Written By: Debjani Arora | Published : November 2, 2017 2:55 PM IST
Constipation in babies, toddlers and young children is common, as it is with adults and elderly. But with kids, the problem is their irritation due to constipation breaks into temper tantrums and restlessness which at times could be too much to handle. With babies below one year of age, this could mean constant crying that no amount of cuddling and soothing can calm them down. Mostly home remedies to treat constipation work well with kids sipping hot water, hot oil massage on the abdomen, eating a banana, prunes, etc., help to initiate bowel movements. Here are seven home remedies for constipation in kids.
But there are times when you might need medication or a suppository to help your child pass motions. Oral medications work wonders for young kids but with babies and toddlers, a suppository is usually suggested by the paediatrician. But seldom do they tell you when to give your child the suppository. All you know is that you have to push the suppository up through the anus. Yes, it is a bit painful for the child to endure it, but using a suppository yields satisfactory results most of the time. Here are few reasons that lead to constipation in small babies.
Here is when to give it: Either give the suppository early in the morning when your child wakes up or at night before bedtime. Ensure that you give the suppository when your child is playful and not wailing helplessly while she feels the pressure of the bowel. My paediatrician once explained to me that we need to insert the suppository when the child is in a playful mood, which is when they are not feeling the pressure of the bowel or trying hard to pass the stool that is stuck in the rectum. The biggest mistake that parents do is to insert the suppository when the stool is stuck in the rectum and the child is having a difficult time to expel it out. In this way, the suppository fails to work and falls out instead of making its way inside the rectum to soften the stool.
Instead, try inserting it when the stool is not stuck in the rectum, that is, when your child doesn t feel the pressure to pass the motion. In this way, the suppository will work its way up and soften the stool to make it easier and pass.
The right way to insert a suppository:
If your child doesn t pass stool for an entire day even after inserting the suppository call your doctor for help.
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