Children Get Constipated, Too

Do you notice your child putting off going to the bathroom because he/she is busy doing more important things? Do you notice avoidance of the bathroom for fear of a painful bowel movement? Is your child not experiencing daily bowel movements? These actions may be signals of constipation.

Parents often hope their worries about their children's bathroom habits will end with the final diaper. But successful toilet training doesn't prevent occasional troubles with bowel movements. Constipation is among the most common but should never be considered normal.

Unfortunately most of the medical literature defines childhood constipation as not the frequency of bowel movements but the hardness of the stool. According to the Physicians' Manual for Patients, "Daily bowel movements are not essential to health." Parents are told that as long as the child is having three bowel movements a week AND they are soft that this is totally normal. Not so! Just as we eat three meals per day, a child should be experiencing between 1 to 3 bowel movements per day. Food should never be sitting in the digestive track longer than 24 hours. Ideally, everyone should have comfortable, unforced bowel movements 20-30 minutes after every meal.

Because the discussion of bowel movements between child and parent usually brings out total dread in parents, it is often ignored and assumed that the child is experiencing bowel movements each day. Many of us remember cringing when a grandparent asked us "Have you had a bowel movement today?" The cringe was not necessarily because of the question but because it was usually asked very loudly at the dinner table! You see, in their generation this was considered a very important function for good health. Somewhere along the line we have stopped looking at this as an important clue in overall health. Digestive track health is considered by many to be the most important function in keeping the body healthy.

Causes Of Childhood Constipation

  • Diet & Nutrition - Not eating enough foods with fiber; Dehydration; Consuming a lot of sugar and desserts; Milk and dairy products; Food Allergies; Acid forming foods (meat).

  • Lack of Exercise ? With the popularity of computer games and TV many children are leading a very sedentary lifestyle.

  • Emotion Upsets & Anxiety ? Fear, grief, worry and frustration have all been known to affect the digestive tract.

  • Holding stools ? This means the child has the feeling of needing to have a bowel movement, but ignores the urge. Reasons such as not wanting to take the time to go to the bathroom, unfamiliar bathrooms or pain in passing a stool are very common.

  • Prescription Drugs - Antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Temaril or Benadryl), found in nonprescription cold medications; Antidiarrheal medications; Antispasmodics, such as atropine and scopolamine; Narcotics, such as codeine and hydrocodone; Chemotherapy; Anticonvulsants, such as carbamazepine and valproic acid; Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline hydrochloride or doxepin hydrochloride; Iron supplements.

  • Other less common causes of constipation are depression, attention deficit disorders, and sexual abuse.

Constipation Symptoms

  • Less than 1 bowel movement per day.

  • Stools that are hard and difficult to pass.

  • Headaches, fatigue and/or depression.

  • Encopresis, or accidental fecal soiling. Often if a hard stool is present in the rectum, liquid feces can leak around the hard stool and pass out the anus without the child's control. This can happen many times during the day. The child cannot do anything to prevent or withhold it.

  • Abdominal pain near or around the navel.

  • Bed-wetting.

  • Decreased appetite and nausea.

Prevention

  • Diet-The most important thing is to increase fluid intake. However, some children get into the habit of only drinking sodas to satisfy their thirst. Most children are dehydrated from sugary drinks and from not taking the time out to quench thirst. Offer clean, pure water. A child should be drinking half of his/her body weight in water each day. Include servings of fresh, organic fruit and vegetables. Teach your child to eat raw as much as possible. Make 50% of each meal fresh, raw, unprocessed foods. Include whole grains, nuts and seeds in the diet. Limit white flour, chocolate, sugar, dairy and milk products. Train your child to eat slowly and moderately. Provide a relaxing environment while eating. Take a probiotic supplement daily to facilitate the growth of "friendly bacteria" in the colon.

  • Bowel habit training-Your child should be taught not to wait to have a bowel movement. To establish a regular bowel habit, ask your child to sit on the toilet for at least 10 minutes at about the same time each day, preferably after a meal. Make sure your child can place his or her feet firmly on the floor while sitting on the toilet. If this is not possible, put a footstool in front of the toilet. While your child is sitting on the toilet, you might let your child read a storybook or listen to the radio. Educate your child, at an early age, on the importance of good bowel habits. Let them know that this is not something to be embarrassed about but a normal and very necessary function for good health.

