Constipation in a 4-year-old child is a common problem. Difficulty with bowel movements can be due to a variety of reasons, ranging from psychological to serious bowel disease.. With the periodic occurrence of a symptom, parents can cope at home. To do this, you need to review the diet, give the baby to drink more water, use medicinal herbs with a laxative effect.. In case of chronic constipation, it is necessary to consult a doctor for additional examination.

In most cases, constipation in children aged 4-5 years is associated with errors in nutrition and lifestyle Features of constipation in children Normally, children aged 4-5 years empty their intestines once a day. Some deviations are acceptable due to dietary habits, relocation, inability to visit the toilet and other factors.. So, if the child empties the intestines less than 1 time in 2 days (3 times a week) - this is constipation.

In addition to the frequency of bowel movements, constipation is characterized by a change in the shape of feces. Normally, in children after 4 years, the feces are formed, not dense, and do not have inclusions in the form of breasts..

The main causes of constipation There is no single reason that would lead to constipation in a child. Violation of bowel movements can be associated with a number of factors: malnutrition, stress, sedentary lifestyle, diseases of the intestines and nervous tissue.

Mechanism of development The mechanism of development of constipation in a baby can be associated with several factors:.

peristalsis is weakened, food moves more slowly through the alimentary tract;

there is less liquid in the feces, which makes it difficult to pass through the intestines;

anti-peristalsis is expressed - there is a movement of feces in the opposite direction;

violation of the act of defecation itself (from the side of the rectum, anal sphincter).

Why it occurs There are several groups of reasons that can lead to difficulty in defecation - alimentary, psychological, organic (diseases of the large intestine, nervous system and other organs).

Cause group.

Explanation.

Alimentary.

The most common group of causes. More than half of the cases of constipation in children are associated with errors in nutrition, insufficient fluid intake.

What dietary habits can affect the difficulty of defecation:.

the child drinks little water during the day;

Not enough fiber in the diet;

mashed dishes predominate: soups, mashed potatoes, semolina, jelly;

Excess consumption of proteins and fats.

The development of constipation can provoke an improper diet - if the child eats rarely, but in large portions. The atmosphere during meals also affects, for example, if the child eats on the go, in a hurry, does not chew food thoroughly.

Psychological.

Often, constipation occurs in children during the period of adaptation - visiting a kindergarten, changing their place of residence. Constant suppression of the reflex leads to compaction of feces, trauma to the intestinal mucosa.

Also, the reason may be the fear of the potty, when the child avoids going to the toilet because of the pain experienced earlier..

Colon diseases.

Chronic constipation is often a symptom of bowel disease.. Depending on the localization, there are 2 types of it:.

Cologenic - associated with a slowdown in the passage through the large intestine, the cause may be Hirschsprung's disease, dolichosigma, megacolon, colitis, helminthic invasion;

proctogenic - associated with a violation of the act of defecation directly, the cause is damage to the rectum and anal sphincter.

Pathology of the nervous tissue.

In case of damage to the nerves, brain or spinal cord, intestinal innervation may be disturbed. This leads to an increase or decrease in peristalsis..

Diseases of other organs.

Diseases of not only the digestive tract and nervous system, but also other organs can lead to impaired defecation. For example, hypothyroidism is often accompanied by a slowdown in the evacuation of stool..

Symptoms The main manifestation of constipation - the child empties the intestines less than 1 time in 2 days. A change in the frequency of bowel movements may be accompanied by other signs:.

feces dense, dry, \;

defecation accompanied by pain;

the child cannot go to the toilet without additional help (finger manipulation, laxative, enema).

Additional symptoms may also develop: flatulence, rumbling in the abdomen, a feeling of fullness in the rectum.

As a result of the slow movement of feces through the intestines, the absorption of decay products increases, which can lead to general intoxication.. In this case, the child becomes lethargic, gets tired quickly, his appetite decreases, sleep is disturbed, and the temperature rises..

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