Lele is 3 years old this year, a happy little girl, everything is good for children, but constipation is something that makes the family very painful.
Lele’s stool has been dry for almost a year, initially after the cold, the stool is a little dry, did not pay attention at that time. But I didn’t know that the stool slowly became drier and drier, and by this time last year, the stool was as dry as goat poop, and it was very difficult to get it out. One time, the stool was so thick and hard that it caused anal fissures and bleeding during defecation. From then on, Lele was afraid of defecation, and cried and fussed whenever he talked about defecation, and refused to have a bowel movement. As time went by, the stool became drier and defecation became more difficult, so he had no choice but to use a cork. Every time Lele saw the adults take the cork, he was scared and cried. Every time Lele had a bowel movement, her grandparents had to cry along with her. I have also sought treatment from many sources. I took lactulose, which worked well at the time, and the stool was almost once a day, but after I stopped taking it, the stool went back to the way it was before. I’ve used Pepcid, I’ve used Four Mills Soup, I’ve used honey water, but I haven’t seen any results. Up to now, Lele can barely have a bowel movement, and every time he has a bowel movement, he is completely dependent on the open plug. Parents also know that this is not good, but they dare not use it, because if the stool is not relieved for two days, it will become thicker and harder, and may burst the anus again. There is really nothing I can do. Why is the child’s stool so dry and is there really no treatment?
The treatment of this disease starts with helping the child to eliminate psychological fears. To do this, it is necessary to be able to soften the stool effectively and let the child try to defecate without pain before it is possible for the child to cooperate with the defecation. Only if the child is willing to cooperate with defecation, it is possible to help the child establish good defecation habits with the synergistic effect of medication, and ultimately, it is possible to cure the disease.
Treatment of intractable constipation is generally done in two steps
The treatment of persistent constipation is still difficult, firstly, it is not easy to get well, and secondly, it is easy to relapse. Chinese medicine has better efficacy in the treatment of constipation, especially stubborn constipation. The treatment of stubborn constipation is generally divided into two steps.
The first step is to use laxatives to soften the stool and excrete the long-standing stools in the intestines.
Most of these stools are black or dark brown and dry to the extreme. If these stools are not softened, the child can barely pull them out. Because the stool is too large, it may also burst the anus and cause blood in the stool. Since each bowel movement is painful, it is difficult for the child to pass stool on his or her own. If the child always refuses to defecate, the stool will become drier and drier, and accordingly, defecation will become more and more difficult. Therefore, the first step in treatment is to soften the stool so that the stool is a little thinner and less thick, and to use laxatives to remove the accumulated stool from the body. It takes time to soften and expel the stool, 2-3 days for milder children and 1-2 weeks for more severe children. When all the stools turn yellow, all the stools have been excreted. At this time, the burden on the intestinal tract will be reduced. Although the stool at this time is smooth, it is an unstable state formed by the action of the drug. If the drug is suddenly stopped, it will lead to repeated constipation and the previous work will be lost.
The second step is to improve the function of the intestinal tract and help establish a regular bowel movement on your own.
In order for the stool to be passed smoothly, there are generally two conditions, one is that the stool is not too dry, and the other is that the intestinal peristalsis is strong, so that it is possible to pass the stool out of the body smoothly. The formula of Chinese medicine consists of two main parts, one is the medicine to nourish Yin and moisten dryness, to increase the intestinal water, so that the stool to achieve the degree of non-wet and non-dry. The other part is a qi regulator, the main purpose of which is to increase the peristaltic ability of the intestine, so that the bowel movement is strong. If the intestinal function is improved comprehensively, the problem of bowel movement will be solved accordingly. When the child has a smooth bowel movement under the effect of the medicine, we should seize this opportunity to help the child establish a good habit of regular bowel movement once a day. In this way, on the one hand, we can improve the function of the intestinal tract through medication, and on the other hand, we can train the child’s bowel movement repeatedly, so as to prepare for the discontinuation of medication later.
What are the dangers of constipation?
Parents only know that constipation is a disease, but the dangers of constipation are much more than that. First of all, such severe constipation can easily cause anal fissures and bleeding, which can cause great pain to the child. In addition, constipated children are especially prone to fire, and such children are more likely to have red lips, fever, tonsillitis, pus in the tonsils, mouth sores, etc. In addition, constipation can also cause bloating or abdominal pain, which in turn affects the child’s appetite, sleep, etc. From the above, we can see that constipation is not only a disease, but can also be the cause of other diseases. Therefore, this disease should be given due attention.
How to care for a child with constipation
With the help of medication, instruct your child to develop a good habit of regular bowel movements.
Defecation is a habit. Most children have regular bowel movements, either once a day or once every two days, and it is best to have regular bowel movements. However, some children forget to relieve stool because of playfulness, and as a result, the stool will be gone for the day. Because the stool can not be discharged in time, it prolongs the time between bowel movements, and if the stool stays in the intestine for too long, it will lose water, and the stool may become dry. If this is not given enough attention, over time, the child’s stool will become more and more dry, the constipation will become more and more stubborn, and it will be more and more difficult to treat. Therefore, during the treatment process, parents should cooperate with the medication and help their children to develop the habit of regular bowel movements, so as to prepare for the discontinuation of the medication later.
In addition, it is important to drink more water, eat more vegetables and exercise more.
In the diet, it is necessary to properly match the coarse fiber diet, such as celery, spinach, leek and other coarse fiber foods, and also to give the child more coarse grains. These foods are helpful in the formation of feces. Also drink more water. At the same time, it is important to exercise more. Currently, most children have too little exercise, which may also be one of the factors for the increase of constipation diseases.
A few misconceptions in the management of persistent constipation
Too little intake of coarse fiber diet, little exercise and little water intake have an impact on the formation of constipation, but they are not decisive factors. It is true that there are many children who do not like to eat vegetables, do not like to drink water, and do not exercise much, but their stools are not dry. Simply improving the structure of the diet has some benefits for constipation, but it does not solve the root of the constipation problem, as many parents have tried.
Long-term use of corked laxatives is not recommended. The laxative effect of corkage is very good and can be used temporarily, but not for long term use. They make it easy for the child to defecate, and if used regularly, the child will stop trying to defecate and will not defecate on their own in the future, which can induce more serious constipation.
Another misconception is that you want to change constipation by teaching your child how to defecate. For children with normal stool quality, you can help them change their bowel time and establish a good bowel routine. But for children with such severe constipation, it makes no sense to insist on teaching them to defecate. First, children with painful bowel movements and psychological shadows are resistant to defecation and will definitely not cooperate. Second, such a large, dry stool, not to mention children, adults, relying on their own efforts will not be able to defecate. Third, in the absence of bowel movements, it is difficult for anyone to defecate, which is not in line with the law of defecation. There is nothing wrong with teaching a child to defecate, but it is only meaningful to do so if the child can defecate and has the intention to do so.