Can You Pass That?

posted: Apr. 03, 2025

As your child grows, they develop a sense of their favorite foods which commonly include sweets or starchy foods, both of which can be constipating. It’s important to remember that you are what you eat.

Constipation is a common gastrointestinal problem where one experiences pain during the passing of a bowel movement (BM) or the inability to pass the BM after pushing or straining for 10 minutes or longer. Other symptoms can include, abdominal pain, stool leakage, or anal fissures.

The frequency of a person’s BM can differ, but typically if your child is having less than 3 BMs weekly then they may be constipated. This is with the exception of infants or breastfed babies. Infants who drink formula can go up to 1-2 days with no BM. Breastfed infants can go several days to one week between bowel movements. A “normal” BM should be determined based on the stool’s softness. You should refer to the Bristol Stool Chart to determine if your child’s poops are the correct softness (see below). Ideally, your child should have a BM similar to Type 3 or Type 4. If their stool appears hard, dry, or lumpy such as in Type 1 or Type 2 that is another sign of constipation. Constipation in babies and children can be frustrating, we are here to help guide you through causes, prevention measures, and treatment.

A common reason why stool takes a long time to pass through is due to the foods we eat. Fiber rich foods help stool to pass more freely to reach its destination. These foods include green leafy vegetables (spinach, lettuce, bok choy), prunes, and papaya. This, in combination with increasing fluid intake by drinking water, Gatorade, or Pedialyte should help to relieve constipation. Staying hydrated is important so that your body doesn’t pull water from your intestinal tract which could lead to increased hardening of stool.

The psychological component of constipation could cause children to withhold their stool. Sometimes children are fearful or avoidant of the toilet and associate it with pain or discomfort. Often times children may be afraid to use public restrooms, do not want to stop playing with toys or friends, or may hold back their stools as a way to take control. In this instance, if you are attempting to potty train your child, it may be best to stop for now and get the constipation resolved.

Sometimes, depending on the severity and duration of the symptoms more work needs to be done to relieve constipation symptoms. Typically, if a change in diet doesn’t initially help then Dr. Baum and Leesa advise use of Miralax, which is an osmotic laxative that helps to loosen stool overtime.

If you believe that your child may be experiencing constipation, give our office a call or send us a text with your child’s name and date of birth at 844-904-7384 to request a secure link. We can help determine the best course of treatment for your child.

Sources: