If since a few days your toddler is avoiding to poop squatting on the potty and instead, prefers to poop standing. If your toddler cries while pooing and are exhausted after she has pooped.
How To Treat Your Toddler’s Constipation
Is your child a fussy eater and if made to eat forceful vomits. Have your child became irritable and lethargic. Beware as your child may be suffering from constipation and may have developed fissure in the anus.
If your toddler has fewer bowel movements than he /she typically does and passes hard stool with difficulty in passing then your child is constipated. Stool may also be accompanied with pain and blood.
What is Toddlers Constipation
However, constipation is normal if once in a while, but if it lasts for long it is termed as ‘chronic constipation’. Chronic constipation needs a serious attention as it can be a symptom of underlying diseases such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, cyst or lactose intolerance.
The symptoms of constipation n a child includes less frequent bowel movements than usual, hard and dry stool, there may be blood on the outside, difficulty and pain while passing stool, bloating of stomach, nausea, vomiting, irritation and crankiness, signs of holding stool like sweating, holding buttocks, turning red, crossing of legs and bending forward.
Symptoms of Toddler’s constipation
Sometimes there may be liquid stool in the child’s diaper or underwear that may slip past blockage without child’s awareness. Also, the child may show loss of appetite.
Constipation in toddlers may be caused due to less water intake, less fiber intake, sedentary habits, more milk consumption, stomach bug and medical conditions like diabetes, hypothyroidism, lactose intolerance, an anatomical defect in rectum or anus or nervous system diseases.
Make changes in diet. Increase high fiber foods like fruits (avoid apple and banana), vegetable soup and whole grains. Avoid bending foods like apple, banana, carrot, milk products and nuts.
How is Toddler’s Constipation Managed
Do not give milk more than 3 times a day, give toned milk and Prefer curd over milk. Encourage a toddler to drink plenty of water. Encourage your kid to physically active. Gently Massage child’s belly below the navel on the left side until the mass is felt.
As raisins are sweet in taste your child will easily take it. Alternatively, you may soak a handful of raisins in a cup of water overnight. In the morning crush it and along with water. Strain it and give it to your child.
Raisins
Take a tablespoon of sugar in a cup of water and give it to your child. This will treat constipation.
Sugar
Add a teaspoon of olive oil to half cup of orange juice and give it to your child to treat constipation.
Olive oil
Soak 1 piece of dried fig in a cup of water. Crush it in morning and give it to your child.
Figs
add one-fourth to half teaspoon of Bishop seeds to water and boil it. Strain the concoction and give it to your child 2-3 times in a day.
Bishop seeds
Always keep in mind never to force child toilet train, if he/she develops fear will start holding bowel movements. If you find your toddler is ready to poop or after a meal, encourage to use the potty and sit at least for 10 to 15 minutes. Encourage them to make it a regular habit and reward them for using the toilet. This has a positive effect on kids.