Children's constipation is a common problem that many parents face, 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 determine that constipation is the difficulty in defecation or its complete absence for several days for some reason. It is important to understand that a similar problem can worsen in any childhood, from infancy to adolescence. Depending on the age of the child, the frequency of intestinal bowel movements varies significantly: for example, the number of newborn diffraction corrections corresponds to the number of daily feedings; for six-month-old children, two bowel movements per day are the norm, but after a year, one is enough. As for schoolchildren and teenagers, the absence of a chair for several days is considered constipation for such age categories, but it is very difficult to detect this phenomenon, as children are embarrassed to report their problem to their parents.
Objective causes of constipation
There can be many reasons, however, most often they allocate a limited amount of plant food in the usual menu of the child, a minimum amount of fluid and food, as well as insufficient physical activity. Very often , a child’s constipation is called a “disease of civilization,” which is due to the fact that modern children prefer a passive lifestyle, preferring watching TV or playing games on a computer over fun walks. If stool dysfunction prevails for more than three months, then a diagnosis of "chronic constipation in a child" occurs. So, primary (organic) and secondary (functional) constipations are distinguished .
In the first case, we are talking about congenital anatomical defects, as well as pathologies of the development of the colon, which may be a consequence of acquired abnormalities. But this is an extremely rare phenomenon, functional constipation is more common in pediatric practice, the causes of which may be different. For example, malnutrition, in particular, frequent changes in mixtures, lack of water during breastfeeding, or early transition to artificial mixtures. For the older age, a limited intake of plant fiber in the diet, as well as the predominance of “heavy” food, can act as a pathogenic factor. There is also a hereditary tendency to constipation, “nervous” disorders or a consequence of trauma to the intestinal wall with compressed feces. In addition, helminthic invasion, dysbiosis, inflammatory processes of the colon and rectum, as well as taking a huge number of characteristic medications should not be ruled out.
Productive treatment
When detecting alarming symptoms, the question arises, but how to treat constipation in a child? First you need to visit a specialist in this matter, as well as undergo a detailed clinical study to identify a pathogenic factor, and only then proceed to productive treatment. Constipation in a child, first of all, requires a change in the daily diet, as well as a children's lifestyle. Children under one year of age are helped by a gas vent, massage of the abdomen and the use of soft antispasmodics, as well as nutrition correction and supplying the body with the necessary amount of fluid. Often these problems go away by the year.
At an older age, it is also recommended to change the daily diet, excluding products that irritate the intestines, and also radically modify the existing lifestyle, making it more mobile, so to speak. It is not excluded that medications are taken, however, it is important to remember that only a specialist can prescribe a laxative to any child. In general, constipation in a child is treated effectively, the main thing is to be vigilant about the health of your children and respond in a timely manner to all their characteristic complaints.