What to do if your child has hard stools

The shape of the stool can reflect the child's health status to a certain extent. In addition to being related to diet, if children often have dry and hard stools, it can be mainly divided into functional constipation and constipation caused by gastrointestinal diseases. Different situations require different treatment methods. Only by addressing the symptoms can the child return to normal as soon as possible. So, what should we do if children have dry and hard stools? Let’s take a look at it below.

1. Artificial feeding: Milk contains more soap calcium after digestion, which can easily cause dry stools and thus constipation.

2. Insufficient milk supply: If a child eats less milk, vomits a lot, or takes fluids for feeding, it may cause temporary inability to defecate. In addition, the muscular layer of the digestive tract of newborns is not fully developed, which can easily cause constipation and may be accompanied by vomiting. As long as the child does not lose weight, vomiting and constipation are normal.

3. Mother’s poor diet: The food the mother eats greatly affects the baby. Spicy food can cause indigestion in the baby.

4. Mental factors: Sudden mental stimulation or sudden changes in environment and living habits in children can also cause short-term constipation.

1. Meconium

If no meconium is seen within 24 hours after birth, one should suspect congenital malformation of the digestive tract causing fecal obstruction, which requires prompt diagnosis and treatment. If an older baby has a bowel movement interval of more than 36 hours and no meconium is passed or a small amount of abnormal meconium is passed, this is considered abnormal and attention should be paid to whether the baby has congenital digestive tract malformations or other diseases.

2. Normal stool

If your baby goes more than 48 hours without a bowel movement, he or she may be constipated. Some babies have trouble defecating soon after birth, and only defecate once every 1-2 days or 3-4 days. The feces are dry and hard, and the baby cries constantly during defecation. Because the stool is dry and hard, and defecation is difficult every time, the baby will develop a fear of defecation, leading to a vicious cycle.

Constipation in newborn babies is usually functional constipation, which is often ignored by parents, leading to worsening of the condition. If the baby is constipated for a long time, symptoms such as loss of appetite, abdominal distension and even abdominal pain, dizziness, and restless sleep may occur. In severe cases, symptoms such as rectal prolapse or anal fissure bleeding may occur. Therefore, parents must pay attention and observe closely. If constipation is found, it should be cured as soon as possible, otherwise it will cause serious consequences.