What is Constipation in Infants, What Causes It, and How Does It Resolve?

What is Constipation in Infants?

Constipation is a common digestive system disorder in children of all ages. To examine in detail the misconceptions about constipation in infants and the causes of constipation problems in your life, you can visit our page Constipation Problem: The Cause of Your Life, Misconceptions You Know to Be True. It is a pathological medical condition that causes the baby to experience difficulty while defecating. In constipated babies, there is a decrease in bowel movements compared to normal. Babies may cry due to pain or discomfort felt during bowel movements. Constipation is divided into two different types: organic and functional. Organic conditions such as thyroid and celiac disease are usually the type of constipation seen in disorders. Functional constipation occurs as a result of children inhibiting their bowel movements. Constipation is a health problem that can be resolved with dietary changes in infants. In addition, the body is relaxed by giving massages to babies. In this way, bowel movements are facilitated.

What Are the Symptoms of Constipation in Infants?

Symptoms of constipation are not only related to the baby's daily defecation frequency. What the baby feels during defecation is also important. At the same time, the appearance of the stool is used as a diagnostic criterion for constipation. Symptoms of constipation in infants are as follows:

● Dry and lump-like stool in the diaper

● Temporary flushing of the baby's face while passing stool

● Straining while crying during defecation

● Passing larger stools compared to normal

● Hardness and swelling in the abdomen

● Abdominal pain

● Excessive fussiness

● Liquid or stool traces in the diaper

● Defecating less than three times a week

What Causes Constipation in Infants?

There are many possible causes of constipation. Constipation can occur due to certain changes in infants. Especially after starting complementary feeding, it may occur. In childhood, it can be observed after acquiring toilet habits and starting school. When babies start eating a new food, constipation may occur due to digestive problems. Other causes of constipation in infants:

● Starting a formula that is harder to digest after breast milk or consuming processed foods

● Inadequate fluid intake in the diet

● Insufficient breast milk in breastfed babies

● Consuming foods containing insufficient dietary fiber in older babies who have transitioned to complementary feeding

● Having cow's milk intolerance or other food intolerances

● Having diseases such as cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, neuropathic disorders, allergies, electrolyte disorders, and hypothyroidism

● Using iron drops

● Having medical conditions that affect bowel movements

How is Constipation Diagnosed in Infants?

Sometimes constipation can be severe. In worrisome constipation that negatively affects the baby's health and development, a specialist physician should be consulted. To diagnose constipation in infants, the doctor asks parents questions about bowel habits and symptoms. These questions are usually about determining the presence of painful defecation and how often they normally defecate. Along with this, the baby's stool can be examined. As a result of these evaluations, a diagnosis of constipation can be made. In addition, a number of questions can be asked about changes in the baby's diet and feeding times to determine the cause. Along with this, tests can be resorted to find the underlying cause. Tests used to determine the cause of constipation are:

● Laboratory tests: The cause of the disease is investigated with blood, stool, and urine tests. Blood tests help determine whether constipation is caused by anemia, hypothyroidism, or celiac disease. Stool test helps detect the presence of infection and blood. Urine test questions the presence of infection.

● Bowel function tests: These tests evaluate how easily stool passes through the child's bowels.

How is Constipation Treated in Infants?

To treat constipation, the underlying cause must first be determined. After determining this, a treatment plan is prepared targeting the problem. There are two different treatment options. One of these is changing the baby's eating habits, and the other is medical treatment. If constipation is not severe and there are no recurrent constipation attacks, constipation is treated with dietary habits and soothing exercises. Applications that can be made to improve constipation in infants are:

● If formula-fed, trying another formula recommended by your doctor can be considered

● In babies 4 months and older, a certain amount of water should be added to their diet. Consult your doctor for the amount of water

● If transitioned to complementary feeding, fluids such as water, apple, and pear juice can be added to fluid intake

● If the baby has transitioned to complementary feeding, add high-fiber foods such as apple, pear, pea puree, and whole wheat cereal to their diet

● Laying the baby on their back and gently moving their legs like a bicycle movement helps facilitate bowel movements

● Taking a warm bath helps the baby's muscles relax. In this way, it facilitates bowel movements

● Formulas with lower iron should not be used to improve constipation. Consult your doctor to change formula

● If the baby is formula-fed, excessive dilution should not be done. Water should be added according to the instructions on the formula. Extra water consumption should be done between meals

● Infant constipation massage helps facilitate bowel movements. Massage can be done by drawing gentle circles over the belly button

In some cases, the doctor may recommend an infant constipation suppository. Glycerin suppositories are placed directly into the anus to facilitate bowel movements. However, use other than the doctor's instructions is not recommended. It can cause weight loss and diarrhea in infants. Along with this, laxatives can also be used. However, using them without a doctor's instruction can harm the baby's health.

