Patient's question:
A three-month-old female infant who has been breastfeeding and not having frequent bowel movements, what could be the reason? How to deal with infant constipation?Doctor's answer:
Due to the limited variety of infant diets, the commonly eaten foods are low in fiber but high in protein content, making it easy for infants to develop constipation. When an infant is constipated, the main symptoms are continuous crying during each bowel movement, and even anal fissures may occur. The occurrence of anal fissures can cause fear of bowel movements in infants, leading to a vicious cycle. Over time, this can result in symptoms such as abdominal distension, decreased appetite, and restlessness. Therefore, it is important to address infant constipation promptly.Since an infant's gastrointestinal nervous regulation is not well-developed and their gastrointestinal function is immature, using medication to relieve constipation can easily lead to gastrointestinal dysfunction, such as diarrhea. Thus, for infant constipation, dietary therapy is the most ideal approach.