Constipation Remedy Tips for Children

Thinking of a constipation remedy for children is similar to providing constipation remedy for adults – diet is the first place to look into . Like adults, many children are also frequently suffering from constipation. The challenge of providing a good constipation remedy for children, however, lies in the fact that children do not know how to complain and describe what is wrong .

Constipation in children can be described as the moving of hard and painful stools and often irregularly. Due to the pain, children with frequent bouts of constipation tend to hold in their bowels to keep themselves from feeling more pain, which only serves to worsen the condition.

The most common causes of constipation in children are :

· Lack of fiber in the diet.

· Drinking too much milk.

· No drinking enough water.

· Poor toilet–training and/or waiting too long before going to the toilet.

Oftentimes, simple adjustments in a child's diet are enough to serve as constipation remedy. Following are some constipation remedies to help your child move bowels better.

· Limit the amount of cow's milk you give your child . The amount of milk that a child can consume without becoming constipated varies for every child. If your child frequently gets constipated, gradually lessen the amount of milk you give him/her until you get favorable changes in your child's bowel movement.

· Try giving soy milk to older children . Compared with cow's milk, soy milk is less constipating and is just as nutritious.

· Adding more fiber to your child's diet is a good constipation remedy. Avoid giving constipating foods like yogurt, cheese, cooked carrots, bananas, and other low-fiber foods.

· For infants, try giving more water or fruit juice at least once a day . Breast-fed infants are less prone to constipation than babies drinking formulated milk.

· Stool softeners for children are also available in pharmacies as constipation remedy. Many of these laxatives are safe for children and are not habit-forming . If your child begins to have diarrhea due to the laxatives, then you may be giving too much and should decrease the dosage.

To know how much fiber your child needs in his/her diet, add 5 to 6 grams of fiber to your child's age. This means that a 5-year-old child requires 10 to 11 grams of fiber daily. Consider this amount when shopping for food in the grocery by reading the nutritional information on food labels.

Constipation Remedy - Eating Right to Move Right 

Young and old, we all need to adjust our diets to be healthy and to move bowels regularly. Following are foods that can serve as natural and healthy constipation remedies both for the constipated and those wanting a more regular bowel movement alike.

· Bale fruit – cleans and strengthens your colon area; considered the best laxative of all kinds of fruits.

· Bran cereal – very high in fiber and advisable for infants and older children.

· Guava - provides roughage particularly when eaten with seeds.

· Prunes and Papaya – good natural constipation remedy particularly for constipated children.

· Corn syrup – dilute a tablespoonful in a glass of water as constipation remedy .

· Honey – add a small amount to a glass of water or milk and drink twice a day to serve as natural constipation remedy.