Psychological constipation in a child can lead to great he alth problems and even hospitalization. This problem most often manifests itself in children 2-5 years old. Just at the time when the child is potty trained or toilet trained, sent to kindergarten and clear rules of conduct are being laid down.
What is psychological constipation in a child
This concept was not used at all in Soviet times. It was believed that children aged 2-3 years who are afraid of the potty are just acting up. This is a very wrong statement.
Modern psychologists have proven that the state when a child restrains the process of defecation is developed at a subconscious level and punishment can only worsen the condition.
Parents should understand that children of 2-5 years of age have many fears, because their life experience is gradually replenished with various unpleasant situations.
Reasons
Pediatricians and psychologists, thanks to their experience and many years ofobserving babies, came to some conclusions that may explain the occurrence of psychological constipation in a child:
- The baby could not go to the toilet for several days to poop, as a result, the feces harden and natural defecation occurs with painful sensations. Sometimes even cracks appear in the anus, which then heal for a long time and bring a lot of inconvenience to the child. After a while, the baby restrains the process on its own, so as not to experience such sensations again.
- The child is potty trained and punished if he fails. The kid understands that he is receiving punishment for the defecation process, and stops doing it so as not to get negative from his parents.
- The child is sent to a kindergarten, and collective "gatherings" on the pots obviously do not suit him. He can be shy and pinched. The result is psychological constipation after a few days.
- The baby had an intestinal infection with numerous diarrhea. He remembers his feelings when his stomach hurts and grumbles. And he also understands that every trip to the potty distracted him from an interesting game. On top of that, my mother was very upset with every next liquid stool. Therefore, after recovery, the child begins to restrain his urge to go big so as not to get sick again.
- Negative emotional situation in the family contributes to the development of psychological constipation in a 4-year-old child. At this age, the baby already very clearly feels the mood of the parents. He tries his best not to upset them. The child understands that during family scandalsyou can’t distract mom so that he doesn’t get it too. Then, at the moment of the urge to defecate, he begins to actively restrain himself.
Psychological causes of constipation in children can contribute to the development of even more complex conditions. For example, the next unpleasant surprise is stone smearing. This is when the baby empties a little into his underpants.
Why there is a fear of a potty or a toilet
The child does not go to the toilet in a big way. Why is this happening and how to deal with it? For the first time problems with constipation begin at the age of 2-3 years. In this period, parents are just actively beginning to teach the baby to go to the potty when needed.
A baby at 2-3 years old is already aware of the need to cope with natural needs, but still does not fully understand the physiological nature of this process. Many kids find this process shameful. Of course, such an opinion could not have been developed on its own.
Most often this means that there are jokes or unpleasant remarks about this process in the family. It happens that when leaving the toilet, dad receives a remark from mom that the smell is far from pleasant spreading around the apartment. A man can laugh it off, and a child on a subconscious level "writes down" that you can get a remark for a trip in a big way.
Often there are problems with the stool at the moment when adults begin to teach the child to go to the toilet instead of the potty. The kid seems to be dangerous all these devices on the toilet. And the biggest fear is a hole that goes nowhere: "I will definitely fall."
Consequencesconstipation
How to help with psychological constipation in a child and should it be done? This question is spinning in the head of all parents who are faced with this problem. This situation must be de alt with, only with the right methods.
If you let the process of proper natural defecation take its course, you can get a number of problems in the future:
- Feces harden too much and even with the use of medical methods, the process of defecation will be painful, which will further aggravate the situation.
- If the stool remains in the body for a long time, then intoxication begins to occur, which can lead to severe poisoning of the body. In this case, hospitals and droppers cannot be avoided.
- The baby almost completely loses his appetite, as a result of which he is losing weight rapidly. This situation is extremely dangerous for small children.
- A nasty burp appears, which leaves, to put it mildly, a terrible sensation in the mouth even for an adult, not to mention a child.
- Gradually, the baby grows apathetic, he plays less, he often has sudden mood swings. This condition is also associated with intoxication.
If the problem persists after 6 years, then parents can expect poor school performance, nervousness, lack of normal attention.
How to help get rid of fears
First of all, parents need to understand that children's anxiety does not go away with the help of force and punishment. They will only get worse, and the problem -build up.
It is necessary to show the child that the whole family supports him and understands children's fears. The fairy tale method works very well. For example, a mother tells a child a story about a little "poop" who loves to walk, but the baby does not let her out. Then she is offended and begins to offend the child's tummy. And if the baby will let her out on the street, then she will be kind, and he will no longer get sick.
Playing with plasticine also helps a lot. During such classes, the child's muscles are completely relaxed, he is distracted from his fears and can easily go to the potty.
What not to do?
What to do with psychological constipation in a child? Many adults resort to the option of force and punishment. For example, a toddler does not go to the toilet in a big way for more than two days, and parents put him on the potty with orders not to get up until he needs to.
