Skip to main content

Constipation in children

Constipation is common in childhood, particularly when children are being potty trained at around 2 to 3 years old.

Symptoms of constipation in children

Your child may be constipated if:

  • they have not done a poo at least 3 times in the last week
  • their poo is large and hard
  • their poo looks like "rabbit droppings" or little pellets
  • they are straining or in pain when they poo
  • they have some bleeding during or after having a poo, because their poo is large and hard
  • they have a poor appetite or stomach pain that improves after they poo

If your child is over 1 year old, soiled pants can be another sign of constipation, as runny poo (diarrhoea) may leak out around the hard, constipated poo. This is called溢出的污垢.

Causes of constipation in children

儿童便秘有许多可能的原因。有时没有明显的原因。

Some of the possible causes include:

  • not eating enoughhigh-fibre foodslike fruit and veg
  • not drinking enough fluids
  • feeling pressured or being regularly interrupted whilepotty (or toilet) training
  • feeling worried or anxious about something – such as moving house, the arrival of a new baby, or starting nursery or school

如果您的孩子便秘，他们可能会发现Poo很痛苦，这可能意味着他们不想尝试便便。这可以创建一个恶性循环；他们退缩的越多，他们获得的便秘越多。

How to treat your child's constipation

If you think your child may be constipated, take them to a GP. The treatment for constipation depends on your child's age.

The longer your child is constipated, the more difficult it can be for them to get back to normal, so make sure you get help early.

Laxativesare often recommended for children who are eating solid foods, alongside diet and lifestyle changes.

It may take several months for the treatments to work, but keep trying until they do. Remember that laxative treatment may make your child's overflow soiling worse before it gets better.

Once your child's constipation has been dealt with, it's important to stop it coming back. A GP may advise that your child keeps taking laxatives for a while to make sure their poo stays soft enough to push out regularly.

Treating constipation with soiling (children pooing their pants)

Getting constipated and soiling their clothes is not something your child is doing on purpose, so there's no reason to get cross with them.

You may both find the situation stressful, but staying calm and relaxed is the best attitude to help your child deal with the problem.

A health visitor or GP can offer helpful tips.

Read aboutsoiling (children pooing their pants).

How to prevent constipation

  • Make sure your child has plenty to drink– offer breastfed babies who are not eating solids yet plenty of breastfeeds. Formula-fed babies can have extra drinks of water between their formula feeds. See more advice ondrinks for babies and toddlers.
  • Give your child a variety of foods, including plenty of fruit and vegetables, which are a good source of fibre. Seewhat to feed young children.
  • Encourage your child to be physically active. For more information, read thephysical activity guidelines for children aged under 5 years.
  • Get your child into a routine of regularly sitting on the potty or toilet, after meals or before bed, and praise them whether or not they poo. This is particularly important for potty-trained boys, who may forget about pooing once they are weeing standing up.
  • 确保您的孩子在使用便盆或厕所时可以平放在地板上或一步, to get them in a good position for pooing. ERIC, The Children's Bowel & Bladder Charity's leaflet,Children's Bowel Problems(PDF, 2.48Mb) shows this position.
  • Ask if they feel worried about using the potty or toilet– some children do not want to poo in certain situations, such as at nursery or school.
  • Stay calm and reassuring，以便您的孩子不会将厕所视为压力很大的情况 - 您希望您的孩子将Poing视为生活中正常的一部分，而不是令人感到羞耻的事情。

If you'd like advice about taking the stress out of going to the toilet for your child, speak to a health visitor.

More information and support

Page last reviewed: 14 February 2020
Next review due: 14 February 2023