How to Relieve Children's Constipation

Constipation affects people of all ages. While most adults take laxatives to stimulate bowel movements, this remedy isn't recommended for children. Fortunately, there are several alternate ways to ease constipation in children.

Things You'll Need

• Fiber
• Apple juice

Instructions

1. Serve your child fruits and vegetables. A low-fiber diet often causes constipation in children. Increase your child's fiber intake by serving fresh fruits and vegetables. Limit fast foods, sugary items and other junk food in your child's diet.

2. Increase your child's fluid intake. Water encourages digestive health by softening stool and promoting regularity. Apple juice is high in fiber and encourages bowel activity.

3. Encourage an active lifestyle. Lack of physical exercise contributes to constipation. To relieve children's constipation, encourage outdoor activity or sports such as running, biking and basketball. Movement stimulates the digestive tract and naturally relieves constipation.

4. Massage your child's stomach to encourage intestinal contractions and promote a bowel movement.

Tips & Warnings

• If your child doesn't ingest the recommended daily dose of fiber from food, give them a daily fiber supplement.

Resources

• Kids Health - Constipation