HOME TREATMENT
Babies.
- In babies under 3 or 4 months a rectal temperature will sometimes stimulate them to have a bowel movement.
- Prune juice, diluted 1:1 with water may be used to treat constipation in babies over a month or two.
- In babies on solids, try using prunes, apricots, pears, beans, plums and decrease foods like rice cereal, bananas, applesauce, or rice.
- Occasionally, a change of formula may be helpful, but talk to your physician before making a change.
Toddlers.
- Toddlers who are resisting toilet training may become constipated. Sometimes, they do not like using the toilet for bowel movements, but will urinate in the toilet. This can become a behavioral issue and if they start to get scared that their bowel movements will hurt, they try to hold onto to the stool further.
- Try to keep the stools loose with diet and sometimes with medications.
- If you feel you have a behavior issue on your hands, discuss this with your doctor.
Older children.
- Over a year, increase fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Prune juice may be used.
- Increase bran and use bran cereals or muffins.
- Decrease constipating foods like milk, cheese, ice cream, rice, bananas and applesauce.
- Increase water intake.
- Constipation is very common in the summer months, when children are not keeping up fluid intake to compensate for increased fluid losses from sweating in the heat.
Medications.
- Natural laxatives are available over the counter.
- Other laxatives, suppositories and enemas should be used only after your doctor directs the usage.
