Constipation in Toddlers

Once your child gets into the toddler stage there is a whole new world of child raising that is happening. They're starting to talk and walk and get into everything in the house. Toddlers are also learning anything and everything they can take in.

This is a great time to teach them healthy dietary habits and to let you know if they are having any problems when going to the bathroom.

Going to the bathroom is a very personal thing for many people. This includes children. Many children who are learning to go on their own suddenly want more privacy while they undertake this activity. While this is a sign they are growing up, it can also be a problem.

Before now, you could look at their urine and stool waste and make sure things were coming out just as they should be. Now, your child is starting to take on this activity on their own, and you are not going to know if they have any problems.

A very common problem for children is constipation. Sometimes children will not tell anyone they need constipation relief because they are embarrassed about their situation. Instead they will wait for days, trying hard to remove the stool from their system, with the situation getting worse and worse. By the time they tell you, you may have to take them to the doctor to get a constipation cure to alleviate the problem.

Instead, you should begin teaching your children about the importance of normal bowel movements and that there is no embarrassment in letting you know that they are not able to go and need a constipation remedy.

Start with a talk about diet. Explain that the best constipation cure is to prevent it in the first place.

Fruits and Fiber

Explain to your child that there is a natural constipation remedy – fruits and fiber. If you think they will be able to understand you can explain how fiber works in their belly to make the poop move through more easily. If not, just let them know that if they eat a lot of fruit (such as pears and peaches), it will keep them able to poop without it hurting. This usually is enough to convince a child to keep eating their fruit as a constipation relief method.

Liquids

Another important aspect of your constipation cure plan is liquids. Children are very active. The more they run and play the more liquid they burn out of your system. If they are not taking enough liquid in to replace it, they can dehydrate, drying out the stool in their bowels and leading to constipation. This is only compounded if you live in a hot climate.

Teach your child that part of constipation relief is to keep drinking lots of liquids all day long to keep their body running.

Communicate

The final thing that is important is to make sure your child is comfortable talking to you when they need a constipation remedy. While parents don't always realize it, their children are very sensitive to things they say and do.

Make sure you keep communication lines open and can talk to your child about these problems without laughing or making jokes. If they think you are making fun of them, they will clam up and not tell you about their problem until it is so bad that they likely need medical attention.