This method can only achieve the opposite result. The child will be even more tense, and fears will increase. It is very important to understand that if there was no natural bowel movement for a long time, and then it happened in panties, then punishment should not follow.
Mom should support the child and praise, and only then explain that adult children should perform this process on the potty or toilet.
Treatment with diet
How to overcome psychological constipation in a child? Attempts to establish a natural bowel movement should begin with the establishment of a diet. The child musteat during designated hours. Thus, his digestive tract organs will respond in time to the intake of food, and the digestion process will occur in the correct rhythm.
It is also important to make the right diet for the baby. Most often, at the age of 2-4 years, children already eat almost according to the adult menu. But don't forget that the baby's GI tract is not yet fully formed, especially in terms of enzyme production, and some foods can cause constipation and a lot of gas.
Required components
The daily diet of a child must include fruits and vegetables in the right amount. Children suffering from constipation are best not to offer juices. They should eat fruits in their natural form and, if possible, with a skin. In this case, a large amount of fiber enters the body, which contributes to the proper functioning of the digestive tract. It is also important to wean the baby from eating pureed food as early as possible, otherwise the feces are formed in insufficient quantities.
What should not be given?
Children who suffer from psychological constipation should be limited in baked goods. Because such products are a direct path to bowel problems.
Also, on days when constipation occurs, it is not necessary to include rice dishes in the children's diet. There is an opinion that kefir helps to get rid of constipation. But it is not so. Scientists have proven that yogurt no older than 1-2 days is better in terms of the number of beneficial bacteria. But such a drink can cause constipation.
It turns out thatit is necessary to drink kefir older than 2 days to establish a bowel movement. So, when buying a drink, you need to look at the date so that it is not fresh. This does not mean that you need to offer the child a "delay", otherwise you can end up in an infectious diseases hospital.
Also, you should not offer the baby legumes and cabbage. These foods cause a lot of gas, which will lead to more abdominal discomfort.
What is good to include in the diet?
There are products that must be present in the daily menu of a baby who suffers from psychological constipation. Beetroot helps to cope with such a problem very well.
You can make a simple dish out of it. Beets must be boiled until tender. Then clean and grate on a fine grater. In the finished mass, you can add pickled cucumber in the same consistency. The salad is seasoned with sunflower oil and slightly s alted.
Prunes also have a good effect on intestinal motility. You can make compote from it or buy ready-made baby puree and offer your child for an afternoon snack.
Special attention should be paid to the baby's drinking regimen. First of all, you need to offer him half a glass of fresh unboiled water in the morning on an empty stomach. It is advisable to use bottled.
During the day, the child should drink an amount equal to 50 ml per 1 kg of body weight. The liquid helps to thin the stool and prevent it from thickening too much.
Medicated treatment
In extreme cases, you can resort to the use of drugs. How to treat psychological constipation in a child? According to the recommendations of pediatricians, in such cases, drugs that contain lactulose can be used.
The most popular at the moment is "Duphalac". It is sold in vials or disposable packages. A syrup with a pleasant taste has almost no color. This means that dyes are not used in the manufacture.
According to the instructions for use, "Duphalac" is prescribed for children from the first month of life. In the first three days, the dose for children from 1 to 6 years old should be at least 5 ml per day. Then, little by little, it can be reduced until the expected result is achieved for several days, or even weeks. Children under one year old are given up to five milliliters of syrup.
The instructions for use for "Duphalac" (it is often prescribed for children) indicate that lactulose is not absorbed into the blood and is completely excreted with feces. This substance increases the volume of feces, as a result of which it becomes difficult for the child to restrain himself, and a natural bowel movement occurs.
Prevention
The famous pediatrician Dr. Komarovsky advises not to focus on the process of defecation in a child. Then his nervous tension about this will subside, and the process will gradually get better by itself.
The doctor notes that first of all, it is necessary to establish the baby's daily routine. He must eat and sleep on timeand walk. Komarovsky advises not to overfeed the baby so that the digestive tract organs work at a normal pace and without excessive load.
The doctor claims that with sufficient activity and physical activity, the child will not suffer from constipation. In his opinion, it is also better to offer the baby a piece of an apple for a snack, rather than squeezing juice out of it.
Komarovsky points out that lactulose-based medicines can be used to treat constipation with absolute safety. The doctor notes that the child's body does not get used to the active substance and natural defecation will gradually improve.
Conclusions
What to do if the child is afraid to poop? The answer is unequivocal: surround him with care and affection. For the baby, you need to organize a proper, balanced diet, increase the number of walks in the fresh air and, if necessary, apply "Duphalac" or its analogues.
In this case, the psychological tension on this occasion will subside for both the baby and the parents. Gradually, the process of defecation will improve, and peace and tranquility will be restored in the family.
