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Child Constipation: Children Get
Constipated Too!
by Dr. Loretta Lanphier, ND, CCN, HHP
Do you notice your child putting off going to the bathroom
because he/she is busy doing more important things? Do you
notice avoidance of the bathroom for fear of a painful bowel
movement? Is your child not experiencing daily bowel movements?
These actions may be signals of constipation.
Parents often hope their worries about their children's bathroom
habits will end with the final diaper. But successful toilet
training doesn't prevent occasional troubles with bowel
movements. Constipation is among the most common but should
never be considered normal.
Unfortunately most of the medical literature defines childhood
constipation as not the frequency of bowel movements but the
hardness of the stool. According to the Physicians’ Manual for
Patients, “Daily bowel movements are not essential to health.”
Parents are told that as long as the child is having three bowel
movements a week AND they are soft that this is totally normal.
Not so! Just as we eat three meals per day, a child should be
experiencing between 1 to 3 bowel movements per day. Food should
never be sitting in the digestive track longer than 24 hours.
Ideally, everyone should have comfortable, unforced bowel
movements 20-30 minutes after every meal.
Because the discussion of bowel movements between child and
parent usually brings out total dread in parents, it is often
ignored and assumed that the child is experiencing bowel
movements each day. Many of us remember cringing when a
grandparent asked us “Have you had a bowel movement today?” The
cringe was not necessarily because of the question but because
it was usually asked very loudly at the dinner table! You see,
in their generation this was considered a very important
function for good health. Somewhere along the line we have
stopped looking at this as an important clue in overall health.
Digestive track health is considered by many to be the most
important function in keeping the body healthy.
Causes Of Childhood Constipation
- Diet & Nutrition - Not eating enough foods with fiber;
Dehydration; Consuming a lot of sugar and desserts; Milk and
dairy products; Food Allergies; Acid forming foods (meat).
- Lack of Exercise – With the popularity of computer games and TV
many children are leading a very sedentary lifestyle.
- Emotion Upsets & Anxiety – Fear, grief, worry and frustration
have all been known to affect the digestive tract.
- Holding stools – This means the child has the feeling of needing
to have a bowel movement, but ignores the urge. Reasons such as
not wanting to take the time to go to the bathroom, unfamiliar
bathrooms or pain in passing a stool are very common.
- Prescription Drugs - Antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Temaril
or Benadryl), found in nonprescription cold medications; Antidiarrheal medications; Antispasmodics, such as atropine and
scopolamine; Narcotics, such as codeine and hydrocodone;
Chemotherapy; Anticonvulsants, such as carbamazepine and
valproic acid; Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline
hydrochloride or doxepin hydrochloride; Iron supplements.
- Other less common causes of constipation are depression,
attention deficit disorders, and sexual abuse.
Symptoms of Child Constipation
- Less than 1 bowel movement per day.
- Stools that are hard and difficult to pass.
- Headaches, fatigue and/or depression.
- Encopresis, or accidental fecal soiling. Often if a hard stool
is present in the rectum, liquid feces can leak around the hard
stool and pass out the anus without the child’s control. This
can happen many times during the day. The child cannot do
anything to prevent or withhold it.
- Abdominal pain near or around the navel.
- Bed-wetting.
- Decreased appetite and nausea.
Prevention of Child Constipation
Diet—The most important thing is to increase fluid intake.
However, some children get into the habit of only drinking sodas
to satisfy their thirst. Most children are dehydrated from
sugary drinks and from not taking the time out to quench thirst.
Offer clean, pure water. A child should be drinking half of
his/her body weight in water each day. Include servings of
fresh, organic fruit and vegetables. Teach your child to eat raw
as much as possible. Make 50% of each meal fresh, raw,
unprocessed foods. Include whole grains, nuts and seeds in the
diet. Limit white flour, chocolate, sugar, dairy and milk
products. Train your child to eat slowly and moderately. Provide
a relaxing environment while eating. Take a probiotic supplement
daily to facilitate the growth of “friendly bacteria” in the
colon.
Bowel habit training—Your child should be taught not to wait to
have a bowel movement. To establish a regular bowel habit, ask
your child to sit on the toilet for at least 10 minutes at about
the same time each day, preferably after a meal. Make sure your
child can place his or her feet firmly on the floor while
sitting on the toilet. If this is not possible, put a footstool
in front of the toilet. While your child is sitting on the
toilet, you might let your child read a storybook or listen to
the radio. Educate your child, at an early age, on the
importance of good bowel habits. Let them know that this is not
something to be embarrassed about but a normal and very
necessary function for good health.
Exercise—Make sure that your child is getting enough exercise.
Children spend way too much time in front of computers and TV.
Encourage outside activities as much as possible. Physical
activity speeds the movement of waste through the digestive
tract.
Stress—Yes, children experience stress! Children are some of the
busiest people I know. Stress causes the body to break down and
constipation can be a result. Talk with and spend time with your
children. Teach them how to relax and to be calm. Encourage
them, support them and speak encouraging words to them. Teach
them how to handle difficult situations, to be happy and to
communicate their problems. Most important—model this behavior
in front of them.
Keep The Bowel Clean—Keeping the bowel clean is a great
preventative step and very necessary in keeping the body in good
health. For complete cleansing of the digestive tract we
recommend a product called Oxy-Powder. Oxy-Powder is a safe and
natural way to cleanse the whole digestive track while also
providing the body with oxygen. Consult your healthcare
practitioner for dosages appropriate for children.
Chiropractic Adjustments – Helps prompt bowel movements. The
waves that move material through the colon occur as a result of
nerve excitement that originates at the spinal nerves.
Adjustments also help normalize the action of the ileocecal
valve, the valve that separates the large from the small
intestine.
Constipation can undermine the whole body and it is now known
that irregular bowel movements are directly related to serious
health conditions. Constipation does not have to be a problem if
you will practice prevention with your children and implement
the suggestions found in this article. Regular bowel movements
are an important mechanism for removing toxins from the body and
thus keeping the body healthy. Remember: Prevention is always
the key. As always, if severe symptoms persist, do not hesitate
to see your healthcare professional. |
