Try to avoid pressuring your child to poop when she is constipated as this can worsen the condition. — dpa
It's not unusual for small children to suffer from constipation.
Sometimes, that’s due to a change in their daily routine, e.g. when switching to solid food or starting potty training.
A combination of the right food and the right parenting techniques will help get digestion going again, says pharmacist Catharina Dhonau, who is based in Germany.
Here are three tips to help the process:
Dried fruit, pureed apricots and wholemeal products can activate bowel movements due to their high fibre content.
It is also important that children drink plenty of liquids.
“Stuffing” foods, including white flour, bananas or carrots, on the other hand, should only be given in moderation, says Dhonau.
When your toddler practices the art of using the toilet, a relaxed atmosphere is always better than a climate of pressure.
To help the process along, parents can introduce a rewards-based system and award them a sticker for every poo that ends up in the potty.
If you find blood in your kid’s stool or if the child has been constipated for several weeks, you should take them to see a doctor.
The same goes if they are experiencing pain.
The doctor can prescribe stool softeners to help.
Parents should also keep an eye on whether their child continues to grow according to the age-appropriate growth chart.
If this is not the case, the constipation may indicate a gluten intolerance.
According to Dhonau, this should be clarified quickly by a doctor.
The symptoms often appear three to six months after the first meals containing gluten, such as wholemeal porridge or rusks. – dpa
