Chronic Constipation in children

Causes of chronic constipation in children are similar to the adults having constipation. There may be some added reasons.

It is quite distressing for the parents when their child is constipated. The kid may or may not complain but is likely to get cranky.

The occasional constipation problem may get chronic if it goes unnoticed or is neglected.

Parents can help by making changes in the toilet related habits or food related habits. Parents will need to have lot of patience with a constipated kid and may need to spend more time with the smaller kids in the toilet.

What are the causes for children getting constipated?

Children may tend to

• Eat more processed food - snacks containing more fat and less fiber. If the parents have that kind of eating habits, kids will definitely follow parents.
• Skip or avoid visiting toilet when they should for different reasons.

• Kids may not chew food properly because they are in a hurry to go to play or somewhere else,
• Kids may forget to drink water and other healthy fluids.
• Children postpone or avoid going to toilet when they feel the urge. That may be because they do not want to interrupt what they are doing.
• Kids may be afraid to go to the toilet alone but do not want to admit it and say they do not feel like going to toilet yet or do not feel the urge to go to toilet.
• They may be eating more junk food that is low fiber. And a low fiber diet can cause constipation.
• If a kid had a painful bowel movement earlier, he/she may want to avoid going to toilet. Kids do not realize that doing so will make the problem worse.
• Kids may not like to use the toilet in the school or anywhere outside their home for some reason. That is another cause for not going to toilet or postponing it.
• Some digestive disorders can cause chronic constipation in children. Under active thyroid, allergy to dairy products, cows milk can be the cause.
• Some medicines also may cause constipation as a side effect.

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