Constipation in Children

Bowel habits vary from child to child. Some children have a bowel movement every day, others go every few days. Two to three days between bowel movements generally are not cause for concern, as long as your child is not having pain or vomiting.

Do any of these statements describe your child?

• He has not had a bowel movement for more than three days.

• He has hard, painful stools.

• He does not have stools very often and when he does, they are very large, sometimes clogging the toilet.

  Yes, one or more of these statements describe my child.

  No, this does not describe my child.