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Important Notice!

Breastfeeding is the best nutrition for healthy growth and development of babies. Good maternal nutrition helps sustain an adequate supply and quality of breast milk. Unnecessary introduction of bottle-feeding, partially or fully, or of other complementary foods and drinks may have a negative impact on breastfeeding, which may be irreversible. Consult your doctor and consider the social and financial implications before deciding to use breast milk substitutes or if you have difficulty breastfeeding. Follow usage, preparation and storage instructions of breast milk substitutes or of other complementary foods and drinks carefully as improper or unnecessary use may pose a health hazard.

Child Constipation – Most Common Causes and Remedies

The cause of your child’s hard stools might be dehydration, lack of fibre or sickness.

Your child’s stool should not be too hard or too soft. A common cause of constipation is when food moves too slowly through the digestive tract, resulting in the stool becoming hard and dry. Constipation can potentially be a sign of possible dehydration, lack of fibre consumption or that your toddler is sick. We’d like to help parents understand what causes hard stools and how this might affect our little ones’ overall well-being.

Causes of constipation

Lack of fibre intake

Is a lack of fibre in your child’s diet causing his or her constipation? Found in abundance in fruits and vegetables, fibre keeps stools soft, bulky and easy to pass through the digestive tract, so take the time to familiarise yourself with foods that are rich in fibre¹.

Lack of fluid consumption

A lack of fluid consumption is another possible cause of your child’s constipation. If you suspect that dehydration is causing or caused by your child’s constipation, simply check for dry diapers, dark-coloured urine and tearless crying, as these are all signs that your toddler lacks water².

Environmental and perceived stress

Environmental or perceived stress can also cause constipation. Have you been travelling or has your child been feeling very warm? Changes in a child’s routine and other external stressors can affect his or her bowel movement.¹

Medical conditions

Very rarely, constipation in your child is a sign of an anatomic malformation, a metabolic or digestive system problem, or another underlying medical condition.¹ However, if constipation persists or your child is acting weak or ill, it is recommended that you seek further advice from a paediatrician.

We hope these tips will help you keep your child healthy, active and growing well! Balanced and regular meals are of paramount importance, and make sure your little one drinks the daily recommend volume of fluids.

Don’t worry because your child’s irregular bowel movement might just be a passing phase . However, if unusual symptoms surface and persist, it is recommended that you bring your child to see a paediatrician.

Sources

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