  • Exercise-Make sure that your child is getting enough exercise. Children spend way too much time in front of computers and TV. Encourage outside activities as much as possible. Physical activity speeds the movement of waste through the digestive tract.

  • Stress-Yes, children experience stress! Children are some of the busiest people I know. Stress causes the body to break down and constipation can be a result. Talk with and spend time with your children. Teach them how to relax and to be calm. Encourage them, support them and speak encouraging words to them. Teach them how to handle difficult situations, to be happy and to communicate their problems. Most important-model this behavior in front of them.

  • Keep The Bowel Clean-Keeping the bowel clean is a great preventative step and very necessary in keeping the body in good health. For complete cleansing of the digestive tract we recommend a product called Oxy Powder. Oxy Powder is a safe and natural way to cleanse the whole digestive track while also providing the body with oxygen. Consult your healthcare practitioner for dosages appropriate for children.

  • Chiropractic Adjustments ? Helps prompt bowel movements. The waves that move material through the colon occur as a result of nerve excitement that originates at the spinal nerves. Adjustments also help normalize the action of the ileocecal valve, the valve that separates the large from the small intestine.

Constipation can undermine the whole body and it is now known that irregular bowel movements are directly related to serious health conditions. Constipation does not have to be a problem if you will practice prevention with your children and implement the suggestions found in this article. Regular bowel movements are an important mechanism for removing toxins from the body and thus keeping the body healthy. Remember: Prevention is always the key. As always, if severe symptoms persist, do not hesitate to see your healthcare professional.

About The Author

Loretta Lanphier, ND, CCN, HHP is a Doctor of Naturopath, Certified Clinical Nutritionist and Holistic Health Practitioner in the Houston, TX area and Vice President of Global Healing Center, Inc. A teacher and educator, she counsels Global Healing Center clients on the aspects of getting the body healthy and keeping the body healthy. As a cancer survivor, she is able to relate extensively, both as a patient and a practitioner, to clients suffering from disease.

She is also involved in researching new alternative disease treatments and products. Dr. Lanphier is Assistant Editor and contributor to the worldwide newsletter Alternative Health & Healing.

Visit us on the web at: www.globalhealingcenter.com or email: www.globalhealingcenter.com

Airbnb cleaning service Arlington Heights ..
In The News:

Inversion Space unveils Arc, a reusable reentry vehicle that can deliver up to 500 pounds of cargo from orbit to anywhere on Earth in under an hour.
Red flags like processing fees, urgent countdowns and requests for full Social Security numbers expose fraudulent settlement sites targeting consumers.
Comprehensive analysis of Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps examines usability, routing accuracy, data handling and features across the top navigation platforms.
Expert analysis reveals whether wired Ethernet or wireless Wi-Fi connections are safer for home internet use, plus practical steps to secure your network from attackers.
Australian construction robot Charlotte uses sand, crushed brick and recycled glass to 3D print fireproof, floodproof homes with reduced carbon footprint.
Cybercriminals are using fake invitation emails to trick recipients into downloading malware and stealing personal information and data.
Flying drones could help retailers fight a 93% increase in theft rates as Flock Safety promotes airborne security systems to track suspects and deter crime.
The Fox News Artificial Intelligence Newsletter brings you the latest news on the emerging technology every Saturday, highlighting top stories.
Hacker group Radiant stole data from 8,000 children at Kido nursery chain, demanding ransom and directly contacting parents with intimidation tactics.
As 18 states implement bell-to-bell cell phone bans, creative students use Google Docs, iMessage on MacBooks and Post-It notes to stay connected in class.
A sheriff's captain says deputies often spend hours writing reports between calls, but Axon's AI program, Draft One, helps them save crucial time in the field.
Sora 2, OpenAI's new video-generation app, can create AI-generated videos based on a singular prompt. The results are both mind-blowing and terrifying.
iPhone and Android users can reduce Wi-Fi calling battery drainage through settings adjustments, background app limits and stronger Wi-Fi connections.
Work email scams are becoming harder to detect as criminals use AI and spoofed addresses to trick employees into opening malicious attachments and links.
From her Arizona living room, Christina Chapman ran a covert hub that helped North Korean operatives infiltrate U.S. firms, netting $17 million in stolen salaries.
UC Santa Barbara researchers developed a soft robotic intubation system that achieved 100% success rates for experts and 96% for paramedics with minimal training.
Scammers exploit probate filings to target grieving families with fake fees and debts, Kurt "Cyberguy" Knutsson reports.
Automotive giant Stellantis becomes latest victim of widespread Salesforce breaches affecting companies like Google, Cisco and Adidas this year.
A woman from Washington reunited with her missing Maine Coon cat Louie after 11 days using Love Lost, a free AI-powered pet recovery platform.
Expert cybersecurity tips help Mac owners remove malware infections and strengthen defenses with antivirus software, password managers and system updates.
Meta's AI chatbot training rules bans sexual roleplay with minors and block access to child abuse material as regulators scrutinize its safety measures.
Online banking users face a new threat: web injection scams that overlay fake pop-ups to steal logins. Here’s how to spot them and protect your accounts.
Meta introduced Teen Accounts to Facebook and Messenger while launching a School Partnership Program for U.S. educators to report bullying within 48 hours.
Executive order signed by President Donald Trump tasks Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s MAHA Commission with using AI to find new cures for childhood cancers.
New FileFix attack tricks Facebook and Instagram users into running malicious PowerShell commands disguised as Meta account maintenance to deploy StealC infostealer.

