New Delhi: Constipation is a common problem in children. Chronic constipation can result in poor appetite, diminished food intake, and poor growth. In the most severe cases of constipation with frequent stool retention, the rectum can become insensitive to distension, and (faecal incontinence) encopresis may result. Here are few remedies you can try at home:
lemon juice Works Wonder
Lemon juice works as a great remedy for constipation in babies and toddlers. Lemons are high in Vitamin C, which helps pull water into the gut. When the water content increases in the gut, it helps soften the stools and stimulate bowel movements. Mix the juice of half a lemon in a glass of warm water, add honey to it and give it to your child. Ideally, it should be consumed early in the morning on an empty stomach. Drinking it in the morning will stimulate your child’s bowel movement and help ease constipation. Apart from lemon juice, you can also give prune juice and apple juice to your toddler if he is suffering from constipation.
Try Triphala
Triphala, as the name suggests, is a combination of three medicinal herbs. These are Amalaki, bibhitaki, and haritaki. Triphala has multiple benefits and it is usually consumed with milk. Add a spoonful of Triphala to warm milk and give it to your child before bedtime. It is the best herbal remedy for constipation. This is one of the most popular Indian home remedies for constipation in toddlers.
Water is always the best choice!
This may seem like a no-brainer but sometimes parents fail to track whether their children are drinking enough water or not. Water is extremely important for ensuring proper digestion and passage of food through the intestinal tract. Drinking adequate water also prevents stools from being dry. So make sure that your child stays hydrated.
How about some honey and flax seeds?
Honey helps strengthen the immune system and aids the digestive system as well. Add 1-2 spoonfuls of honey to a glass of milk and give it to your child on an empty stomach. Flax seeds too can help treat constipation. Boil some flax seeds in water for some time, then strain and give this water to your child. This will prevent constipation.
Let him exercise and take a warm bath.
An absence of physical activity results in indigestion problems and reduced metabolism, which furthers the symptoms of constipation. Keeping your toddler busy in some kind of physical activity every day will stimulate his bowel movements. Make sure your child plays outdoors for at least an hour every day. To provide him relief from constipation, you can also give him a warm bath. Add a few spoons of baking soda in his bathwater and let your child relax in it for ten to fifteen minutes.
Include fibrous foods in his diet
Consuming fruits and vegetables that have a substantial amount of fibre in their aids bowel movements. If rice cereal is a part of your child’s diet, replace it with barley cereal. Along with barley cereal, you can also give fruit juice to your tot, this will provide him relief from constipation. You should also include vegetables like beans, spinach, sweet potato, and broccoli, and fruits like oranges and apricots in your child’s diet to keep constipation at bay. You can also give corn syrup to your child as it contains sugar-based proteins. These proteins also play a key role in stimulating bowel movements in a child.
