Symptoms such as headaches, skin problems, difficulty concentrating and irritability are common.
Regardless of age, the child must have at least one bowel movement each day. The only exception concerns the breastfed baby who can have a bowel movement every two to four days without any problems. Because breast milk has a great power of assimilation, it produces less waste.
Bowel movements every 2-3 days or more are a sign of poor elimination. It is also possible to have bowel movements every day and still suffer from constipation. If the stool is hard and dry and if the elimination requires an effort, it is also a case of constipation. Furthermore, the speed of the bowel movement is important to control. Waste should leave our body as stools about 24 hours after being digested. Little test: ask your child to eat spinach during a meal and you should see green stools appear 16 to 24 hours later.
Our diet remains one of the main causes of constipation. However, stress, the transition from breast milk to bottle milk, potty training, a change in habits such as the beginning of school or the lack of physical activity are all factors that can affect a healthy elimination.
Food intolerances like gluten and dairy products can irritate the intestines and cause tension and spasms that can inhibit peristalsis.
It is important to teach our children the importance of good bowel at a very young age. Because the intestine is more active in the morning, between 5 and 7, make sure that your child wakes up early enough when he goes to school so he will have enough time to go to the toilet.
The most important tip to relieve constipation is to drink water
Ideally, the water should be consumed at room temperature to avoid shocking the body. Choose quality water, preferably filtered or the least mineralized.
To know the amount of water necessary according to your child’s size: divide his weight (in pounds) by two and you will the ounces of water that he should drink daily. For example, your child weighs 40 pounds he should drink 20 ounces of water every day, divided in five small glasses of four ounces each.
A few tips to make your child drink more water:
- Give him a glass of water at sunrise and a glass before each meal.
- Buy a new and fun water bottle for kids.
- Always bring his bottle of water with you and offer him often.
- Prepare the quantity he should drink during the day in advance.
- Throw in a dash of lemon, lime or orange to make it tastier.
- Don’t forget to set an example and to drink water too!
About his nutrition
Many foods promote elimination
- Prunes or figs. Soak prunes or figs overnight. You can also make a spread and put it on his toasts in the morning, it is delicious!
- Figs syrup is also effective and tastes very good.
- Fresh pears, beets, grapes, apricots.
- Ground flaxseed and flaxseed oil. Add seeds and oil to oatmeal, unsweetened apple sauce, yogurt or morning cereals…
Give him freshly squeezed carrot juice (or buy Biotta) when he comes back from daycare or from school. Carrots help the production of bile, which may be idle during constipation.
The second tip is to give him enough fibres
Gradually increase the amount of fibres contained in his meals to avoid gas and abdominal discomfort. Vary the sources lire cereals, vegetables, fruits but also legumes that are extremely rich in fibres.
Here are a few tips to add more fibres in his food.
- Add ground flaxseeds to your smoothies, yogurts, cereals, muffins, pancakes and salads.
- Add legumes to your recipes (1/2 cup of chick peas or red beans give 8 grams of fibres).
- Choose fruits that are richer in fibres such as pears, mangos and pineapples.
- Eat vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts. Crucifers help the liver function.
- Always choose whole grains cereals. Look for ingredients like whole-wheat flour and oat bran.
- Give him vegetables at every meal. Opt for fruits as a snack.
- Try buckwheat cereals, extremely rich in fibres, as side dish.
More tips
- A cup of warm water with a bit of honey can also help in the morning.
- Make him exercise. For tiny tots, make the pedalling motion with your legs to stimulate peristalsis. For older kids, move, dance, play outside. You can even try yoga for children with him.
- Massage is very effective for children who need to be reassured and appeased. Massage his belly clockwise with the palm of your hand every night before sleep. You can add a bit of sweet almond oil and a drop of lavender essential oil. Lavender calms children.
- Practice deep breathing exercises with him. Breathing exercises can be practiced everywhere and at any time. These exercises help stimulate digestion and elimination. Include it in your routine: before meals, before bedtime, etc.
- Make him drink marshmallow or purple tea or add red elm to his meals. Those plants are emollient; they help softening the stools and soften the lining of the intestine.
- In severe constipation cases, adding probiotic capsules may be necessary. Ask your naturopath.
If he did not evacuate for a few days or if your child cries, give him a warm chamomile enema. Use a small douche, bought at the pharmacy, lie your child on his left side on a towel on the bathroom floor (lie children under three years old on their back).
Lubricate the tip of the tin with oil and slowly insert the tip of the douche (check the temperature on your wrist first). Hold the bulb pressed to remove it without taking the liquid out. Wait a few minutes and sit your child on the toilet for evacuation.
Avoid laxatives that could cause mineral loss. It is preferable to correct the situation by adopting healthy habits. Ask a licensed naturopath to help you. And also, don’t forget to give him enough time to go to the toilet. Make him laugh! Laughter massages the intestine and relaxes us.
