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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffChildren may experience constipation after surgery to correct Hirschsprung's disease. You can help manage constipation by having your child:
- Eat high-fiber foods. If your child eats solid foods, include high-fiber foods as part of your child's diet. For instance, choose whole grains, such as whole-wheat bread. Reduce servings of refined grains, such as white bread. Encourage your child to eat fruits and vegetables. High-fiber foods as part of your child's diet may help control constipation. But a sudden increase in high-fiber foods can make constipation worse, so add high-fiber foods slowly. If your child isn't eating solid foods yet, ask your doctor about formulas that may help relieve constipation.
- Increase fluids. Encourage your child to drink more water. Children with Hirschsprung's disease may have an increased risk of dehydration, since the colon absorbs water from food in the last stages of digestion. If a portion of your child's colon was removed, your child may have trouble absorbing enough water. Drinking more water can help your child stay hydrated, which may help ease constipation.
- Ask your child's doctor about medications and laxatives. Your child may find relief from constipation with the use of certain laxative medications. Ask your doctor about the risks and benefits of laxatives for your child.
References
- What I need to know about Hischsprung disease. National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/hirschsprungs_ez/. Accessed Oct. 12, 2010.
- Wyllie R. Motility disorders and Hirschsprung disease. In: Kliegman RM. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1608/0.html. Accessed Oct. 12, 2010.
- Kahn E, et al. Anatomy, histology, embryology and development anomalies of the small and large intestine. In: Feldman M, et al. Sleisinger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/linkTo?type=bookHome&isbn=978-1-4160-6189-2&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-6189-2..X0001-7--TOP&uniq=200844987-3. Accessed Oct. 12, 2010.
- Philichi L. When the going gets tough: Pediatric constipation and encopresis. Gastroenterology Nursing. 2008;31:121.
- Nutrition therapy for constipation. ADA Nutrition Care Manual. http://nutritioncaremanual.org/index.cfm. Accessed Oct. 12, 2010.
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