What should I do if my child is constipated?

Children's digestive system is not as strong as that of adults, so special attention should be paid to their diet. Children are constipated because they eat improperly, which causes the digestive system to be unable to keep up. Eating too cold or unclean food can cause constipation in children. When a child is constipated, you cannot give him or her adult medicine at will. If the medicine is not taken correctly, it may make the child feel worse. It is best to take the medicine as prescribed by the doctor.

1. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the reason why children suffer from constipation is that their physique is dry and hot. Therefore, children with constipation can eat more melon fruits, such as watermelon, cantaloupe, Hami melon, etc., to eliminate the heat in their bodies. If your child doesn’t like the taste of this type of fruit, you can sprinkle some condensed milk, yogurt or ice cream on the fruit so that the rich sweet milk flavor can cover the melon flavor. In addition, parents should often cook some mung bean and coix seed porridge for their children, which can also help relieve fever and promote bowel movements.

2. Appropriate exercise: Parents should encourage their children to participate in more sports. Because exercise can increase intestinal motility and promote defecation. Parents can also gently massage their children's abdomen in a clockwise direction with their navel as the center before they go to bed. This will not only promote their children's intestinal peristalsis, but also help them fall asleep. In addition, gently pressing the following two acupoints one hour after the child eats can also promote bowel movements.

Zusanli Point: This point is located 3 inches below the lower edge of the patella and 1 inch on the outer side of the tibia. You can press continuously for 1 to 2 minutes. Zhigou Point: This point is located 3 inches above the transverse line on the back of the wrist, between the ulna and radius. Can be pressed continuously for 1-2 minutes

3. Cleverly supplement fiber. If your child usually hates to eat vegetables and fruits, you can let him eat more fungus, king oyster mushroom, seaweed, kelp, dried fruit and other foods to increase his fiber intake and promote his bowel movements.

It is not good for children to eat too much at one time, as it is bad for their health. Moreover, they are still growing, so their stomachs are particularly small. The best way is to eat small meals frequently and feed them when they are hungry, but not too much. Maintaining a healthy diet can effectively prevent constipation in children, and drinking plenty of water is also good for children.