What to do when your child ISN’T feeling poopy

It’s a topic that might be tough to talk about with your pediatrician – or anyone else for that matter. It’s even tougher for your child if they’re not… you know… going. 

Believe it or not constipation in children is common. If your child has infrequent bowel movements or hard, dry stools, count them among that group.

Pediatric Gastroenterologist Dr. Sandeep Gupta with OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois in Peoria says a good rule of thumb for kids is to go at least once a day, but not less than every other day. If your child’s stools are big and hard, they are skipping a lot of days, they are soiling, or their belly looks big, those are indications they might be constipated.
 

So what’s a parent to do if their child won’t go? Dr. Gupta says start by encouraging your child to sit on the toilet twice a day, after breakfast and after supper for 5-10 minutes.
 

To help, make sure you’re feeding your child a well-balanced diet with plenty of liquids. When they are old enough to chew, have them eat fruit rather than just the juice because the fruit naturally has fiber.

Learn more tips to help your child at OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois.