This is an automatically translated article.
The article was written by Doctor Le Tuyet Nga - Pediatric Center - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital.
Constipation is a very common condition in children today, is a very worrying problem for parents, one of the causes of slow growth. If children suffer from constipation for a long time, it will affect their health, digestive system and face many difficulties in treatment.
1. Solutions to avoid constipation
Based on the causes of constipation in children, there are measures to be taken as follows:
+ Increase fiber
Provide more fiber for your baby through whole grains, ripe fruits and vegetables such as: oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, bananas, avocados, ripe papayas, cauliflower, spinach, amaranth,...
+ Drink enough water
Children who start weaning from 6-12 months need to drink 600ml of water/day (including including: milk, water, juice, ...). Children 1-3 years old need to drink 900ml of water/day. Children 3-5 years old need to drink 1200ml of water/day. Children older than 10 years old drink by adults: 1500 - 2000 ml of water/day. Give enough water per day according to the formula: kg is the baby's weight x 100 ml/day, including filtered water, broth, milk and fruit juice.
+ Going to the toilet on time
Train your baby to go to the bathroom at a certain time of the day to form the baby's body reflex to go to the bathroom every day.
When you see a baby playing suddenly run into the corner of the house to stand or sit: that is a sign that the baby is holding back. You should encourage your baby to have a bowel movement at this time.
Cha mẹ nên tập cho bé đi vệ sinh vào một giờ nhất định trong ngày
2. Implementation measures
Good implementation of measures to avoid constipation will help children eat well, digest well, help children gain weight.
Rub anal moisturizer If the baby has dry, solid, painful stools in the anus or with a little blood, you can apply a little moisturizer to the anal area after cleaning with water and wiping Dry with a soft towel to make your baby more comfortable.
Rub baby's belly daily Rub baby's belly daily to stimulate baby's bowel movements, helping the large intestine to excrete stool more easily. Before rubbing the baby's belly, the mother should rub her hands together to warm up and then gently rub the baby's belly in a clockwise direction. Each session lasts 10 to 15 minutes.
Daily defecation on time Practicing the habit of going to the toilet every day on time to help prevent constipation forms a good reflex for children.
Should let the baby defecate after breakfast.
However, if parents are busy, they can practice the habit of defecating the baby at night before going to bed.
Use formula nutrition suitable for baby If the baby is breastfeeding, continue to breastfeed. If you are taking a nutritional product formula, review the mixing instructions according to the manufacturer's instructions. Find out and have a suitable breastfeeding regime. Using easy-to-digest and constipation-reducing formulas (formulas that don't contain palm oil and contain hydrolyzed whey protein) will make your baby less likely to be constipated.
Eating a lot of green vegetables and fruits is an effective measure, if children do not like to eat, parents should create lively and visually stimulating meals such as shaping and decorating meals with eye-catching colors to create emotions like a page. Decorate vegetables and fruits into a house with a space of trees, lovely animals that are trimmed from colorful fruits and combined for children to drink a lot of smoothies and juices.
Bổ sung nhiều rau và trái cây vào thực đơn để trẻ dễ tiêu hóa và giảm táo bón
Limit some foods that cause constipation in children such as chips, chocolate, low-fiber starchy cereals, cow's milk, cheese, do not eat guava, sapodilla, do not drink carbonated drinks.
Mobility for children Encourage children to be active regularly to help strengthen the contraction of the intestines, stimulate bowel movements, help stools move more easily in the digestive tract. You can suggest some gentle exercise or dance to the music.
Limit the use of enemas and laxatives Children more than 4 days old who have not had a bowel movement should pump (enema) for the baby to get all the old stool out. It is recommended to use pumps (enemas) sold at drugstores to ensure safety. Not recommended for daily use as it may lose the natural defecation reflex.
Using laxatives to treat constipation in children needs to strictly follow the doctor's orders. Because some side effects may be encountered when taking laxatives such as diarrhea, abdominal bloating, muscle spasms, nausea.
3. When to see a doctor?
Constipation persists for more than a week, changing the diet has no effect. Constipation after birth, abdominal distension. Constipation affects digestion: Anorexia, weight loss, malnutrition with vomiting. When experiencing abnormal signs in children such as pain in the anal region when having a bowel movement, hemorrhoids, anal fissures accompanied by symptoms such as fatigue, fear of cold, weight loss, loss of appetite, fever, bloody diarrhea, .. Need to see a doctor immediately to be examined and give the best and most useful advice for your baby.
Nên đến gặp bác sĩ ngay nếu thấy trẻ có những dấu hiệu bất thường
If constipation in children is prolonged without good examination and treatment, it can cause the child to dilate the colon, reduce rectal sensation, cause loss of defecation reflex, aggravate constipation, leading to bowel disorders. and fecal incontinence.
At that time, the usual drugs to treat constipation, the adjustment of diet, drinking, and living activities did not help improve constipation. Children need intensive assessment (measurement of rectal pressure, assessment of defecation reflex,...) and combination of drug treatment combined with functional rehabilitation (anal electric stimulation, interference, exercise. biofeedback,...) can help children improve their constipation.
To properly identify the cause of symptoms and properly treat them, parents should take their children to medical facilities for accurate examination and advice. In addition to the above methods, to limit the child's constipation as well as the use of antibiotics, parents should supplement with supportive foods containing lysine, essential micro-minerals and vitamins such as zinc, chromium. , selenium, B vitamins, ... help support the immune system, enhance resistance so that children are less likely to get sick and have less digestive problems.
Parents can learn more:
Why do you need to supplement Lysine for your baby?
The role of zinc - Guidelines for reasonable zinc supplementation
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