6 serious causes of constipation in children every parent should know about

It is important to understand this at an early stage in order to know when it is necessary to really consult a doctor for advice, and when you can help the baby on your own. And most importantly, to avoid this problem by carrying out prevention.

What is the norm for a newborn baby?

So, after birth, meconium is secreted for 1 to 3 days. Normally, it departs after the first feeding. Meconium is odorless, dark, sometimes almost black in color. Frequency - up to three times a day. From the third day, the chair is called transitional, and from the fifth it takes on a normal appearance.

The frequency of stool in a newborn is equal to the frequency of feedings per day. In the first 2 months - 6 - 7 times a day, up to 6 months - 4 - 5 times a day, in the second half of the year - 2 - 3 times a day, from 2 years of age - 1 - 2 times a day.

However, you need to focus on the baby's condition and weight gain per month, and not the number of bowel movements per day!

What is constipation?

Constipation is a decrease in the frequency of bowel movements with the release of hard stools. A sign of constipation in a child of the first year from the point of view of medicine is the absence of bowel movements for more than a day.

But this concept is vague, since everything depends specifically on the age of the child, the type of feeding. Therefore, it is also important to evaluate the consistency and, more importantly, the behavior of the baby.

Symptoms of constipation in a newborn

General anxiety, crying, moodiness.
Lack of appetite.
Restless sleep.
Bloating ("stone" tummy).
Pulling up the legs.
Stool less than once a day.
Restless behavior during the act of defecation: ineffectual attempts, expression of anguish on the face, crying.
Dense stool (pea type).

Causes of constipation in newborns

Often the reasons are so simple and easily removable that getting rid of them is not difficult:

Lack of fluid. This is especially true for those on artificial feeding, in summer and in rooms with dry air.
Violations in the diet of a nursing mother, infant formula not suitable for the child, illiterate introduction of complementary foods. It is important for mom to exclude flour products, fatty foods, including strong fatty broths, nuts, strong tea and coffee from her diet.
Change of milk formula, as well as a sharp transition from breast to formula. Iron-fortified infant formula can also cause constipation.
Taking medications by mom, child (antibiotics, antispasmodics).
Fever associated with infectious diseases.

This is explained by the fact that in a similar situation, general dehydration of the body is observed, which causes compaction of feces.

There are also other causes of constipation in children. Constipation can be one of the symptoms of the disease. In this case, a visit to a doctor is mandatory!

Possible diseases

Diseases that provoke constipation include the following ailments:

Bowel disease - anatomical defects of the gastrointestinal tract.
Anal atresia... In this case, there is no anus. And there is a membrane that protrudes when the child strains the tummy or pushes, and through it you can see the dark contents.
Dolichosigma - lengthening of the sigmoid colon, as a result of which the formation, movement of feces through the intestine is disturbed. Dolichosigma is found in 25 - 40% of children suffering from constipation.
Hirschsprung's disease - developmental anomaly of the large intestine. With this disease, there is a section of the intestine that is not innervated and cannot contract, which makes it difficult for feces to pass through the intestine. 1 child in 5000 newborns suffers from this disease.
Disorders in the gastrointestinal tract, liver disease.
Allergy or intolerance to cow's milk protein. One of the additional symptoms will be a rash on the baby's body.
Diseases of the nervous system... The main reason is the immaturity of the nervous system, which passes over time.
Cystic fibrosis. This is a genetic disease, which is characterized by a malfunction of the glands of external secretion, including the pancreas, which leads to compaction of feces and constipation. In addition, a number of other symptoms can be observed - a swollen stomach, dry skin that tastes salty, thin arms and legs, difficulty breathing due to the accumulation of viscous mucus.
Hypothyroidism This is an endocrine disease of the thyroid gland, when there is a deficiency of hormones responsible for metabolic processes in the body. When discharged from the hospital, all babies are screened for this disease. The main signs of hypothyroidism are: high birth weight (more than 3,500 g), a rough voice when crying, a swollen face, a swollen stomach, a half-open mouth, a large tongue, sluggish sucking.

In these cases, the consultation and assistance of a doctor is very important!

How to treat constipation?

If you are sure that the baby has constipation, then you should definitely visit the pediatrician. If the cause of constipation is a serious disease, then only a specialist will help to identify it by prescribing an appropriate examination (blood test, determination of hormone levels, identification of a possible vitamin deficiency, fecal analysis, instrumental examination methods). In this situation, only a doctor can prescribe the necessary treatment.

If no abnormalities are found during the examination, then you should not panic. Parents will be able to cope with constipation on their own at home, following a number of tips.

How to help a newborn with constipation at home?

Massage.
Changes in the diet of mom and baby.
Medications.
Mechanical methods.

The safest and most effective method of helping a newborn is massage.

Considering the immaturity of the baby's nervous system, which naturally affects the bowel function, massage stimulates peristalsis, helping to normalize the movement of feces.

make circular movements with your hand in a clockwise direction along the tummy;
do exercises "extension-flexion" of the legs in the knee joints;
lay the baby on his stomach before each feeding;
make stroking movements from top to bottom in the direction from the interscapular region to the baby's bottom.

Nutrition is essential.

Constipation in infants with artificial feeding is a common occurrence. It is very important to add water to the baby; in the first month of life, 2 teaspoons of water per day is enough. You should also think about the possible change of the mixture.

Mom's nutrition also plays an important role. It is necessary to include in the diet vegetables (pumpkin, beets, carrots, herbs), fruits (prunes, dried apricots), cereals (buckwheat, oatmeal).

If massage and dietary changes do not work, medications may be required (Duphalac, Espumisan, Plantex). However, appointments can only be made by the attending physician, since some medications are contraindicated in children under 1 year of age.

If the above methods do not help, you can resort to mechanical methods of stimulating the act of defecation. Glycerin suppositories irritate the intestinal mucosa, and the viscous consistency of the suppository, when melted, helps the feces move more easily.

Never use a bar of soap as a mechanical irritant! This can cause mucosal inflammation and even bleeding.