Treatment of Chronic Constipation in Children

The first step in treating constipation is to "clean out" any stool that has built up in the intestines (bowels).

When a child has not pooped for several days, stool collects in the lower bowel (rectum). This causes the bowel wall to become stretched out. This feeling of the bowel being stretched is what normally makes us realize we have to go to the bathroom.

However, if the child isn't pooping regularly and the bowel wall stays stretched for a long time, it loses its normal muscle tone and feeling. Then it becomes harder and harder to pass the enlarging amount of stool, creating an unhealthy cycle.

In order to treat constipation, we must break this cycle.

The first step: emptying the rectum