Constipation in the child: alternative ways out of the problem

Children's constipation is a common problem faced by many parents, and therefore it is not necessary to panic in advance, but it is better to study in detail what constipation is in a child and how to treat it.

First of all, we will determine that a constipation is considered a difficulty of defecation or its complete absence for several days for some reason. It is important to understand that a similar problem can worsen in any child age, from the infant to the adolescent. Depending on the age of the child, the frequency of the intestinal feces changes significantly: for example, the number of newborn diffractions corresponds to the number of diurnal feedings, for the six-month-old children the norm is two bowel excrement per day, and after one year one is enough. As for schoolchildren and adolescents, constipation for such age categories is considered lack of stool for several days, but it is very difficult to detect such a phenomenon, because children are embarrassed to report their problem to parents.

Objective causes of constipation

The reasons can be many, however, most often allocate a limited amount of plant food in the child's habitual menu, the minimum volume of fluid and food, as well as lack of physical activity. Very often constipation in a child is called a "disease of civilization", which is connected with the fact that modern children prefer a passive way of life, preferring cheerful walks watching TV or playing at the computer. If the dysfunction of the stool predominates for more than three months, then there is a diagnosis of "chronic constipation in the child." So, primary (organic) and secondary (functional) constipation are distinguished.

In the first case, we are talking about congenital anatomical defects, as well as pathologies of colon development, which may be a consequence of acquired anomalies. But this is an extremely rare phenomenon, more often in pediatric practice, functional constipation, the causes of which can be different. For example, improper nutrition, in particular, frequent changes in mixtures, lack of water during breastfeeding, or an early transition to artificial mixtures. For the older age, the limited consumption of plant fiber in the diet, as well as the predominance of "heavy" food, may be a pathogenic factor. There is also a hereditary propensity to constipation, "nervous" disorders or a consequence of trauma to the intestinal wall with dense feces. In addition, do not exclude helminthic invasion, dysbiosis, inflammatory processes of the colon and rectum, as well as the reception of a large number of characteristic drugs.

Productive treatment

When anxiety symptoms are detected, the question arises, but how to treat constipation in a child? To begin with, you need to visit a narrow specialist in this matter, as well as undergo a detailed clinical study to identify the pathogenic factor, and only then proceed with productive treatment. Constipation in a child, first of all, requires a change in the daily diet, as well as a child's lifestyle. Children under one year are helped by a gas pipe, a stomach massage and taking soft spasmolytic drugs, as well as correcting nutrition and supplying the body with the necessary amount of liquid. Often similar problems take place by the year.

At an older age, it is also recommended to change the daily ration, eliminating the irritating foods from it, and also radically alter the existing way of life, making it more mobile, so to speak. Do not exclude and taking medications, however, it is important to remember that a laxative of any origin to a child can be prescribed only by a specialist. In general, the child's constipation is productively treated, the main thing is to be vigilant about the health of your children and to respond in a timely manner to all their characteristic complaints.