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Constipation is too common among toddlers and kids. It can be the main reason behind tummy ache if you are a new parent and see your baby having difficulty passing stool. It’s natural to get worried. But most of the time, we can cure the problem by keeping an eye on the possible reasons that can cause constipation. We can treat our kid’s constipation at home most of the time.

Child’s pooping habits depends on their eating habits. Some food can cause constipation. We will learn about those foods in this article and how we can make our baby feel comfortable naturally.

Signs that indicate that your kid have constipation

• Having fewer than 3 bowel movement in a week
• Hard stool
• He has hard time in pooping
• He cries continuasly and has stomach ache
• Pain during pooing
• Not feeling hungry.

Possible cause of constipation in kids

• Diet- Change in diet like you shift your baby from breastmilk to formula milk or from liquid food to solid food[1].
• Not including adequate amount of fiber in diet.
• Your kid is not hydrated enough with water or other fluid.
• Lack of physical activity- Childrens who are mostly sittling idle and watch TV or play video games.They have difficulty in deigestiong foods and can lead to constipation.
• New rotine-During the first year of school,as their routine chnages.SO it takes sometime for their body clock to adjuct can also cause constipation.
• Fear of discomfort- Toddler’s who have had painful bowel movement in past times,they will tend to avoid using the bathrom,in the fear that it will hurt again.
• Medication-Some medicines also cause constipation in toddler.Like high dose iron supplement.

Some food items that can cause constipation in kids

• Milk Protein
• Formula milk
• Raw banana
• White bread
• Cheese
• Processed food
• White rice
• Candies

Foods that can help

Doctors recommend that kids should get 20 gm of fiber per day. Also, try including fruits and vegetables in your kid’s diet.

Few foods high in fiber content you can add to your kid’s diet to treat constipation..

• Pears– Pears is a good source of fiber and Vitamin C.One medium size pear contains about 5 gm of fiber.
• Berries-Berries are high in fiber,and also rich in anti-oxidants.You can berries to babies in pureed form.
• Whole Grain Breads- You can give whole grain bread to your baby,due to its high fiber content.It helps in the prevention of constipation.
• Oatmeal-It is an excellent food choice for babies ,who have constipation.It can fulfill teh fiber need and can prevent constipation.
• Sweet potato-Sweet potato can help in releiveing constipation.It also provodes essential nutrients and carbohydrate requires for babies growth.
• Apricots- A seasonal fruits that can also be use in treating constipation.It can be given both in raw or in juice form.You can also get dried apricot from market.Soak them overnight and give them to your babies.
• Popcorn- Kids loves popcorn.Serve them a small bown of popcorn.It is a whole grain.Don’t give popcorn to very small baies. While giving to your young kids monitor them whiile they are eating.Sometimes it can get stuck in throat.

How you can prevent these symptoms of constipation in kids

• Keep them hydrated- If your baby is 6 month plus,then make them sip water in small amount.Later,you can also start giving foods that contains water and fiber.
• Include foods that are high in febier in their diet.
• Encourage them for physical activity.It will improve their digestion and reliev constipation.

For a parent, it’s natural to feel stressed when you see your baby is not comfortable. But by making slight changes in their diet and involving them in physical activity can cure constipation.

If the problem persists, always consult your pediatrician and follow the guidance.