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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffSigns and symptoms of constipation in children may include:
- No bowel movements for several days
- Bowel movements that are hard, dry and difficult to pass
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Traces of liquid or clay-like stool in the child's underwear — a sign that stool is backed up in the rectum
- Bright red blood on the surface of hard stool
- Poor appetite
- Cranky behavior
If your child fears that having a bowel movement will hurt, he or she may try to avoid it. You may notice your child crossing his or her legs, clenching his or her buttocks, twisting his or her body on the floor, or making faces.
When to see a doctor
Constipation in children usually isn't serious. However, chronic constipation may lead to complications or signal an underlying condition. Take your child to a doctor if the constipation lasts longer than two weeks or is accompanied by:
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Blood in the stool
- Abdominal swelling
- Weight loss
- Painful cracks in the skin around the anus (anal fissures)
- Intestine drooping out of the anus (rectal prolapse)
- 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.
