Constipation in babies -causes and cure
By: Dr Dad
Tags: Babies, Drdad, Babies Health, Parenting, Constipation

First of all, we need to know that constipation in babies is a normal situation. Most of the parents could face this problem. The condition of a child having constipation is observed by infrequent bowel movements. Hard and dry stools can also be seen. One good news is that this condition of constipation in children is temporary.

Here are a few causes and cures for this problem.

Causes:

Forcefully controlling.

It is very much possible for children to control or ignore the urge to go to the toilet. There may be several reasons for that, like he/she doesn’t want to stop playing or whatever they are doing. Or are scared to go to unfamiliar toilets. They may face discomfort from the people or the environment, etc. It can create a cycle in which hard stools may cause painful bowel movement, and the child will control it as it may hurt while pooping. They will then try to avoid the urge, which may worsen the situation.

Problems with Toilet practice.

Children often like to do their own thing. Starting toilet practice very early may result in your child fighting and holding it in. This may, with time, become a habit that may be difficult to deal with.

Food habits and diet.

One of the main reasons can be the food eaten or diet. Not consuming enough nutritive fluids, fibrous fruits, and vegetables in kids’ diets can lead to constipation. One main phenomenon noticed for constipation is when babies have shifted to all solids diet form liquid ones. It is very much possible that this dietary change may cause the body to stress over digestion, which may cause constipation.

Genetics.

Genetics may be one of the factors which could lead to a child having constipation. Having an environment of family members who experienced this condition can make it possible for the child also.

Allergy to dairy products.

There is another possibility for constipation, which is consuming too many dairy products. The child may have an allergy to dairy products like cow’s milk and cheese

Taking some medication.

Taking medicines and drugs like antidepressants may exacerbate constipation. Some medicine may be showing some adverse effect on the body, which could result in this

Daily activities and environment.

One of the reasons could be some changes in the routine of the children. For example, changes like traveling, weather, or environment, first time schooling can also be a significant factor in constipation. All these factors may affect the bowel movement.

Some other problem.

This factor is not shared and rare. The kid may be facing some digestive or metabolic problem. Or constipation may be a result of some underlying condition or anatomic malformation.

Cures:

Many things could help to stop this problem.

Some of them are:

What dietary changes should be made for kids?

Food is fundamental to overcome this problem.

Solid:

The food that the child will eat should be very rich in nutrition, vitamins, fibers, etc.; such food items are fruits, vegetables, whole-grain foods, etc. A very fibrous diet will help in a very soft and smooth stool formation. It will also help in the prevention of gas and bloating. According to researches the for 1000 calories, one should at least have around 14 grams of dietary fiber. For kids, it is 20 gm as per recommendations. Some of the high fibrous food items are broccoli, pears, prunes, peaches, apples, etc.

Liquid:

Another thing that plays an important role is water. Kids should drink an ample amount of water and stay hydrated as it is the best method to overcome problems like these. you may need to switch the milk if your baby is allergic to cow’s milk. Or if the baby is being breastfed, it must be something in the diet. If the baby is over six months, then pear juice and some other fluids are helpful.

Encourage more physical productivity.

Kids should not be restrained from physical activities, but instead, they should have regular playing and other sorts of activities. This really helps in regulating and stimulating the bowel system.

Maintain a daily schedule.

A daily disciplined routine for the toilet and having a meal is highly recommended. The body has its way of doing some activities. Having timely food and going to the toilet at a regular time will make things easy for the kid and the body. It may not be possible for the kid to maintain such a habit, but you have to remind them about nature’s call continually. They may be engaged in playing or something, due to which they may control the urge to go.

Massage

The specific type of massages like the easy stomach and lower-abdomen massages may help regulate the bowel movement. You can do these massages after consulting your doctor.

Take care of medications.

There should not be any medication that can cause problems like constipation. Seeking help from a doctor is really recommended.

These were mostly the home remedies. There may be cases in which these may not be able to stop or preserve constipation. In these situations, it is best to seek help from a pediatrician. There are still several techniques like Glycerine suppository, laxatives (made from a malt-barley extract or psyllium powder used to soften the kid’s stools, not for babies under one year of age), etc. Still, it is highly recommended to have a doctor’s guidance for the condition of constipation and such methods as these methods are very age-restricted. It is possible that there may be a much more severe problem hiding behind this, which could require medical assistance.

Source: https://drdad.in/constipation-in-babies-causes-and-cure/