Constipation in children
Can we talk poo for a minute? Or actually, the lack thereof?
Childhood constipation is one of the most common conditions I see in the clinic. (On a side note - no one warned me how much ‘poo talk’ would become a part of daily life as a Nutritionist).
But, back to constipation. It’s VERY common….. but NOT normal. Constipation can happen to babies, toddlers and older kids too. It can cause a lot of frustration and heightened emotions at home (and with good reason- it’s stressful for everyone involved). The good news is that there is SO much nutritional medicine can do to help. Let’s delve into this common childhood ailment a little deeper….
Symptoms of constipation:
Less than 1 bowel motion a day (ideally 2-3 is what we like to see)
Hard or small ‘pebbles’ or ‘nuggets’
Painful bowel motions
Watery bowel motions: when compacted faecal matter partially blocks the large intestine, liquified poo can seep out around the blockage (it looks like diarrhea, but is actually constipation)
Bowel Incontinence / accidents once toilet trained
Fear, aggression or irritability at having to go to the toilet or avoiding it altogether.
Reasons for childhood constipation (there are many):
Changes to the gut microbiome - certain bacterial strains assist bowel motions and when these become unbalanced it can slow things down
Dietary changes or ‘fussy eating’ - not enough fibre in the diet or a lack of nutrients needed for healthy gut lining cells and peristalsis.
Medications
Food intolerances
Insufficient digestive enzymes
Suboptimal digestive function
Parasites
Psychological (holding on to things/ anxiety)
Stress
And many more….
Aside from the obvious discomfort and emotional toll, constipation is something we want to fix sooner rather than later. This is to avoid:
Reliance on laxatives and/or suppositories
Damage to bowel nerves and epithelial lining, resulting in reduced peristalsis (muscle contractions that move food through the digestive tract).
Reduced toxin elimination. The body reabsorbs toxins from faecal matter when it sits in your bowel for an extended time. This can result in behavioural issues, bad moods & irritability. Skin rashes, breakouts and hormonal imbalances can also be associated with constipation in adolescence.
Negative impacts on the gut microbiome.
Constipation can also become a vicious cycle. It’s very common for kids to become scared of pooing or the feeling that comes with it - especially if they have a few bad experiences or painful bowel motions. They can then begin to ‘hold on’ to the poo and refuse to defecate - exacerbating the situation.
How can a qualified Nutritionist help?
The first step is to provide immediate symptomatic relief. A powerful combination of certain vitamins/minerals and incredibly effective prebiotic powders will work wonders. Then, we check if we can tweak their diet (I LOVE helping fussy eaters) to increase intake of fibre, prebiotics and nutrients required to regulate gut function. We can also:
Investigate dietary causes, such as food intolerances or insufficient fibre intake
Refer for functional pathology testing to get to the bottom of the issue (pardon the pun). A complete digestive stool analysis may be useful, to investigate the presence of parasites, digestive enzymes, gut bacteria strains and overall digestive function.
Balance the microbiome using certain probiotic strains studied for their treatment of constipation
Support the nervous system to reduce stress and anxiety
Prescribe nutritional supplements to improve gut motility and heal any damage in the gut
As well as dietary recommendations, lifestyle & behaviour changes may be useful in re-establishing a healthy ‘poo routine’.
What can you do at home? Tips for reducing constipation:
Increase fibre intake:
Some of the best fibre to incorporate into their diet includes: fruit with skin on, vegetables, nuts, seeds, psyllium husk and flax seed meal
Increase water intake
Getting enough water is SUPER important. If you increase fibre without increasing water, you can make constipation much worse
Cut out junk food. Processed food is low in fibre and high in sugar & fat - not good for gut health and regular bowel movements. Over time, this food also negatively alters the gut microbiome.
Toileting posture: a small stool placed in front of the toilet that acts as a footrest helps line the bowel up for easy defecation.
Keep a food diary that will help identify any patterns associated with constipation
If you’re doing this consistently but still not getting anywhere, seek out a qualified Nutritionist that can develop a tailored plan of attack to get things moving again. The most important thing is addressing the root cause of what’s causing the constipation and not just using a ‘bandaid fix’.
Together, we will get your little one pooping like a champion again.
