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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffIf your child's constipation lasts longer than two weeks, you'll likely first seek medical care from your child's doctor. If necessary, the doctor may refer your child to a specialist in digestive disorders (gastroenterologist).
Because appointments can be brief, it's a good idea to be prepared. Here's some information to help you get ready for your child's appointment.
What you can do
Take careful notes on your child's signs and symptoms. Record the date your child's constipation started and any other coinciding events. Include notes about stool frequency and appearance, as well as what and how much your child eats and drinks. List any medications your child takes, including vitamins and other supplements. Write down what you've done to treat your child's constipation.
What to expect from your child's doctor
Your child's doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions. Be ready to answer questions such as:
- When did your child first begin experiencing symptoms of constipation?
- Have your child's symptoms been continuous, or occasional?
- How severe are your child's symptoms?
- What, if anything, seems to improve your child's symptoms?
- What, if anything, seems to worsen your child's symptoms?
- Do you see blood with your child's bowel movements, either mixed in with the stool, in the toilet water or on the toilet paper?
- Does your child soil his or her underwear?
- Does your child strain with bowel movements?
- Does your child have a family history of digestive problems?
- Has your child started any new medications or changed the dosage of current medications?
- Ferry GD. Constipation in children: Etiology and diagnosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 19, 2009.
- Ferry GD. Prevention and treatment of acute constipation in infants and children. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 19, 2009.
- Ferry GD. Treatment of chronic functional constipation and fecal incontinence in infants and children. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 19, 2009.
- Evaluation and treatment of constipation in infants and children: Recommendations of the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. 2006;43:e1.
- Constipation in children. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/constipationchild/index.htm. Accessed Feb. 20, 2009.
- Parenting corner Q&A: Constipation. The American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.aap.org/publiced/BR_Constipation.htm. Accessed Feb. 20, 2009.
- Parenting corner Q&A: Soiling (encopresis). http://www.aap.org/publiced/BK5_Soiling.htm. Accessed Feb. 20, 2009.
- Wald A. Constipation and defecation problems. American College of Gastroenterology. http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/gihealth/pdf/constipation.pdf. Accessed Feb. 24, 2009.
- Kay M, et al. Common gastrointestinal problems in pediatric patients. American College of Gastroenterology. http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/gihealth/pdf/pediatric.pdf. Accessed Feb. 24, 2009.
- Culbert TP, et al. Integrative approaches to childhood constipation and encopresis. The Pediatrics Clinics of North America. 2007;54:927.
- Hoecker JL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 10, 2009.
- Grothe RM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 18, 2009.
