Patient's question:
The child is 11 months old. Lately, they have been experiencing constipation. Whenever they try to have a bowel movement, they cry and become afraid to do so. For several days, they strain and cry but still can't pass stool. Later, I put a small piece of soap into their rectum, but the child strained too hard, and as a result, two large pieces of stool the size of a thumb came out, with blood all around the anus. The child cried loudly. I don’t know where the bleeding is coming from. The bowel movement wasn’t complete, and I don’t know what to do.What kind of assistance is needed: I want to know where the child’s skin is torn and whether it’s serious. How can I help the child have a bowel movement next time?
Doctor's answer:
This is a case of pediatric constipation, which is likely caused by dry stools leading to anal fissures and resulting in skin breakdown.Recommendations:
General solutions for pediatric constipation include:
1. Drink more water.
2. For breastfed babies, mothers should pay attention to adjusting their dietary structure, focusing on light and nutritious meals, and drinking more water as well.
3. Perform clockwise abdominal massage on the baby twice a day, each time for 5–10 minutes.
4. If the baby hasn’t defecated for several days, pediatric glycerin suppositories can be used.
5. Feed more fruits and vegetable juices. The baby’s feeding speed should never be too fast or excessive, and the formula concentration should be diluted.
6. Soap stick bowel movement method: Shave a soap stick into a pencil-thick, 3 cm-long piece, moisten it with water, and insert it into the baby’s rectum to stimulate the intestinal wall and induce defecation.