The frequency of poop varies from child to child – some several times a day, others every two to three days. This can be done with a hard time for parents to tell if their child is really constipated. If you need help deciphering your child’s toilet difficulties and relieving their constipation – you’re in luck! Here’s your toddler’s guide to constipation:
Is My Child Constipated?
While each child’s bowel schedule is slightly different, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), most children have one or two bowel movements a day, while others have a bowel movement every two to three days. That said, regular use of the toilet does not necessarily mean that your child has completely emptied his bowels. Here are some common signs that your child may be constipated.
- Have less than two bowel movements per week
- Struggles and stress when going to the toilet
- Hard or painful stools
- Successful bowel movements, but some stools do not come out
- Bleeding from the butt after going to the toilet
- Stomach pain, cramps, and/or nausea
- There are brown wet spots on the underwear
Constipation is a common problem in children. Fortunately, most of this is a transient issue. However,1%to 5% of children in the world do experience severe and chronic constipation. United States, according to the report of the journal BMJ Clinical Evidence.
What Causes Constipation?
There are few culprits for constipation, including constipation. This means that your child will ignore the urge to have a bowel movement because they are afraid (or they just don’t want to stop playing) using the bathroom. Other common causes of constipation include:
- Avoid going to the toilet because bowel movements are painful
- If potty training turns into a fight, children may ignore their urge to have a bowel movement
- Side effects of certain medications, such as certain antidepressants
- Stresses and changes in everyday life, such as travel and the start of school
- Lack of fiber
How to Treat Constipation in Young Children?
Dietary changes can greatly affect a child’s popcorn Xi. In addition, the following adjustments can help your child have a bowel movement again:
Make an active move. Physical activity helps stimulate normal bowel function.
There is toilet time. Designate specific times of the day, such as after before meals, before naps, and in the evening, and have your child use the potty.
Try using potty accessories. Provide your child with a small footstool when they go to the toilet. This will make them more comfortable and provide them with a better position BM.
Provide toilet reminders. Remind your child to listen to their bodies and use the bathroom throughout the day.
Drink plenty of water. Water helps to soften hard stools so that they can move more easily.
Provide plenty of high-fiber foods. Fiber optics help form soft, bulky, easy-to-pass stool.
How Much Fiber Does My Child Need?
The truth is that most children don’t consume enough fiber-rich foods. In fact, research shows that only 9% of 2- and 3-year-olds are able to meet the basic fiber intake requirement, and that number drops to 7.5% of children under 4 years old. So the big question is: how much fiber should your child eat? Thankfully, the answer is actually quite simple: just add your child’s age to five, and that’s how many grams of fiber they need per day. Have a 3-year-old? Their age plus 5 grams means your child needs 8 grams of fiber per day. Of course, it’s one thing to know how much fiber your child needs, but it’s another thing to put those mysterious grams into real-world/real food jargon!
Toddler Food to Relieve Constipation
Fruits and vegetables are fiber-rich foods…But the same goes for whole grains. When putting snacks and meals for toddlers together, be sure to mix and serve all of these foods. If your child doesn’t like pears or lentils…Just eat two to three servings of fruit a day and two to three servings of vegetables a day that contain at least 2 grams of fiber, and make sure most of the grains you serve are 100% whole.
Food #1 to Help Young Children with Constipation: Pears
Pears are not only a good source of fiber, but they also contain sorbitol and fructose. Sorbitol is a natural sugar alcohol, and fructose is a natural sugar…Both act as laxatives and help irritate the stool.
- Serving Size: 1/2 medium pear
- Fiber: 3 grams
How to provide your child with:
- Pour it into a blueberry smoothie and peel.
- Cut the pears into wedges for finger food.
- Stir into a puree.
- Sauté with cinnamon.
- Cut into thin slices and add to grilled cheese.
Tip: If your child refuses to eat pear (or apple) peels, place them on top of cookies Spread thin slices, sprinkle with cinnamon, and bake at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for 2.5 hours for a delicious and nutritious apple peeled chips your kids will love!
Food #2 to Help with Constipation in Young Children: Apples
An apple a day can help eliminate hard stools! This water- and fiber-rich fruit is very good at making bowel movements easier. Since apples contain fiber in their pulp and skin, it is best to eat both.
- Serving Size: 1/2 medium apple
- Fiber: 2 grams
How to provide your child with:
- Toss the pieces into the spinach smoothie – use the peel.
- Cut the apples into thin slices.
- Grate or chop the apples and add to the oatmeal.
- Dip apples in peanut butter, melted cheese, or yogurt.
- Sauté or bake slices or cubes.
Tip: Applesauce and apple juice don’t have the same fiber content as whole apples. But if you only have applesauce on hand, mix it with prune puree or oat bran to boost its fiber content. You can add apple juice to a berry smoothie so your child can get sorbitol and fiber to help with bowel movements.
Food #3 to Help with Constipation in Young Children: Raspberries
Sweet and delicious raspberries are rich in anti-constipation fiber! Their season is usually between July and September, so consider buying frozen ones in the off-season, as they are picked at their freshest.
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup fresh or frozen
- Fiber: 2 grams
How to provide your child with:
- Place in a peach smoothie.
- Serve fresh, soft raspberries as finger food.
- Stir into puree and mix with yogurt and serve.
- Puree, mix with yogurt, and coat on 100% full-fat wheat toast.
- Add frozen raspberries to overnight oats and store in the refrigerator for at least four hours.
Tip: Cut frozen raspberries into small pieces and mix them with your child’s hot oatmeal to help cool down and add fiber content.
