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Children: constipation and hydration – causes and barriers

Dr Karen Martin
Reviewed by Dr Karen MartinReviewed on 10.10.2024 | 3 minutes read
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Constipation can occur in all ages but is particularly common in children. Here are some of the frequent questions parents often ask pediatricians.

Doctor’s advice

Why is hydration so important in constipation?

Let's look at the science first. The food we eat goes through our stomach, into our small intestine, where lots of the nutrients are absorbed, then into our large intestine (or colon), where most of the water is absorbed. After all these processes, you are finally left with stool. In the simplest terms, the less we drink, the harder and drier our stools are.

So why does this matter more in children than adults? As adults, we have far more control over when we push stool out, and we accept that sometimes this can come with discomfort or pain. For a child, the pain of doing a poop is scary. They don't understand it, and they don't like it. Therefore – like many learned habits at that age – they shy away from anything that causes discomfort and pain. This leads to a fear of going to the bathroom, which leads to a vicious circle: more constipation, which, in turn, brings more discomfort.

If keeping well-hydrated help make the stools softer and more comfortable to push out, constipation and the complex behavioral patterns that build around children's bathroom habits can hopefully be avoided.

How do laxatives work?

Laxatives are medications that help loosen stool and increase the frequency of bowel movements. They fit into two categories: stimulants and osmotics. Stimulant laxatives, like senna, encourage the bowel to contract and push stool through the body. They are more commonly prescribed in adults than children.

An osmotic laxative, such as Movicol, suits children better. These work to soften stool by keeping it hydrated. Imagine the stool is a sponge: usually the colon's job is to reabsorb water from stool back into the body, making it drier and firmer. But the osmotic laxative prevents this, keeping the stool like a big squishy sponge, passing easily through the digestive system to the rectum and softly out the other end.

It requires children to drink plenty of water to aid this process, and needs to be taken for a few days to see results. This medication is widely used and considered very safe. Some children require daily osmotic laxatives for an extended period of months to years to support normal bowel movements as they grow up.

What other things can help constipation?

Fiber is very important in helping and preventing constipation. It acts to bulk up the stool, helping your body move it through the intestines. Foods high in fiber include fruits, vegetables, cereals, and whole grain bread. Including these in a child’s diet can sometimes be tricky, but two easy tricks are blending extra vegetables into sauces or soups and using dried fruit such as raisins or prunes as snacks.

Children need time to do a poop, and a space free of interruptions or feeling pressured. Getting in the right position can help. The squatting position, where the knees are above the hips, makes squeezing a poop out just a bit easier. You could try sitting them on the toilet with their feet on a stool or upturned bowl.

Are there any tricks to get my child to drink more or take laxatives?

The key to this is availability. Children often get distracted with the wonderful things in the world around them, so it's easy for them to forget to drink. Keeping a cup or glass filled with water nearby will dramatically increase the chance of them drinking small amounts throughout the day. Schools have become much better at allowing children to have water in lessons, but as school makes up such a large part of their week, make sure that your child is in a position to drink through the day.

Laxatives can be difficult to get down children. Flavored versions dissolved in water do entice children, but it is still hard for parents. Offering juice can be a good way to disguise the flavor, but the best advice is to try to stay relaxed. Your child will read your cues, so if you are anxious and desperate to get them to take it, they will feel the pressure and become reluctant. Give it time, and your patience will be rewarded with success; however, this is easier said than done!

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This article has been written by UK-based doctors and pharmacists, so some advice may not apply to US users and some suggested treatments may not be available. For more information, please see our T&Cs.
Dr Karen Martin
Reviewed by Dr Karen Martin
Reviewed on 10.10.2024
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