.

How can I prevent my Child from becoming Constipated?

• Make sure they have at least 6-8 water based drinks every day
• Include fruit and vegetables in their diet
• Encourage them to follow a regular toilet routine: sitting on the toilet or potty after every meal and using a footstool to support their feet
• Give them plenty of opportunities to exercise and move around
• Don’t stop giving laxatives too early