This aggravating condition can be painful for your child and frustrating for you as the parent. While adult constipation is defined as when an adult experiences three or less bowel movements during a week, a toddler is different.



A toddler does not have a "normal" number of bowel movements. There are definite patterns to bowel movements and things such as activity level, fluid volume intake, fiber intake and ignoring the urge to defecate all impact the pattern.

So if there are times that your child is experiencing constipation, there are a few things that you can do to help resolve the issue. Treatment for toddler constipation can certainly start with prevention.

Dehydration is a rather common reason for toddler constipation. So if your child is not taking in an adequate amount of fluids then their stools can become quite hard. As the stool hardens, it can become difficult to pass. So by working to keep your toddler well hydrated you can help to work towards the prevention of constipation.

Low fiber intake is another challenge when it comes to toddlers. Without an adequate number of grams of fiber per day, your child has an increased chance of becoming constipated. Common and often favorite childhood foods include those such as milk, cheese, and peanut butter, which are known to be constipating. Encourage bulk fiber foods such as wheat bread, whole grain foods and fresh vegetables can help your child to reduce their challenge with constipation.

Ignoring the urge to defecate, which is common in toddlers, can make the problem worse. Kids are busy and often don't want to bothered taking time out of their busy day to go to the bathroom. This really can become an issue if they have experienced pain with a bowel movement, since it makes them more likely to want to ignore the next urge to have a bowel movement.

Yes, toddler constipation is a common fact of life, so no need to panic. There are lots of options for helping your child effectively manage constipation.

Work with your child's pediatrician to make sure that you have the best management plan individualized for your child. Here's to healthy and happy bowel movements for your toddler and ones that lack any evidence of constipation!