It also happens when children ignore the urge to have a bowel movement, which they often do out of either embarrassment to use a public bathroom, fear or lack of confidence in the absence of a parent, or unwillingness to take a break from play. Sometimes constipation is caused by medicines or a disease. Cramping abdominal pain. Constipation can make a bowel movement painful, so the child may try to prevent having one. Clenching buttocks, rocking up and down on toes, and turning red in the face are signs of trying to hold in a bowel movement.
Treatment depends on the child's age and the severity of the problem.
Sometimes a child may need an enema to remove the stool or a laxative to soften it or prevent a future episode. However, laxatives can be dangerous to children and should be given only with a doctor's approval. Although constipation is usually harmless, it can be a sign or cause of a more serious problem. The child is unable to participate in normal activities. Small, painful tears appear in the skin around the anus.