Patient's question:
Two days without a bowel movement, already starting to feel sick. Around 1 and a half years old. Previous treatment and effectiveness: Eating more fruits and vegetables didn't help. What kind of assistance is needed: The child has a good appetite and eats everything. But the weight isn't increasing??????...Doctor's answer:
Whether a child is constipated cannot be determined solely based on bowel movement frequency. Instead, a comprehensive and careful observation of the quality and quantity of the baby's stool is necessary, as well as assessing whether it interferes with the child's overall health. Each child has a unique physical condition, so the normal frequency of bowel movements can vary. For example, breastfed infants may have more frequent bowel movements daily, while formula-fed infants may have one bowel movement per day or every 1 to 3 days. As long as the stool's consistency and amount are normal, and the baby shows no other discomfort, this is considered normal.When a child experiences constipation again, the stool that is passed out is dry and hard. The hard stool can cause pain and discomfort when it presses against the anus, making the baby reluctant to defecate and hesitant to strain. If the stool cannot be expelled, the constipation will worsen. Prolonged retention of stool in the body can lead to the accumulation of toxins, disrupt normal metabolism, and result in malnutrition and weakened immunity.