What to do if your child has hemorrhoids

In people's minds, hemorrhoids are a common disease among adults and have nothing to do with children. In fact, it is very common for children to get hemorrhoids. Many parents don’t know what to do after they find out that their children have hemorrhoids. First of all, we need to understand what causes children to get hemorrhoids. After parents know the cause, they should treat it accordingly. It is not recommended to let children undergo hemorrhoid surgery.

1. Can children get hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids can occur in anyone from newborns to the elderly, with the highest incidence in people around 40 years old. Children's hemorrhoids are largely related to their feeding habits. Children nowadays eat more and more delicate food, and their anus is relatively small. If parents do not pay attention to their children's regular bowel movements, they are prone to constipation.

There are many types of perianal diseases, and some newborns have also developed perianal abscesses, but hemorrhoids are the most common. The principle of treating hemorrhoids is that treatment is only needed when there is blood in the stool, protruding lumps, and itching, but surgery is not recommended for children. It is best to use conservative treatment. Children tend to be unable to hold their stool after surgery, so surgery can be performed after adulthood.

2. Why do children have hemorrhoids?

1. No good bowel habits

Children sometimes lose control of their urination and defecation, which leads to soiling their clothes. This is an unavoidable phenomenon and parents should not blame them too much so as not to increase their mental burden. Help your child develop the habit of regular bowel movements. Do not sit on the potty for a long time if you do not feel like defecating.

2. The bedpan is unhygienic

Children usually defecate on the potty. If the edge of the potty is damaged, it may scratch the skin; if the potty is not clean, it may cause bacterial infection. Therefore, parents should pay attention to the hygiene of the potty. Moreover, most children wear open-crotch pants and often sit on the floor, which often leads to infections and injuries. We should also help them overcome this bad habit.

3. Anal unsanitary

The nerves and muscles of infants are not yet fully developed, and they have poor control over their bowels. They have to defecate as soon as they have to, so they have frequent bowel movements. The frequency of bowel movements may even exceed the number of feedings, and the stools are often loose. This is normal and parents do not need to worry too much about it. Due to frequent bowel movements and often loose stools, if diapers are not changed in time, it can easily cause redness, ulceration, and infection of the anal skin, commonly known as "red buttocks."

3. How to prevent hemorrhoids

1. Drink honey

Start with your diet, drink some honey, have regular bowel movements, and prevent constipation, and most hemorrhoids will disappear on their own.

2. Pay attention to the hygiene of the bedpan

Parents should pay attention to the hygiene of potty and help them overcome the bad habit of sitting on the floor.

3. Regular bowel movements

Help your child develop the habit of regular bowel movements. Do not sit on the potty for a long time if you do not feel like defecating.

4. Maintain anal hygiene

Keep the baby's anus clean and healthy, and change diapers regularly. At the same time, wash the baby's butt with warm water or warm salt water after the baby has a bowel movement. It is best to wash diapers in boiling water and expose them to the sun. When a baby has a red buttocks, you can apply some prickly heat powder on it after washing.