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Constipation is a common health problem experienced by everyone, especially children. This disease can cause a person to be unable to defecate or defecate, thus disrupting the work of the digestive system. This condition can also affect children and cause pain and discomfort in their abdominal area.
Constipation in children can be characterized by a decrease in the number of bowel movements in a week (less than 3 times), the child's feces or stool looks hard, and the child has difficulty or strains during defecation.
Constipation may not seem serious at first, but if it continues to occur, it can potentially become a serious disease and can cause the child's health to be threatened.
What Causes Constipation in Children?
There are several factors that can cause constipation in children, such as:
- Lack of water intake.
- Lack of fiber consumption.
- Stress.
- Cow's milk protein allergy.
- Infrequent exercise.
In addition, some side effects of certain medications that your child is taking may trigger constipation in your child, especially if they also have some of the factors mentioned above.
What to do if your child is constipated?
There are several ways to treat constipation in children that you can do. But in the first aid of constipation in children, you need to do some tips to reduce the symptoms they feel, such as:
1. Provide plenty of water intake
Lack of body fluids is one of the reasons why children's feces have a hard texture that is difficult to pass. Make sure your child's fluid needs are met so that their stool texture becomes softer and easier to pass.
2. Training children to use the toilet on their own
One of the most common reasons why children hold their bowel movements is because they are afraid to go to the toilet by themselves. This disrupts their bowel movements and can lead to constipation. Training your child to go to the toilet on their own can help them get used to defecating without having to be told by you.
3. Encourage children to exercise
Encouraging children to do physical activities such as sports can help reduce the risk of constipation. Lack of physical activity can weaken the movement of food in the digestive tract, so that the remaining food or feces will stay longer in the intestines and will eventually harden.
4. Feeding a high-fiber diet
Fiber is a nutrient that helps the digestive process by absorbing water into the colon. By eating foods high in fiber, children will produce stools with a softer texture that is easy to pass during defecation.
5. Manage your child's stress
Stress can cause bowel movements to slow down, which can lead to constipation. There are several things that can cause children to feel stressed, ranging from academic, social, and emotional factors. You can manage your child's stress by finding out the causes of their stress and encouraging them to live a healthy lifestyle.
6. Switching your child's milk to hypoallergenic or alternative milk
If milk is one of the main triggers for your child's constipation, then you can switch your child's milk to hypoallergenic milk or alternative milk such as soy milk.
First Aid for Constipation in Children
When you suspect that your child is constipated, there is no need to panic because constipation is a disease that you can handle directly from home. The first aid that you can do in dealing with constipation in children, namely:
- Giving them plenty of water intake.
- Encourage children to do physical activity.
- Give them foods with high fiber content.
- Reduce the intake of cow's milk in children for a while.
How Long Does it Take for a Child to Recover from Constipation?
Constipation is a common health problem for everyone, so there is no need to panic if it happens to your child. Constipation symptoms can come at different times and will usually resolve in a matter of days to weeks.
Typically, constipation will last for 3 days, but it may last longer if you do not treat your child immediately.
When to See a Doctor?
If your child's constipation doesn't go away after 2 weeks, then see a doctor immediately. Constipation that doesn't go away could be a sign of chronic constipation that can lead to other serious health problems.
See a pediatrician if your child's constipation has also been followed by other symptoms, such as:
- Fever.
- Loss of appetite.
- Blood in the stool.
- Weight loss.
- Pain during defecation.
- Swelling of the abdomen.
The use of pediatric constipation medications may have to be given in certain conditions. These medications are given to help the child to defecate by making the stool texture softer or stimulating bowel movements so that the stool is easy to pass. However, the use of constipation medication should be done in consultation with a doctor first.
Don't hesitate to take your child to the doctor if they experience constipation, especially if it's their first constipation. You also don't need to panic when your little one is constipated, because just by practicing a good lifestyle with them, you can keep them away from the risk of constipation that can interfere with their comfort in activities.
Thanks for reading this article. Have a nice day.
