Constipation in Children-Is There Any End to the Madness?

Just as with adults, constipation in children is a frequent problem that we parents must contend with.  Again, like adults, the symptoms typically include:  infrequent bowel movements;  pain or discomfort when passing stool;  abdominal or lower back pain when having bowel movement.  However, unlike we adults who may turn to laxatives for constipation relief, using this kind of treatment on a child can cause bigger problems than the bowel incontinence it is supposed to relieve.

Laxatives are in fact the most popular constipation remedy—period.  However, because they are made with stimulants, laxatives can cause greater issues beyond the initial constipation problem, such as:

  • Known to be habit forming—commonly abused by children with eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa.
  • May lead to malnutrition due to loss of appetite commonly associated with this popular constipation treatment
  • Damage to colon—because a laxative relieves bowel incontinence by stimulating the muscles in the colon, they can cause long-term damage if used for extended periods of time.  When abused long enough, a person may not be able to prevent constipation problems from occurring without using laxatives at regular intervals.  This is because damage may be so severe that a person cannot have a bowel movement without using a laxative.
  • Causes difficulty with concentrating and may lead to lower performance at school
  • Insomnia

Without question, laxatives are not to be considered a cure for constipation problems in children.  The potential for abuse and long term damage is too great.  Most physicians prefer to prescribe a stool softener—a much milder and gentler form of laxative.  Many stool softeners are made with natural ingredients that help to soften the stool so that it is easier to pass through the colon.

However, depending on the frequency of the problem, the condition may call for a more proactive constipation remedy.  In some cases, the constipation and bloating may be caused by a blockage—a much more severe cause of bowel incontinence.  For this type of constipation, you want to remove the feces and waste that has accumulated along the walls of the colon and large intestines.  This concentrated toxic waste narrows the passageway through the gastrointestinal tract—both slowing bowel movements and creating the potential for blockages.

Many like to prescribe enemas for constipation pain in children but this is also a short term solution.  In order to truly remove the layers of dried and compacted feces along the walls of the colon, you need a bowel cleanser or colonic irrigation.

A colonic irrigation is costly and painful—but is effective in immediately eliminating any type of constipation problem in most cases (when not caused by hormone imbalance or some problem with the colon muscles).  However, an all natural bowel cleanser will also remove the compacted feces that sometimes causes constipation—but for a fraction of the cost and with far less discomfort for your child.  Just be sure to consult with your physician before using any product when trying to relieve constipation in children.

Try New Colon Sweep today and discover how natural, safe, gentle and effective constipation relief can be.