Patient's question:
My baby is 11 months old. Around 10 months, his bowel movements started to look like small, hard, dry pellets similar to mouse droppings. He experiences significant pain during bowel movements, and there is also cracking and bleeding at the anus. I have given him bananas, increased his fluid intake, and also fed him honeysuckle oral liquid. Initially, it helped relieve the symptoms, but recently this week, it has been ineffective. His bowel movements are still very difficult and painful. What should I do?Doctor's answer:
Baby constipation. It's important to feed the baby more vegetables and fruits, and drink more water. The simplest method is to encourage the baby to drink more water. If the stool is dry and cannot be passed for 3-4 days, parents can take some temporary measures at home, such as using infant glycerin suppositories or applying a small amount of glycerin to the rectum. It's important to ensure that the opening of the glycerin suppository is not uneven or very sharp to avoid scratching the anus during insertion. After applying glycerin, it must be left in place for a few minutes until the baby feels the urge to defecate. If glycerin suppositories are not available, soft soap can be used at home. A small drop of water can be added to the tip of the soap, making it easier to insert into the rectum and reducing the baby's fear and discomfort. These are only methods to be used when there is no other choice.