Frequently Asked Questions About Constipation in Infants

Constipation can sometimes occur as a medical condition to be concerned about. Especially if the baby has not passed stool for more than three days, feels severe and prolonged pain, a specialist physician should be consulted without wasting time. If the baby is younger than 4 months, has less than three bowel movements a week, vomiting, and fever, a specialist physician should be consulted. In addition, the presence of blood in the stool, abdominal swelling, and recurrent constipation attacks make constipation dangerous.

Breastfed babies can go without a bowel movement for a few days. Their stools are usually soft in texture. Such situations are not a sign that the baby is constipated. The appearance of the stool and the baby straining while passing stool can be a symptom for constipation. However, babies may become constipated when they receive inadequate breast milk. However, constipation is rarely seen in a baby receiving adequate breast milk. When the baby is constipated, breast milk is not cut off if there is no other medical problem.

Constipation in infants is more about how the stool looks than the frequency of defecation. If the baby is passing hard, small lump-like solid stools, it is a sign that they are constipated. Sometimes they may pass stool larger and harder compared to normal. This is also an indicator of constipation.

Constipation in infants is usually seen when starting solid foods. In babies fed with formula instead of breast milk, it can be seen due to inadequate fluid intake. Therefore, it should be ensured that the baby gets enough fluids during the day. If formula-fed, high-fiber formulas can be preferred. If fed with breast milk and complementary feeding, high-fiber foods should be added to the diet. In addition, giving water between meals should not be neglected.

In the treatment of constipation in 1-month-old babies, the feeding model is an important factor. If the baby has constipation complaints despite being fed exclusively with breast milk, they are not receiving enough breast milk. Therefore, in addition to breast milk, high-fiber formula according to age can be added to the baby's diet. Along with this, infant constipation massage can be applied.

Gently moving the baby's legs or bending the baby's legs at the knees and lifting them up helps facilitate the baby's bowel movements. Gently massaging the baby's tummy while in the supine position helps improve constipation. In addition, taking a warm shower helps the baby's muscles relax.

The main cause of constipation in 5-month-old babies is complementary feeding. The baby may experience difficulty digesting new foods during this period. Therefore, softer foods with a higher fiber amount should be added to the diet. In addition, attention should be paid to additional fluid intake. Constipation can also be seen due to inadequate fluid intake. Water should be given to the baby between meals. To support fluid intake, apple and pear juice, which are good for constipation, can also be added to the baby's diet.

An 8-month-old baby gets a large part of their nutrition from complementary feeding. While some babies do not receive breast milk, others may receive small amounts. Therefore, the vast majority of energy and nutrients must be taken through diet. The foods chosen in the diet should not be solid. Foods that are watery or soft should be chosen to ensure that the baby does not have difficulty digesting the foods, and fluid intake should be in sufficient amounts.

Hirschsprung's disease is a congenital disorder seen in newborn babies. It is a condition that prevents the baby from defecating. This disease occurs as a result of the absence of nerve cells in the large intestine. As a result of the absence of nerve cells, intestinal contents cannot be easily propelled forward. As a result, problems such as intestinal obstruction or constipation arise. The only treatment for this type of constipation is the surgical removal of the non-functional part of the intestine.

Digestive problems in infants are harder to detect compared to adults and may appear with rare symptoms. Therefore, it can be treated with careful parental observation, choosing the right physician, and examination.

Although constipation in infants is a condition that can often be resolved with simple precautions, it can also be a sign of different underlying health problems. Especially in cases of prolonged, recurrent constipation or constipation affecting the baby's development, a specialist physician should be consulted without delay.

At Hisar Hospital Intercontinental Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, diagnosis and treatment processes for digestive health in infants are carried out by specialist physicians.

To get a specialist opinion regarding your baby's constipation complaints, you can quickly create an appointment by filling out the form below.

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