In infancy, constipation is not uncommon. Quite often you can meet a baby who cannot go to the toilet for 3 or more days. The reasons can be very different, you will learn about them from this article.
Due to prolonged constipation, various ailments, severity and abdominal pain appear . What to do if the child does not poop?
How is the selection process? Why can't a child go to the toilet?
After the
rectum is filled with feces, which remains inside for some time and dries, it begins to stretch under the weight of the waste and push it out of the body. But if the stool is too long inside the intestine, it becomes too dense, which makes the process unpleasant and even painful for the child. The cycle goes like this: the colon tries to push out the waste, the child begins to push. But if the muscles fail to push the feces out of the body, the baby feels pain and may even have rectal cracks. They bleed and hurt, and the child, due to fear of discomfort, cannot go to the toilet even longer.
Causes of Constipation
Often the child does not poop for a long time due to improper nutrition. It should be borne in mind that the products used by the baby as food should be easily digestible and nutritious. In addition, constipation can occur in a sedentary child. In this case, it is better to feed it with vegetables, fruits, cereal products, as well as give more liquid. In addition, it is important to use fiber at least 5 times a week, and preferably every day.
It is possible that constipation is caused by a chronic disease, then you should consult a doctor for advice. You should also observe from which foods the child is not feeling well and exclude them from the diet. It is important to increase physical activity: run, walk, engage in outdoor games more.
If the child does not poop for 3 days (in this case, we are not talking about the crumbs of the first year of life that are exclusively breastfed), then you should consult a doctor. A specialist can advise laxatives, but this is not the best option, because they can be harmful to the body. To begin with, it is worth trying to adjust the diet, give the child more fluid.
Every parent should know that such interruptions in the process of coping with natural needs can also indicate serious diseases. Pay attention to the following symptoms:
- the child does not poop for more than one week;
- the baby is not able to go to the toilet on their own;
- painful cracks and redness in the anus;
- the child complains of abdominal pain;
- deterioration in general condition;
- loose stools.
If you notice something from the list, go to the doctor (and, as soon as possible, in some cases, time plays a crucial role, for example, with bowel obstruction) and tell him about your observations.
At the age of 4 years, the baby may simply be afraid to go to the toilet. The fact is that often during this period children begin to be accustomed to a common toilet, and they have a fear of falling into a hole (or falling into the toilet if it is not equipped with a special child seat). Maybe it looks funny, but not for the child. In this case, it is important to talk with him and help psychologically. If the child does not poop in a public place, this can also be caused by ordinary fear or a feeling of awkwardness, shame. For example, in kindergarten, many children cannot go to the toilet if there are no parents or teacher near them.
Before making serious conclusions, you need to find out exactly why your child cannot go to the toilet. And if there is reason to see a doctor, it is better not to delay.