What Are The Symptoms Of Baby Constipation And How To Treat It
31st May 2010 by Babies No Comments
Constipation is the condition in which defecation becomes difficult and painful. It may occur in babies also for numerous reasons. Usually babies have 4-5 bowel actions each day. Breast-fed infants could have a lot more bowel movements as compared to formula-fed infants, and so they seldom develop constipation. Constipation takes place when there is a violation of normal bowel function. Normal bowel function in babies may differ on quite a few grounds. As age increases and complementary food is introduced, babies tend to develop reduced bowel movements. Bowel movements taking place 2 times each day in a 6 months old baby is very normal, and any rate less than that shall be identified as constipation.
Whenever baby has unpleasant defecation and when the consistency of the feces is hard the condition can be considered as baby constipation. One of the very obvious indicators of baby constipation is a crying baby characterized by stomach pain. In a baby with constipation, defecation could possibly occur daily but the poop will be thick and in small fragments. It might be the result of a dysfunctional large intestine or an abnormal colon. Mostly it is attributable to pinching of feces in the lower intestine because of constriction of muscles. The much more the stool remains in the intestine the harder it becomes. However, baby constipations are of two types- organic constipation and functional constipation.
In organic constipation anatomical defects or developmental disabilities play a significant role. Ordinarily organic constipation begins at birth due to the lack of independent defecation. Additional causes pertaining to organic constipation are an enlarged colon with a narrowing lower region as in Hirschsprung’s disease and Dolichosigmoid.
Functional constipation may possibly be because of a variety of reasons such as an improper diet of feeding mother, baby’s reduced intake of water, artificial feeding in infancy, irregular diet of children, dehydration and mainly, oppression of the defecation reflex.
Symptoms of constipation in toddlers
When the baby passes harder stools or if he has not passed stool for one or two days, it can be taken as symptoms of baby constipation. He or she could possibly have a hard abdomen, the discomfort of which makes the baby cry.
Ordinarily baby constipation is cured with home remedies and a modification of the diet itself. Prune juice diluted with water given to infants more as compared to 6 months old is shown to have good outcomes. The juice should be diluted in the ratio one ounce water for an ounce of prune juice. Prune juice is given in addition to breast milk or other formula. In babies who develop constipation after they are introduced to baby food the condition can be treated by reducing cereals and giving fruits like prunes and apricot instead.
Constipation in infants less as compared to 6 months old may be treatable following consulting a pediatrician. If the baby is formula fed talk to your doctor about changing the formula. Along with constipation you could possibly also notice the baby urinating very much less. Provide the newborn baby lots of water to drink. A warm compress will give alleviation to pain accompanied with constipation. If you see any blood marks in the stool check with a pediatrician without delay.
