The biggest difficulty for some children, during toilet training, is learning to "poo in the potty". While many children achieve this without any great difficulty there are a few who, for a variety of reasons are reluctant to part with solid matter. This may be related to a fear of the toilet or to discomfort at something weighted dropping away. Refusing to "poo", over a prolonged period, can cause constipation.
Children who have had difficulty in passing a bowel movement may have passed a hard stool which has resulted in a tiny tear in the anus. This can be painful and sting, consequently the child is reluctant to repeat the experience. Again, this leads to further difficulty and can compound the problem.
While it is important to have a good amount of fiber in the diet to help with the elimination of waste from the body, it is also important not to give children a diet too high in fiber as this may cause other problems. Children who are constipated may complain of abdominal pain, they may soil their nappy/underpants and may even have diarrhea as a symptom. This happens because the hard impacted stool blocks the bowel and some of the waste above this blockage is passed as fluid.
Encouraging the child to drink more water and eat more fresh fruit and vegetables, or drink more smoothies made with fresh ingredients, will certainly help alleviate this condition. Some children may require medication from the family doctor to soften the stool and allow this to be passed.
Prevention is definitely better than cure. Ensure that your child is encouraged to drink plenty of water and to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables will help in making elimination a lot easier. Praise your child when he/she uses the toilet. Encourage good toilet behaviour. Avoid allowing children to postpone toilet visits. If the child needs to go, they need to go.
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