Kids & Constipation

Constipation is a common condition with functional constipation being the most common type. It is common and occurs in up to 30% of all children. Most children will pass a bowel motion at least every 2-3 days. 

Young children may ignore the urge to go to the bathroom, causing a build up of large bowel motions. Painful passing of a bowel motion leads to nervousness, holding and the passage of a hard stool. This cycle of withholding and pass of a hard stool leads to ongoing constipation and painful motions. 

​Constipation is also typically common during the introduction of solids to the diet, during toilet training and also at school entry. 

Tips:
- positioning will help with passing bowel motions 
- implementing structured "toilet sits" up to 5 minutes, three times a day, preferably after meals. 
- maintain a chart, diary or calendar in the toilet to reinforce positive behaviour and record frequency of motions 
- delay toilet training attempts until your child is passing painless stools
- increasing dietary fibre and water can help alleviate constipation 
- excessive dairy intake / milk intake can exacerbate constipation in children

If your child has ongoing or recurrent episodes of constipation we would recommend that you contact your GP or Child Health Nurse for an assessment. Furthermore, we recommend that you seek dietary advice from a trained paediatric dietitian to rule out possible factors that could be exacerbating your child's constipation.