HealthInfo Canterbury

Causes of constipation in children

There are many reasons why your child might be constipated.

• Not eating enough fibre. Fibre-containing foods such as wholemeal breads, fruit, and vegetables will help to keep your child's bowels working regularly. See Fibre & fluids for children for more information.
• Not drinking enough fluids.
• Less activity than normal and not eating and drinking as much, for example when your child is unwell.
• Holding on. Constipation often starts after one hard poo has caused pain. The natural response to a painful experience is to try to avoid it in the future. Therefore, the next time your child feels the urge to poo, they hold on to try to avoid passing another painful poo. This results in the poo becoming firmer, larger and even more painful when it is eventually passed and your child becomes even more reluctant to poo in the future.

  HealthInfo recommends the following pages

• The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne – Constipation in children

  Information about the causes and treatment of constipation in children.

• Patient.info – Constipation in children

  Information about the most common causes of constipation in children.

On the next page: Constipation tests and diagnosis

Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed May 2017.

Page reference: 37444

Review key: HICOC-14683