Natural Constipation Remedies For Children

Parents worry when it comes to their children. This is simply human nature. Babies and toddlers are mysterious little beings and their bodies do not always react the way a parent expects. It seems that a young child will just settle into a routine of eating, sleeping and performing other bodily functions and, in the blink of an eye, that routine changes.

Many parents will worry that their child is constipated. Babies, in particular, will grunt and groan, even go quite red in the face, giving a worried parent the impression that they are having great difficulty with bowel movements. In fact, all of those things are quite normal. To determine whether or not a young child is constipated, one must assess the consistency of the stool and not the activity involved in passing it. Additionally, children should not be expected to vacate their bowels on schedule. Less frequent bowel movements can be a sign of aging, introduction of new foods or other dietary changes much more often than indicating constipation.

If a baby or toddler is having difficulty with bowel movements, seems uncomfortable or has bouts of colic, and the eventual stools are hard or even blood-streaked due to the difficult passage, it may be time to offer constipation treatment. As always, it is best to check with one's doctor or pediatrician to determine any recommended course of action but there are also many natural constipation remedies for children.

Sometimes, a natural remedy for constipation in children does not involve giving anything at all. It requires that changes be made in the child's diet. For instance, make sure that the baby or toddler is drinking plenty of water in addition to breastfeeding or consuming formula. In toddlers, full fruit juices are also a natural helper due to the fiber they contribute to the diet. Avoid fruit punch and other drink mixes that do not offer the value of real fruit. Prunes are a very natural laxative and, in children too young to consume the actual fruit, prune juice can be diluted with some water and given as a helpful drink. Alternately, diluted apple juice may also be effective.

One should assess a toddler's solid food diet carefully if constipation becomes an issue. Natural constipation remedies for toddlers can include high-fiber foods like bran muffins, breads or cereals, along with fresh fruit and vegetables. The caveat here is to recognize that some foods are actually binding and may indeed be the culprits causing difficult bowel movements. From baby stage to toddler stage, parents often serve substantial quantities of dairy products, rice cereal, applesauce and bananas. All of these may contribute to occasional constipation. Better to offer pears, peaches, grapes, raisins, carrots or celery, to name a few.

When it comes to infants and babies who are not yet ready for a high-fiber diet as a natural constipation remedy, some parents will opt for glycerin suppositories. These will basically melt and coat the rectum in an effort to allow the stool to pass more easily. To accomplish this in a more natural manner, simply coat a rectal thermometer liberally with some petroleum jelly and introduce this instead. Also, gentle warmth applied to baby's tummy � a parent's hand, with or without light massage, or a compress � can bring some relief. Natural constipation remedies for children are a safe way to help their bodies with a very normal process and a good way to relieve a parent's worry.