After successfully toilet training my daughter, I thought we have surpassed the most diffucult hurdle. However, there were instances when she was really distressed because she was constipated. Young children may respond in a different way to constipation, but younger ones are usually frustrated and unhappy. Constipation is common amongst young children, and it can stem from various causes.
The normal cause of constipation in children is their diet. Insufficient fluid consumption and too much cow?s milk can cause constipation. Likewise, too much intake of refined foods can also lead to constipation. A kid who is so engrossed in playing may put off a bowel movement, which can also lead to irregularity. Lack of physical activity and a sudden change in the child?s environment are also culprits. Rarely, constipation is triggered by medical conditions impacting the thyroid gland and the intestines. To decrease the chance of constipation, here are some easy recommendations:
1. Ensure that your kid gets enough dietary fiber in his diet. Add more fruits, vegetables, bran muffins, oatmeal, whole-grain cereals and breads because they are excellent sources of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber is bulky and it can soften stools, and thus preventing constipation.
2. Increase your kid?s fluid consumption. It is essential that parents provide liquids from time to time, and not depend solely on a kid?s requests for water. It is particularly important to supply more fluids during hot days, or when the child is engaged in a physical activity. You can also provide prune juice simply because it can efficiently promote a bowel movement.
3. Set a routine time for bowel movements everyday, ideally after a meal. A child can very easily get caught with the activities throughout the day that he can put off defecating. Once this occurs, stool builds up in the lower bowel and may turn out to be bigger and more difficult to pass. Condition your kid to go to sit in the toilet for at least ten minutes, to promote regular bowel habits. Praise your kid for the effort in sitting at the toilet, even if he was not able to defecate.
4. Encourage your child to engage in active play simply because it can increase peristalsis. Lack in activity has been found to cause constipation, and it is essential that parents help in modifying sedentary practices at home.
5. Be certain that your kid is not taking in too much dairy products. Though dairy food are excellent for young children, too much of it can also result in constipation. Dairy food sources include milk, cheese, yogurt and ice cream. A one year old baby typically needs four servings of dairy in a day. This is equivalent to ¾ cup or six ounces of milk, or one ounce of cheese.
Though there are a lot of stool softeners which can readily be bought, it is by no means smart to use them without the pediatrician?s consent. If a child is used to having stool softeners often, it may not help in promoting normal bowel habits. Constipation is typical among kids, and it requires time to establish regular bowel habits. No matter how frustrating it can be, parents need to be supportive so that a kid will not develop negative behavior because of it.
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Source: http://home-and-family.myblogzone.info/2011/05/how-to-spare-your-child-from-having-constipation/
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