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Food for Chronic Constipation in Children

If your child has been having only a few bowel movements a week and complaining of pain when he does pass stools, chances are he is constipated. This can be caused by their diet if they are not drinking enough caffeine-free beverages or not eating enough healthy foods with a good fiber content. If this is the case, then you need to change and monitor what your child eats.

  1. Liquid

    • One way to cure constipation in a child is to increase his liquid intake. This will help soften the stools and make them easier to pass through your child's intestines. You can sneak prune juice into a baby's cereal for extra help. If you have an older child, make sure that he is drinking plenty of water.

    Fiber

    • Fiber in foods helps people to have bowel movements, and so increasing fiber in your child's diet can cure his constipation problem. But remember, don't give him too much fiber at once; if his body is not used to digesting that much fiber, it could cause irritation.

    Grains

    • Fiber can be found in breads such as wheat bread and granola bread, which can have 4 or 5 g of fiber for every two slices; cereals like bran flakes and shredded wheat have 5 or more g of fiber per serving. Remember, there is not much fiber in processed grains, such as white bread, which has less than 2 g of fiber per two slices.

    Fruits and Vebetables

    • Fruits, like apples, raspberries and raisins, and vegetables, like broccoli and spinach are also high in fiber, containing around 4 or 5 g of fiber.

    Beans

    • This may be harder to get children to eat, but beans, like black, kidney and pinto beans, can have up to a whopping 19 g of fiber in a serving, and thus are ideal in the diet of a constipated child.

    Keep Away

    • While the child is constipated, keep her away from processed foods, where most of the fiber has been removed. She should also not be eating anything fatty, like fast foods, and not drinking anything caffeinated such as soft drinks, coffee or tea, as these stand to further the constipation through dehydration.

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