5 Tips To Ease Constipation In ChildrenConstipation in children is a common condition that both parents and children have to deal with. Most children do not drink enough liquid like water and fruit juices that are needed for a healthy digestion. Also, if not controlled, children tend to eat more junk foods than foods that are rich in dietary fibers. As a result, many children are not able to move their bowels regularly which leads to constipation. If your child only moves his bowels three times a week or less, and the stools are hard and difficult to pass, you child has constipation. If this condition lasts for two weeks or more, it is already considered chronic constipation. So, your child is constipated if he has unusually large, hard and dry stools making it difficult to defecate or if his bowel movement is less than three every week. Constipation can be a painful experience for a child. Some children will try to hold in their feces so they won't have to go through a painful bowel movement. However, this habit is very unhealthy and should be corrected as early as possible. There are various causes of constipation in children and this can range from a lack of fluid in the body, change from breast to cow's milk or just an unhealthy diet. As a parent, you can help your child have a healthier digestion and get over chronic constipation problems by encouraging them to do the following: 1. Drink plenty of liquids. Make sure that your children drink at least 8 full glasses of water everyday. Along with this, give them fresh or real fruit juices everyday. It can also help to add some prune juice to his cereals. Prune juice is very effective in promoting bowel movement. 2. Eat fiber-rich foods. Foods that are rich in fiber are good not only for the digestive system but for the whole body as well. Make sure that your child gets enough supply of fiber-rich foods with each meal. Whole grains, fruits and vegetables are the best source of dietary fiber. As much as possible, don't let your kids eat junk foods or snacks in between meals so they will not lose appetite for eating real foods. 3. Train Your Child. You don't have to wait until your child feels the urge to go. You can help your child establish a regular routine of bowel movement, by letting your child sit on the toilet at least 10 minutes at the same time everyday preferably in the morning - after eating breakfast is the best time. Make it comfortable for your child by providing foot-stools in front of toilet. This way, your child can put his feet firmly on the floor as he sits on the toilet. To help your child relax, you can have your child listen to his favorite music or read a story book. 4. Use laxatives. If your child has chronic constipation, you can use children's laxatives that are available on the market. To be safe, don't forget to ask your doctor about which brand is best to use for your child considering his age. Also be careful to understand the child dose. But don't let your child be dependent on using laxatives. Make sure he gets the proper diet and sufficient fluids to promote a healthy digestion. 5. Reward your child. You can reward your child while training them to sit on the toilet. Child experts recommend rewarding your child with stars on a chart instead of food. You can also reward your child by letting him do his favorite activity while sitting on the toilet obediently. Constipation can be a hard enough problem (pardon the pun) even for adults. You can just imagine how constipation in children makes life unbearable for these innocent young ones of a tender age. It is thus imperative to get to know not only the real causes of constipation in children but also the solutions to this problem. |