Food #4 to Help with Constipation in Young Children: Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are high in fiber, making them perfect for toddlers because they have little to no flavor! In addition to fiber, tiny black seeds provide calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, which also help support your child’s bones and teeth.
- Serving Size: 1 tbsp
- Fiber: 4.8 grams
How to provide your child with:
- Bake the chia seeds in a banana bun.
- Mix them and put them in the pasta sauce.
- Grind and sprinkle inside peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
- Add to overnight oats or hot cereal.
- Add to yogurt parfait.
Tip: If your child has an egg allergy, chia seeds can be used as an egg substitute. To substitute for eggs, mix 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 2.5 tablespoons of water.
Food #5 to Help with Constipation in Young Children: Pitted Prunes
Prunes are rich in fiber, which is very helpful in eliminating intestinal peristalsis. The problem is, plums aren’t the children’s favorite…… But they should be! Pitted plums – also known as dehydrated plums – are really delicious!
- Serving size: A quarter cup or 4 cups prunes
- Fiber: 3 grams
How to provide your child with:
- Place the plums in the berry smoothie.
- Chop them up and mix them into a bowl of Cheers.
- Thinly slice the plums and add them to the dried fruit mixture of cereal, shredded coconut, and mini dark chocolate chips.
- Sprinkle the chopped plums on a thin layer of peanut butter toast (100% whole wheat).
- Spread the nut butter on the apple or pear slices and place on top with the sliced plums.
Tip: To reduce the risk of choking, make sure the prunes are pitted, moistened, and soft before preparing for your child. You can give your child 2 to 4 ounces of prune juice back every day. It has a better laxative effect and is more irritating to the stool than other types of juices.
Food #6 to Help with Constipation in Young Children: Green Beans
This easy-to-eat vegetable has a lot of fiber and can help your child meet their daily vegetable needs. The Institute of Nutrition and Dietetics says that most children do not have adequate dietary intake, and that eating two to three servings a day can be beneficial. (1 tablespoon for 1-year-old children for a serving of cooked vegetables, 2 tablespoon for 1-year-olds) Tablespoons for 2-year-olds, and so on. )
- Serving Size: A quarter cup or 4 tablespoons for 4 years
- Fiber: 2 grams
How to provide your child with:
- Mix peas with rice.
- Add the peas to the vegetables and turkey broth.
- Stir in macaroni cheese.
- Make peas.
- Consider pea soup.
Tip: Green peas are a must-have in the fridge! They are affordable and perfect for long-term storage…In addition, toddlers like to eat them frozen. Just pour these green dreams into a bowl and let your kids enjoy.
Food #7 to Help with Constipation in Young Children: Oat Bran
Oat bran comes from the outer layer of the oat kernel and contains more fiber and protein than regular oats. Whole grains, such as oat bran, retain nutrient-dense parts like bran, endosperm, and germ, all of which contain fiber. At the same time, processed grains, such as white bread, provide little to no fiber. You can buy oat bran in powder form that is easy to mix, which makes it more convenient to fight constipation.
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Fiber: 3.6 grams
How to provide your child with:
- Mix the oat bran into a smoothie.
- Mix with vanilla yogurt.
- Pour the oat bran into the muffin batter before baking.
- When to use oat bran instead of regular breadcrumbs for cooking meat and fish.
Tip: When serving fiber-rich foods to young children, be sure to provide plenty of food and water as well. Increasing your child’s fiber intake without increasing their water intake can actually lead to more poop problems! According to the AAP, toddlers need one to five glasses of water a day.
Food #8 to Help with Constipation in Young Children: Lentils
Lentils are a versatile plant-based protein that is a must-have in the diet of young children. These tiny beans are rich in fiber, iron, B vitamins, and copper — helping your child get the digestive tract moving.
- Serving Size: One-eighth cup
- Fiber: 2 grams
How to provide your child with:
- Boil the lentils into chili peppers.
- Use them as a delicious taco filling.
- Add lentils to chocolate muffin recipes.
- Serve some low-sodium lentil soup.
- Cook the lentils in the pasta sauce.
Tip: Whether you choose red, green, or brown lentils, they’re all high in fiber and need to be rinsed before cooking to help remove any tiny debris that may have been picked up during the harvesting process
Food #9 to Help Relieve Constipation in Young Children: Avocado
Avocados are a nutritional powerhouse due to their high fiber content and rich in vitamin C, B vitamins, and protein. Not only are they simple to prepare, but they’re also smooth, silky, and approved by the taste buds, so even the pickiest toddler will love avocados!
- Serving Size: 1/2 avocado, pitted, peeled
- Fiber: 5 grams
How to provide your child with:
- Add avocado to your mango smoothie.
- Mash with a fork and spread over the mini bagels.
- Cut into cubes and serve as finger food.
- Mash with a pinch of salt and lemon juice to make a mayonnaise substitute for sandwiches.
- Combine Parmesan, avocado, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic in a blender to make a delicious pasta sauce.
Tip: You can quickly make toddler guacamole by mashing half an avocado with a fork and mixing it with 1 to 2 tablespoons of canned salsa.
Dietary changes can often do wonders for a child’s constipation. In addition to adding fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, it’s also wise to limit low-fiber foods like potato chips, white pasta, desserts, and crackers. But sometimes dietary changes aren’t enough to resolve constipation. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends calling your child’s doctor if they don’t have a bowel movement for two to three days, or if they feel pain during bowel movements. If necessary, the pediatrician may prescribe medication to soften the toddler’s stool. And be sure not to give your child laxatives or enemas!