How To Treat Your Kid’s Constipation Naturally

Constipation at a young age is the most common problem targeting 30 percent of the children around the world. Almost 10% to 25% of the pediatric gastroenterology visits is due to the constipation problems. The cost of health care is about three times greater for the kids suffering from constipation. In the United States alone, the cost of healthcare for children suffering from constipation is about $3.9billion per annum.

When your child is suffering from constipation, he/she may experience the following things:

Lumpy, dry, or hard stool
Lesser bowel movements a week
A painful stool that is hard to pass

If your child is suffering from constipation, he/she may experience difficulties in passing the entire stool. It is a proven fact that some children get more bowel movements than others; so if one child is experiencing less bowel movement, it could be normal a normal thing in comparison to the one experiencing more bowel movement.

Once the children start growing older, they experience a significant change in their bowel movement. The number of bowel movements that a child experiences per day declines progressively with age. Same goes for infants. The bowel movement of an infant changes rapidly during the first few months and weeks of life.

It is a common thing among Infants on breastfeed to experience no bowel movement for many days. Constipation among children is a common disease that is at times functional without an organic etiology. There are many reasons of constipation among children. The most common reasons are as follows:

Developmental Milestones

An infant or a young child may suffer from constipation three times more than adult. Constipation usually starts when an infant is on pureed foods or cereals. A young child may also experience constipation during toilet training and early school days.

Parents should understand the factors contributing to constipation and find out ways to eliminate it among children. Understanding the possible factors and working on it from the early stages prevents constipation from happening among children. Infants changing their diet from breast milk to solid foods and formula may also experience constipation during the early days.

Emotional Issues

Not willing to use public restrooms, and holding onto their bowel movements is the leading cause of constipation among children. Constipation is also regular during the early stages of toilet training.
If your child is not willing to use the toilet, he/she may experience constipation due to withholding. Constipation is common among children suffering from painful bowel movements.
If a child is experiencing stress because of friends, school, or family, he/she may experience constipation. Children who are not prone to using restrooms at school may also face the problem.
Power struggles are a common factor among children due to which they hold onto their bowel movements on purpose.

Diet

Constipation is common among children eating high fatty foods like fast foods and junk foods. Diet rich in fiber is ideal for a healthy digestive system.
Not enough intakes of water and fluids.
Change of diet among babies shifting from breast milk to solid foods or formula.

Lack of Physical Activity

Lack of physical activity among children is a major cause of constipation. Exercise plays a vital role in moving digested food through the intestines.

Attention

In certain situations when children are busy playing or doing something else, they ignore the signs their body is giving to have a bowel movement. This causes constipation and bloating as children forget to go to the washroom.
Constipation is common among children starting a new year at school. They cannot go to the bathroom whenever they feel the urge, and are forced to change their bowel routine.

Treatment for Constipation

Constipation is normally treated in three different ways: Healthy toilet habits, fluid, and solid diet.

Healthy Diet

A clean diet is important for your digestive system. Physicians mostly recommend a diet containing high-fiber. Of course, this is backed up by plenty of fluids. A fiber-based diet normally contains:

Black beans, lentils, chickpeas, pasta, kidney beans, and soybeans
Whole-grain foods like oatmeal, pasta, cereals, and bread
Fresh vegetables like green peas, broccoli, and carrots
Fruits like pears, apples, oranges, and berries
Almonds, pecans, and nuts

Water Intake

Drinking sufficient water throughout the day plays a crucial role in making the fiber work better, and it improves your overall digestive system. Children should avoid drinking carbonated beverages and sugary drinks.

Healthy Toilet Habits

If your child understands the toilet habits, ask him/her to sit on the toilet for at least 10 minutes twice a day after eating. Bowel movements usually happen after a meal, and if your child understands that, reward him/her with a treat even in no bowel movement.
To encourage healthy toilet habits among children, parents should sit down with their children and accompany them in the bathroom to encourage cooperation and interest.
It is also essential that parents motivate their children to use the toilet in the morning and after every snack or meal.

Changes in Lifestyle

It is important to understand that the bowel movement varies from one child to another. Constipation is a common problem that you can easily treat with a few changes in the lifestyle. Children should avoid fried, fatty foods, and carbonated beverages. Parents should encourage their children to eat healthily and exercise regularly to improve the overall digestive system.