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Constipation in children is probably one of the top five reasons that a parent contacts me.  It can be frustrating, both for the child and the parent.  When a child experiences pain passing a stool, they can often try to hold it in in the future - this only perpetuates the problem.  And, consider the last time you had a bout of constipation, your stomach feels so full that the last thing you want to do is put more food in.  Kids feel the same way.  Unfortunately, younger children are often more sporadic eaters.  You put this on top of the sporadic eating and it usually results with a very frustrated parent.

What Is Constipation?

First, lets look at how a normal stool forms:  as digested food moves thru the intestines, water is absorbed and the waste from the food is left creating the stool.   For a soft stool, enough water must remain and the rectal muscles need to contract to move this stool along.  When either the water or the muscle pathways fail, constipation results.   If these pathways are malfunctioning, the stool sits for longer periods in the intestines causing it to become harder and larger.  The larger it gets, the more it weakens the intestine muscles creating even more difficulty in passing it.  Additionally, the harder and larger the stool becomes, the more likely it becomes to tear the soft tissue of the rectum causing pain and often blood.   All of this combined causing the child to react by holding on to the stool longer as a protection from the pain.  

Causes Of Constipation In Infants And Children

• New foods or introduction of milk in the infant
• Poor consumption of fluids 
• Low activity levels
• Low intake of fiber - often the leading cause in a pickier eater!

Based on the common causes of constipation in children, the first steps in treatment are to: drink plenty, get moving, and add more fiber to the diet (check out a previous hot topic for more information on fiber).  However, if this doesn't stimulate the stool, your child may need medical assistance with a stool softener, but there are several natural laxatives you can implement.

The following fruits are natural laxatives that help regulate the intestines and soften stools extremely well.  You can add these fruits to smoothies, puree them and smooth on toast or add to oatmeal, and stir them into yogurt.   

This week, Joey's favorite meal is mac and cheese with strawberries and next week, he won't touch it. Frustration. As you finally have a small repertoire of guaranteed meals, Joey hits a food rut and won't eat any of it — now, he fights even coming to the table. Frustration peaks. If this sounds like your house, you are not alone...

To Read more:

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110614/entlife/706149922/#ixzz1QDpmstEq

• 3/4 lb italian sausage, taken out of the casing
• 1 onion, diced fine
• 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, diced fine
• 3 tsp of minced garlic
• 3 tsp tomato paste
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 cans diced tomatoes with the juice
• crushed red pepper to taste
• handful of chopped parsley
• Whole Grain penne noodles, cooked al dente

1. Brown the sausage for about 5 minutes
2. Add onion and pepper to saute pan and cook till tender, about another 2-3 minutes.  
3. Add garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 
4. Add wine to deglaze the pan.  Then turn heat to high and cook off most of the wine.  
5. Add diced tomatoes with juice and simmer till the sauce has thickened. 
6. Serve over a warm bowl of noodles and pair with a nice crisp green salad.  

Try new foods

Serve one new food once a week, with no pressure to eat it all.  After everyone has tried the food, put it to a formal vote.  If everyone enjoys it, add it to the regular menu.  Choose an exotic fruit or vegetable or an ethnic dish that you've never tried before.  You may find that your children like veggie burgers or hummus served with raw vegetables.

Go meatless at least one night each week

For delicious recipes and information about Meatless Monday, visit www.meatlessmonday.com.  This movement is already popular in many countries.  

Eat the rainbow

Have your children set a goal of eating a fruit or vegetable from every major color group each week - red, orange-yellow, green, blue-purple, and white.  Divide a piece of paper into seven columns, one column for each day.  Use markers, crayons, or colorful stickers to help your child mark the colors eaten each day. 

Make activity part of your daily routine

Take a walk after dinner.   Use the stairs instead of the escalator at the mall.  Don't choose the closest parking spot to the store's entrance.  Work physical activity into everyone's schedule.  The possibilities are endless!

We've all heard people state that they're "addicted to food", but does such a condition really exist?  The answer is yes, and it's sometimes very serious.  Some experts, however, refrain from using the term "food addiction:, preferring to refer to it as "bingeing disorder".  Food addicting or binge eating disorder involves the same brain circuits and underlying genetic susceptibilities as addiction to drugs.

The following are some symptoms of food addiction/binge eating disorder:

• Having a preoccupation or obsession with food that goes beyond eating, such as recipe collecting, food shopping, reading about food, etc. 
•  Displaying a lack of self-control around food
• Associating food with pleasure and comfort, and necessitating food to have these feelings
• Having strong physical cravings for food
• Possibly hiding or hoarding food
• Communicating intense feelings of shame or remors1e after eating
• Appearing seeminly unable to stop eating, even when wanting to
• Eating in secret
• Putting the rest of life on hold until able to get food issues under control
• Often eating so fast that food is not even tasted

These suggestions may help a person suffering from food addiction/binge eating disorder:

• See a psychologist or behavioral therapist
• Meet with a dietitian who is an eating disorder specialist
• Enroll in Overeaters Anonymous or Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous
• Consider alternative therapies, such as deep breating or meditation
• Devise a structured eating plan and learn about portion sizes
• Practice avoiding foods and situations that are difficult, and using distractions when cravings hit
• Change the way that you feel about food, especially if you consider food as a source of emotional satisfaction