What is constipation in children?
Constipation is a very common problem in children. A baby is said to be constipated when the baby has fewer than three bowel movements in a week. Constipation has no particular disease or illness, which is called idiopathic constipation. Constipation must be recognized early to prevent it from becoming a long-term (chronic) problem.
Causes of constipation in children
The most common cause of constipation in a child is a willful avoidance of the toilet for various reasons. Changes in diet affect bowel habits. Any intense changes in a child-such as illnesses causing fever, becoming bedridden, eating less, or dehydration may decrease the frequency of stools or may harden stools.
Other main reasons for constipation in children are:
Faulty dietary habits and lifestyle is the major cause of constipation.
In young babies of 1-2 years, constipation is due to the lack of appetite and weak digestive fire.
Constipation is also caused by other anatomical abnormalities, it corrects by surgeries.
Physiologically constipation may occur by a lack of food intake, fasting or anorexia, lack of water content and fat in the food, etc.
Also, physical work and plays are the most important part of the childhood phase, it is a must to playing child according to the age, it increases appetite, correct digestion, and remove constipation.
Symptoms of constipation in children
Stomachache.
Bloating.
Nausea.
Loss of appetite.
General crankiness.
Crying or screaming during bowel movements.
Home remedies for constipation in children
Give the child at least 1 cup of fruit juice such as apple, pear, or prune a day.
Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into a cup of warm water. Drink or sip the water completely.
The child should be given grape (angoor) juice with Jaggery (guda).
Take coriander seeds with elaichi in water, and boil them until the water remains half. It is consumed by the children the whole day (warm). It relieves constipation.
Include fruit like papaya, banana, mango, and other fibery fruits that are useful in constipation in your child's diet (but banana with curd and buttermilk must be avoided).
Take harade or harad powder (Terminalia chebula), roast it in ghee, and give it to the children with warm water at night also helps in dealing with constipation.
Dry fruits like figs, dates, and apricots also help in digestion and also in constipation.
In dietary habits, including fibrous food, chapati, or roti using coarse flour, and also once in a day make traditional sweets which are made from ghee are useful in constipation.
Avoid taking bakery items and sweets made out of milk, which contain preservatives is advisable.
Triphala churna is taken according to age and as per the requirement of the body is advisable.
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