Constipation can happen at any age but is particularly common in children. 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? Well, as adults we have far more control over when we push out stool, and we accept that sometimes this can come with a bit of 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 cycle: more constipation, which, in turn, brings more discomfort.

Diarrhea is common in children and babies and normally resolves on its own. In its mildest form it can be caused by eating something new or by teething in younger babies. It’s common for children to pick up viral infections from food or each other at nursery and school – these are usually short-lived, and they recover within a few days. In acute diarrhea, the main risk is dehydration. If it lasts longer than two weeks, it’s called chronic diarrhea and is worth discussing with your doctor, even if they appear well – toddler's diarrhea is one cause of chronic diarrhea. We will talk you through the different causes, when to worry, and when to seek medical help.

Possetting is when your baby brings back up undigested milk after each feed. It's very common in the first few months of life. This happens because your baby's digestive system is not very well developed after birth. The valve between the food pipe and the stomach normally works to prevent the backflow of milk. However, as this mechanism takes time to develop, your baby may spit up milk frequently in the meantime. Coupling this with the fact that babies have little stomachs, and breastfeeding mothers tend to have an oversupply of milk at first, it’s easy to understand how possetting occurs.

Seizures occur when the brain’s normal communication of electrical activity is interrupted. Seizures in children can occur for several reasons, and the first time they need to go to the emergency department for urgent assessment as to why they’ve had one. If no clear cause is found and they have two or more seizures, this is diagnosed as epilepsy.

Vomiting is common in children and can happen for a number of reasons. It’s usually due to an infection in the gut – gastroenteritis – and will clear in a day or two. Occasionally, it can indicate something serious, but other signs also guide you to recognize this. Gastroenteritis can also cause diarrhea – this may appear a few hours or a day after vomiting starts – and abdominal pain or cramps. Children usually have little appetite, and they may have a mild fever. If it lasts longer than a couple of days or they are struggling to keep fluids down, it’s time to contact your doctor.

A cough is the most common illness in a child. At times it can sound very bad but it is not always a sign that there is anything very concerning. A cough can be caused by viruses like COVID-19, colds or flu, bacteria that cause chest infections or pneumonia, or by allergies or asthma. Typically viral coughs last for 1 to 2 weeks, resolving on their own; they can last longer but are hopefully improving in that time and your child should soon be well.