Did you know constipation is actually incredibly common in children, especially toilet training toddlers? So, don’t let the guilt fairy come and swallow you up if your child is constipated. It happens.
Although common, it’s always good for parents to have a plan in place in the event of a bit of a backup. A good source of information is a GP/Healthcare Professional. They can help you work out which plan is more suitable for your child as each child is unique.
After all, while common, constipation isn’t pleasant and we all want to move things along as quickly as possible.
Get to the bottom of constipation with these tried and tested tips on helping your little one poop, especially handy if you’re entering toilet training territory!
A little bit about a child’s poop
Children’s bowel movements differ depending on age, diet and simply the way their digestive systems work. Like adults, some children will go three times a day. Others may only need to go once every two days.
A little bit about constipation
Constipation is about the consistency of the stool not the frequency of the bowel movement. To give you a visual that you most certainly didn’t ask for, it means the faeces is hard, making it tough to pass through the bowels.
ANOTHER NOT-SO-FUN FACT: Children who are constipated may be extra irritable, or display unusual behaviours such as hiding, squatting, crossing their legs or refusing to sit or bend their legs.
Constipation could be caused by a number of things including slow gut movement, dehydration, diet, holding it in.
More likely than not, your little one’s digestion system is simply having an off day (or week) and needs a bit of a cleanout.
Child constipation busters: 4 things to try
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One cause of constipation is eating too many processed foods and not enough fruit and veg. Try not to stress if your child is going through a chicken-nugget-and-cheese-only stage, but look into sneaky ways to add some fibre, fruit and veg into their daily meal plan.
- Fruits such as plums, prunes, raisins, apricots and peaches – all fibre-rich options.
- Grating veggies into their meals – often they won’t even know you’ve added a carrot or zucchini if it’s hidden in the sauce.
- Bran and shredded wheat cereals, whole grain cereals, wholemeal bread or oatmeal. Avoid white breads and refined cereals.
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High fibre food and water intake work together. Low fluids intake can also be to blame for constipation in children, which, again, is common in toddlers who are far too busy exploring to stop for frequent water breaks. Start incorporating water breaks into playtime.
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There are a number of medications to treat constipation in children, but it’s a good idea to discuss this option with your doctor or chemist first. They can determine what is suitable for your child.
They may recommend Little™ Parachoc because it is gentle and beneficial in building healthy toilet habits.
Little™ Parachoc comes in a liquid form that you simply mix with your child’s milk, cold flavoured drink or yoghurt. No tablet, no suppository – it’s easy peasy and pleasant tasting chocolate vanilla flavour. Yum!
It works to help your little one poop by gently lubricating the bowel wall and softening the faecal mass. If your child is constipated it may take a couple of days to fully work but it can make the pooping process so much more comfortable for your little one.
Little™ Parachoc is stimulant-free and doesn’t contain gluten, lactose, casein, dairy, egg, soy or nuts or nut by-products. The next time you’re at the chemist, ask about Little™ Parachoc, just in case. It’s available at all leading pharmacies.
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You probably already have a bit of a routine when it comes to snack time, mealtime, nap time and bedtime. But did you know we’re meant to have toilet time too?
It’s a good idea to set aside three times a day to sit on the loo, even if your child doesn’t need to go. Aim for three to five minutes per seating. Reward with praise, stickers and possibly Smarties if you happen to have some hidden in the pantry.
Remember, many kids are frightened when doing a bowel movement, especially when they are toilet training. They’ve been taught to poop in a nappy and when you take this safety net away, well, it can be strange and scary! Make the experience fun for them with books, songs, rewards and plenty of praise.
Most importantly, remind them that it’s going to be okay. Mummy is here. Reassurance goes a long way, no matter where they are or what they are doing.
The bottom line
Constipation isn’t pleasant and it can put a pretty big strain on your child and their relationship with pooping. A few small tweaks to their toilet time and diet may be all your child needs to help them regulate and get back on track.
We also recommend talking to your Healthcare Professional about Little ™ Parachoc, it’s available at all leading pharmacies.
Little ™ Parachoc also offers an awesome downloadable tool where you can track your child’s poop and assess their progress. This is a valuable resource, especially if you are entering toilet training territory.
This is a sponsored post for Little™ Parachoc
