COMMON CHILDHOOD ILLNESSES AND CONDITIONS

CONSTIPATION`

Constipation is a hard stool accompanied by one or more of the following: abdominal pain, crying, blood, vomiting, or refusal to eat. It's normal for a child to not have a stool every day. A child who doesn't have stools for 3-4 days and then has a soft stool is not constipated. Hard stools are best changed by making dietary adjustments.

HOME CARE:

• Allow your child to take a sitz bath (small amount of water in the tub), if he is in a lot of pain
• Place a stool under the big potty for children whose legs dangle when sitting on the toilet - something to push down on
• Have the child sit on the toilet after meals
• Do not use enemas or suppositories

FOODS TO INCREASE:

• Water, prune juice, apple juice, fruit cocktail, pop
• Bran muffins, cereal, wheat bread (high fiber)
• Pitted fruits such as raisins, prunes, grapes, apricots and Fig Newton cookies
• Vegetables, especially green leafy ones. (Please note, no carrots) FOODS TO AVOID:
• Milk, cheese and other dairy products (may need to start a calcium supplement, check with the doctor on your next visit)
• Rice
• Carrots
• Bananas
• White Bread

CALL YOUR DOCTOR DURING OFFICE HOURS IF:

• Your child doesn't have a bowel movement after 3 days on a non-constipating diet
• The anal area develops any tears (fissures) that won't heal
• Your child soils herself (leaking BMs)
• Constipation becomes a recurrent problem

CALL YOUR DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY IF:

• Your child develops extreme pain
• Pain becomes constant and persists for more than 2 hours