What are the treatment methods for constipation in young children?

Many people have experienced constipation. As we all know, long-term constipation is very uncomfortable. The whole person's spirit will become very bad and the appetite will be seriously reduced. Therefore, constipation is very harmful to adults, not to mention infants and young children. Once the baby has constipation, there is no need to take medicine early. Parents can take the following conditioning methods.

1. Give your baby enough water

Babies should drink boiled water in small amounts and multiple times. Do not drink only when they are thirsty, and do not replace boiled water with fruit juice.

2. Foods rich in fiber

For example: sweet potatoes, potatoes, pumpkin, water spinach, broccoli, peas, soybeans, Chinese cabbage, as well as pears, apricots, plums, prunes, blueberries, etc. (many mothers recommend prune puree and pea puree for good results).

It is important to note that the American Academy of Pediatrics' popular science website recommends that babies with constipation should eat less bananas. This is because bananas have a relatively low fiber content, and green bananas (unripe bananas) have a relatively high starch and pectin content, which may actually aggravate constipation.

3. Prepare milk powder according to the prescribed ratio

Some parents are afraid that their babies are not full, so they often add an extra spoonful of milk powder when making the milk powder, or turn a flat spoon into a full spoon. This is inappropriate.

4. Sufficient activity

For example, simple crawling and walking can help intestinal peristalsis and assist defecation.

5. Abdominal massage

Center on the baby's belly button, massage clockwise 10 times, and rest for 5 minutes. Repeat 3 times.

6. Leg flexion and extension exercise

Let the baby lie on his back, hold the baby's legs and do flexion and extension exercises for a total of 10 times, and then flex and extend one leg 10 times. This can promote the baby's intestinal peristalsis and facilitate the discharge of feces.

7. Relieve baby's tension

For example, if your baby refuses to defecate because he is not familiar with the kindergarten toilet, you should communicate more with the kindergarten teacher and encourage your baby to defecate at a more convenient time.

8. Let your baby develop good bowel habits

When your baby is old enough to start toilet training, you can let your baby sit on the toilet for a while every day, preferably after meals. If the baby does not have a bowel movement, sit for a while and then get up; if the baby has a bowel movement, encourage him/her.

Why after meals? This is because after eating, the peristalsis of the intestines will increase, promoting the advancement of feces and creating the urge to defecate. Therefore, for children with constipation, you can let them squat for about 10 minutes after a meal. This will make it easier for them to defecate, help them develop the habit of independent defecation, and thus improve constipation.

9. Vegetable oil/enema

First, steam the vegetable oil for about 20 minutes to sterilize it. After the oil cools down, dip a sterilized cotton swab in the vegetable oil and gently insert it into the baby's anus about 1 cm to promote defecation. Or you can also use a suppository. However, this method cannot be used frequently to avoid forming a psychological dependence.