Measures to relieve your child's constipation

Children are often more prone to becoming constipated due to a lower control over their diet and behavior. When constipated, children feel the pain that cause them to hold their bowel movement in an attempt to avoid the pain. Unfortunately, this only serves to worsen the pain and makes the constipation lasts even longer.

Increase fiber in your baby's diet

For an infant four months or older, you must feed them foods with a lot more fiber. See a dietician for advice and guidance on foods rich in fiber.

Here is a list of some foods that are rich in fiber:

• Cereals
• Pop corn
• Strained prunes
• Spinach
• Raw unpeeled fruits such as apples and apricots
• Vegetables such as raw tomatoes, beans and sweet potatoes etc.
• Vegetable soup
• Bran cereals
• Shredded wheat (watch for allergies)
• Whole wheat bread

Foods that causes constipation:

You will also have to reduce or, if possible eliminate constipating foods from your child's diet. Solid and low fiber foods may constipate your child. Constipating foods may include:

• Cheese
• Banana
• Cow milk
• Yoghurt
• Cooked carrots

Increase fluids in your child's diet

For better health and to prevent constipation, give your child at least a minimum of 3 glasses of water per day or fruit juice, especially apple or prune juice. You can alternatively switch to a soy formula if you child dislike juice.

Don't let your child drink more than two glasses of milk a day, it may cause constipation. Instead, you may feed a child some calcium fortified drinks such as orange juice if they finds it difficult to drink water everyday.

Related topics

• What is constipation?
• What causes constipation in the body?
• What can I give a child if s/he is constipated?