What parents notice
- Hard, dry or pellet-like stool, or stool passed only every few days.
- Pain or crying when passing stool, or holding it back.
- Tummy ache that comes and goes, poor appetite.
- Streaks of blood on the stool from a small tear.
- Soiling of underwear from liquid stool leaking around hard stool.
Common causes
Too little fibre or water, fear of pain so the child holds on, ignoring the urge at school, a change in routine or toilet training. In most children no disease is behind it.
What helps at home
- More fruit, vegetables and water; milk in reasonable amounts.
- A regular toilet time after meals, with feet supported on a small stool.
- Praise, not pressure.
- Laxatives are a treatment, not a habit. Use them only as advised by a doctor, and continue for as long as advised, because stopping too early brings it back.
See a paediatric surgeon promptly if
- A newborn did not pass the first stool within 48 hours of birth, or constipation has been there since birth.
- The belly is swollen, or there is green vomiting.
- The child is not gaining weight, or has constipation with fever and bloody diarrhoea.
- There is no anal opening, or it looks abnormally placed.
Some children have Hirschsprung disease, where part of the bowel lacks nerve cells, or a problem at the anal opening. These are diagnosed with tests and treated by surgery.
Common questions
Is regular deworming useful?
Worm infection can cause tummy trouble in children. Follow your doctor's advice on deworming for your child's age.
How long does treatment take?
Often several weeks to months. Do not stop early.
This page is for general information for parents. Every child is different: after examination and tests, an experienced paediatric surgeon decides the condition and the method of treatment. So for any problem, please consult a registered paediatric surgeon.