Frequent constipation in children

The cause of constipation in adults is related to bad living habits, especially staying up late, which can cause endocrine disorders, leading to gastrointestinal damage and constipation. But if children are often constipated, parents should pay attention and improve their children's eating habits. Parents should also know that eating too little can also cause constipation, so constipation is not only caused by indigestion.

Causes of constipation in children

1. Improper food ingredients or eating too little.

When the stool becomes dry and hard, the appetite decreases, the food intake decreases, and the amount of feces formed each day is also less. The longer the feces stays in the large intestine, the longer it takes to absorb water, the drier the stool becomes, and the more difficult it is to excrete. If older children only like to eat protein-rich foods and do not eat or eat less vegetables and other foods rich in fiber, it is also easy to cause constipation.

2. Lack of regular bowel movement habits.

Intestinal peristalsis is controlled by neural mechanisms. If you form a habit of regular bowel movements every day, you will want to defecate at the right time. This way, feces will not stay in the colon for too long and the stool will not be too dry, making it easy to excrete.

Sometimes, dry stools may cause anal fissures and pain during defecation. The more you fear the pain, the less willing you are to defecate, and the longer the constipation lasts, the more stubborn it becomes. Some people also frequently use enema and other laxatives, which forms a habit and they are unwilling to defecate without stimulation. Once you know the reason, you can find a way to solve it.

3. Intestinal dysfunction.

Some children have difficulty in defecation due to malnutrition, rickets, hypothyroidism, etc., which causes relaxation of the intestinal and abdominal wall muscles. Some children suffer from frequent constipation due to congenital defects such as Hirschsprung's disease.

What to do if your child has constipation

For children with constipation, you can give your baby an abdominal massage, which can speed up intestinal peristalsis, promote defecation, and help digestion. You can also give your baby a suppository, or insert a glycerin suppository or soap bar into the baby's anus to promote intestinal peristalsis.

1. Massage

Place your palm flat on the baby's navel with your palm facing down, and gently massage in a clockwise direction. This can speed up intestinal peristalsis, promote bowel movements, and aid digestion.

2. Enema

Let the baby lie on his side and cut open the tip of the enema. The tube mouth must be smooth to avoid hurting the baby's skin. Insert the tube of the enema into the baby's anus, gently squeeze the plastic bag to allow the medicine to enter the anus, then pull out the empty shell of the enema, and clamp a clean tissue at the baby's anus to prevent the liquid from overflowing and staining clothes or sheets. Try to let the medicine stay in the baby's body as long as possible to fully stimulate the intestines, soften the stool, and achieve the best laxative effect.

3. Glycerin suppository

Open the wrapping paper of the glycerin suppository, slowly insert it into the baby's anus, and then gently press the anus. Try to wait as long as possible to allow the glycerin suppository to fully melt before encouraging the baby to defecate.

4. Soap bars

Cut the soap into conical strips about 3 cm long and as thick as a pencil. First moisten the soap strips with a little water, then slowly insert them into the baby's anus. Try to let the soap strips stay in the anus for as long as possible to fully promote intestinal peristalsis.

If the above methods do not work, you should take your baby to the hospital in time to check whether the constipation is caused by other diseases.