You need to treat the existing problem, that is clear the bowel of hard bowel motions, and then work on preventing the situation from recurring. Here are tips to relieve constipation in toddlers:
Massage to encourage movement through the large bowel. Have the child lie on their back and knees raised. With warm hands apply gentle pressure. Start from the lower right abdomen, work your way up towards the rib cage, then go across the stomach and down the left side. This is roughly the direction of the bowel and is helpful for stimulating the muscles to move hard stools.
Use juices to assist the intestines. The juices can include prune, apple and lemon. Spinach, watercress and dandelion leaves can be added to milder juices such as carrot, cucumber, beetroot and celery. These can be used in small amounts or diluted.
Increase the consumption of fibre rich foods. These include vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds and at the same time reduce the intake of sweets, chocolate, cakes, bread and white rice. Don't overdo the nuts though, as this can actually be constipating.
Eat meals at a regular time so the bowel is able to get into the habit of moving at certain times.
Increase the amount of water your child drinks. Children need to drink 6 to 8 glasses per day. Using milk, cordials and soft drinks can cause further problems so use filtered water and fresh natural juices as much as possible.
Encourage plenty of physical activity.
Increase the number of friendly bacteria in the bowel by the use of probiotics.
Remind children to go to the toilet.
Change the child's position when they go to the toilet. Place a small stool in front of the toilet so they are able to have their feet on it and this will raise their knees and change the angle of the hips. This will place the child in a position that requires less pushing.. Squatting is the ideal position for all humans when defecating.
Eat plenty of magnesium rich foods. Magnesium is important for muscle contraction and a deficiency in magnesium can cause constipation. Foods rich in magnesium include nuts, whole grains and beans.
Add some psyllium seeds to the diet. For children who are prone to constipation a daily supply of psyllium seeds can help. This is a fiber that helps regulate the activity of the bowel. When mixed with water or diluted juices they can create larger and softer stools. In order to work effectively the seeds need to absorb water so the child needs to drink plenty of fluids. The dosage for children from 3 years of age is 1 teaspoon twice daily added to diluted juice.
Talk to your child about any problems or stresses that they might have. Expressing concerns and receiving reassurance can greatly reduce stresses that may cause or contribute to constipation.
You will need to see a health professional if the constipation is difficult to relieve, if it is associated with a lot of pain or blood or if the child is doing all the right things and the problem is still there. Your health professional will consider the possibility of allergic problems and should explore this more thoroughly.
By Dr Jenny Tylee
Massage to encourage movement through the large bowel. Have the child lie on their back and knees raised. With warm hands apply gentle pressure. Start from the lower right abdomen, work your way up towards the rib cage, then go across the stomach and down the left side. This is roughly the direction of the bowel and is helpful for stimulating the muscles to move hard stools.
Use juices to assist the intestines. The juices can include prune, apple and lemon. Spinach, watercress and dandelion leaves can be added to milder juices such as carrot, cucumber, beetroot and celery. These can be used in small amounts or diluted.
Increase the consumption of fibre rich foods. These include vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds and at the same time reduce the intake of sweets, chocolate, cakes, bread and white rice. Don't overdo the nuts though, as this can actually be constipating.
Eat meals at a regular time so the bowel is able to get into the habit of moving at certain times.
Increase the amount of water your child drinks. Children need to drink 6 to 8 glasses per day. Using milk, cordials and soft drinks can cause further problems so use filtered water and fresh natural juices as much as possible.
Encourage plenty of physical activity.
Increase the number of friendly bacteria in the bowel by the use of probiotics.
Remind children to go to the toilet.
Change the child's position when they go to the toilet. Place a small stool in front of the toilet so they are able to have their feet on it and this will raise their knees and change the angle of the hips. This will place the child in a position that requires less pushing.. Squatting is the ideal position for all humans when defecating.
Eat plenty of magnesium rich foods. Magnesium is important for muscle contraction and a deficiency in magnesium can cause constipation. Foods rich in magnesium include nuts, whole grains and beans.
Add some psyllium seeds to the diet. For children who are prone to constipation a daily supply of psyllium seeds can help. This is a fiber that helps regulate the activity of the bowel. When mixed with water or diluted juices they can create larger and softer stools. In order to work effectively the seeds need to absorb water so the child needs to drink plenty of fluids. The dosage for children from 3 years of age is 1 teaspoon twice daily added to diluted juice.
Talk to your child about any problems or stresses that they might have. Expressing concerns and receiving reassurance can greatly reduce stresses that may cause or contribute to constipation.
You will need to see a health professional if the constipation is difficult to relieve, if it is associated with a lot of pain or blood or if the child is doing all the right things and the problem is still there. Your health professional will consider the possibility of allergic problems and should explore this more thoroughly.
By Dr Jenny Tylee
