Bowel movements are different for everyone. Ideally, this process should occur at least once a day. Children often have problems with stool when going to the toilet is postponed for two days or more. To rectify the situation will help to see a doctor and an appropriate diet.
See a doctor immediately if a child has a stool retention of more than three days and is accompanied by vomiting with a persistent smell of feces, bloating, fever, pain in the navel and general malaise. These symptoms may indicate a bowel obstruction. If such a diagnosis is suspected, the child should be urgently hospitalized and operated on. Late diagnosis can lead to intestinal perforation (the appearance of through holes) and severe inflammatory processes in the abdominal cavity.
Sometimes loose stools can be caused by weak bowel movements. In any case, notify your local pediatrician if your child has a problem with stool. An experienced specialist will help you choose your diet and prescribe some medications and procedures.
You can buy Duphalac without a prescription in the pharmacy. It contains lactulose, which breaks down the contents of the intestines and softens the release of feces. "Duphalac" has a pleasant smell and taste of sweet syrup, which is especially popular with children. This drug can be used by children under one year of age and older. Stool normalization occurs within the first week of taking the drug, but treatment must be continued for at least a month for the full regulation of physiological processes. Duphalac is taken once a day (preferably at night) in accordance with the age dose. With prolonged use of high doses, diarrhea may occur. Absolute contraindications for taking this medication are: lactose intolerance, rectal bleeding and intestinal obstruction.
In addition to "Duphalac", the enveloping effect is provided by the preparations "Lactusan", "Prelax" and ordinary vaseline oil. One or two tablespoons of oil, 2 hours after a meal, prevents stool from accumulating and hardening and promotes its natural excretion.
An enema has a quick effect in solving problems with stool. For example, a set of microclysters "Microlax" is applicable even at an early age. One enema is injected into the rectum to the middle of the tip and the contents are squeezed out. The laxative effect occurs in 5-15 minutes. If you trust folk remedies, you can make a warm enema with chamomile. Buy a pear of the optimal size at the pharmacy, brew chamomile at the rate of 4 tbsp. l. (or 6-8 sachets) per liter of boiling water. Cool to room temperature and proceed with the enema, lubricating the tip of the pear with vegetable oil. The child should lie on the right side with bent knees. Place the diaper in advance.
Diversify your child's diet with prunes, beets and apples. Vegetable soups and light chicken broths also have a positive effect on the stomach and intestines. To normalize the stool, the child should drink at least 1.5 liters of plain water per day. To fulfill this norm, teach your child to drink a glass of filtered or mineral water without gas 15 minutes before a meal. Avoid sodas, chips, and fast food. Better let the child have a snack with fresh carrots and drink fruit drinks and herbal teas prepared by you. By the way, speaking of tea, Kuril tea is most useful for constipation. One teaspoon is poured into 200 ml of boiling water and infused for 10-15 minutes. It should be borne in mind that such tea lowers blood pressure, therefore it is contraindicated for hypotensive patients. You should not get carried away with Kuril tea - the recommended dose is half a glass 2 times a day.
Sitting still for a long time only aggravates stagnant processes in the intestines, so teach your child to an active lifestyle: running, jumping, walking long distances. Before going to bed, you can give your child a belly massage - kneading finger movements clockwise around the navel. This massage reduces flatulence and improves intestinal motility.