The Toxic Truth About Artificial Sweeteners

The problem with sugar is that it doesn't contain any... Read More

Just How Dangerous Are Splenda and Artificial Sweeteners - Which Side is Spinning?

There seems to be fairly poor tracking by any formal... Read More

Soytastic ? The Health Benefits of Soy

It is often taken as a given fact that soy... Read More

Hypertension -Twelve Simple Things You Can Do To Lower Your Blood Pressure

Headlines:Nearly a quarter of American adults just got diagnosed with... Read More

Tips to Avoid Trans Fats Hidden In Food

Recently, trans fats have risen to the forefront of the... Read More

Stay Healty, Eat more Fish and Seafood

There are a lot of very good reasons to eat... Read More

Functional Foods: What They Are And How They Work

In the brain, a typical protein can live for approximately... Read More

Heart Health ? Fish Oils To The Rescue

In a world where heart disorders and diseases are becoming... Read More

Death, Aging, Rejuvenation (Part 3)

AgingHow did aging appeared?If mechanism of Death was chosen by... Read More

Omega 3 Fatty Acids: What are They, Really?

"The physician who knows only medicine, knows not even medicine."... Read More

Busy Mums Guide to Losing Weight

Hormonal changes during pregnancy, and quite normal fat gain often... Read More

Antioxidants - Your Best Defense Against Disease and Aging

Studies support the benefits of eating a diet rich in... Read More

Focus on Trans Fat

There's no doubt--carbohydrates have taken center stage in public discourse... Read More

Power of Oatmeal

Come on, guys and gals. Those Trix are for kids.And... Read More

Is Vitamin E Beneficial Or Harmful? Cutting Through The Clutter Of Different Scientific Opinions

Numerous reports have recently appeared in both the lay and... Read More

Garlic - Join Me And I?ll Show You Why Garlic Can Save Your Life

Are you worried yet about your health? Are you anxious... Read More

Debunking the Myth About Bottled Water: Is It Really Safer for Your Kids?

When you actually sit down and think about it, bottled... Read More

Food We Take Determines Our Character

When you take your food next time, take care of... Read More

That Cookie Might Kill You!

Chances are you may have had a food product that... Read More

Death, Aging, Rejuvenation (Part 4)

Biological clockObviously you need biological clock to time and alarm... Read More

High Acid Levels Lead to Cardiovascular Disease

THE RISKWhen you consume food that's high in acid or... Read More

Whey Protein Importance

Studies on whey demonstrate it's an even better protein supplement... Read More

Whatever Happened to the Basic Four Food Groups?

What Ever Happened to the Basic FourThe USDA was originally... Read More

Healthy Aging - The Clean-Meat Connection

It is shocking how many people are not taking advantage... Read More

The Benefits of Healthy Eating

These are questions we have to ask ourselves? because after... Read More

reliable maid service Winnetka ..