Understanding functional constipation in children
The frequency of bowel movements can vary from person to person. However, passing stool should never be painful or involve straining. Constipation happens when these bowel movements become less frequent and harder to pass. Chronic constipation is an extremely common problem for children and in 95% of cases constipation is defined as functional. For around 40–60% of people who experience functional constipation as children continue to experience symptoms into their teen and adult years, even when being treated with laxatives.
What is functional constipation?
Chronic constipation can have a significant impact on care takers and on children’s social, physical, and emotional wellbeing. Functional constipation is a type of chronic constipation most often diagnosed in children. Unlike other forms of constipation that are caused by factors like structural problems and metabolic disorders, functional constipation does not tend to have any organic cause.
What causes constipation in children
Functional constipation is generally considered to be behaviourally based, appearing most often during developmental stages like starting solid foods, starting school, or toilet training. It can also be due to a history of painful defecation, which creates a vicious cycle in which the child holds in stool, resulting in greater water absorption and harder stool. This makes passing stool progressively harder and reinforces the behaviour.
Some research also showed that functional constipation may be caused by an overgrowth of intestinal bacteria. But recent research has suggested that functional constipation in children may be caused by gut dysmotility and a disturbed microbiota, rather than bacterial overgrowth.
Common signs of constipation in children include:
- Three or fewer bowel movements per week
- History of retaining excessive stool in the rectum or large intestine
- Bowel movements that are hard, dry, and difficult to pass
- Painful or hard bowel movements
- Feeling bloated and nauseous
- Stomach cramps
How to relieve constipation in children
There are several pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment options for functional constipation in children. In severe cases, doctors might do what is called a disimpaction. This involves emptying hard stool from the colon, allowing the intestine to return to a normal size and function. Laxatives and stool softeners are also used in maintenance therapy. Unfortunately, up to 60% of children still experience symptoms later in life, even with this treatment.
Non-pharmacological management strategies include increasing fibre and water intake and encouraging age-appropriate exercise. The use of probiotics has also recently shown great promise, particularly probiotics containing strains from the Lactobacillus family. The use of these probiotics improved the diversity of bacteria in the gut, helping to encourage improved digestion and reducing constipation.
Reuterina Drops are indicated for babies from birth until 2 years and Reuterina Junior can be used in children and teens from 2 to 18 years. Both of these probiotics are unique in that they have undergone extensive clinical trials and have been clinically proven to help reduce constipation in babies, children, and teens. Containing 100 million live, freeze-dried colony forming units of Limosilactobacillus reuteri Protectis, Reuterina Drops and Junior have been specifically formulated to support young guts.
Although functional constipation may be common, it can also be treated. Combining behavioural therapies with small lifestyle and diet changes as well as including Reuterina into your child’s daily routine can help growing tummies function better.
