What is chronic functional constipation in children?

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Vu Quoc Anh - Pediatrician - Pediatrics - Neonatology at Vinmec Danang International General Hospital

Chronic functional constipation in children is manifested as: decreased number of bowel movements, often straining due to hard and dry stools. Chronic constipation can cause discomfort and pain for children every time they have a bowel movement, so it is necessary to take timely and definitive measures.

Functional chronic constipation is a disease that is not caused by any physical or physiological damage but is usually due to the child's immature digestive system, other neurological or psychological factors. Functional constipation will reduce the number of bowel movements in children and is common in infants and young children from 2 to 6 years old.
Chronic functional constipation is divided into 3 types:
Constipation with normal bowel movements: The most common form, the muscles of the intestines still contract and relax at the normal rate, not too fast nor too fast. The stool is not too slow, the stool still moves in the large intestine but it is difficult to move out, the child at this time will have abdominal fullness or abdominal pain. Constipation slow bowel movements: This is a form of constipation due to the slow movement of the intestinal muscles compared to normal, causing waste to also move slowly through the intestinal lumen. Very young children experience this form of constipation. Discharge of stool: Normally, it is necessary to have both muscle movement in coordination with the pelvic floor and anal sphincter to expel stool from the body. However, many children are constipated and have a feeling of wanting to have a bowel movement, but can't and cause pain. Subjects susceptible to this form are children with prolonged constipation and some symptoms such as hemorrhoids, anal fissures, solid, hard stools... Need to treat long-term functional constipation and persevere to improve it. improve the condition and reduce pain for children.

According to statistics, up to 95% of children suffer from functional constipation, and the factors that contribute to this disease are diverse, most of which are due to:
Natural tendency in children (peristalsis) slow bowel); The behavior of holding stools (because children often have pain when defecating, children are busy playing...); Due to changing environment; Unscientific and moderate diet; Children suffering from diseases such as hypothyroidism, some neurological diseases, cystic fibrosis...; Due to the side effects of drugs to treat diseases in children.

Most children with chronic functional constipation have the following symptoms:
Anorexia, growth retardation

Difficulty in defecation; There is a feeling of abdominal pain in the stomach area and it usually goes away when having a bowel movement; Often irritable and unhappy; Always feel restless, impatient, so go to the toilet often; In the case of children with severe functional constipation, it can cause bowel obstruction and fecal incontinence. Some signs help distinguish constipation due to disease or physical constipation include:
Malnutrition Fever Vomiting fluid like bile Loss of anal reflex or scrotal reflex Constipation appeared very early (before 1 month age) Small, pencil-length stools Blood in stools without anal fissures Abnormal anal position Decreased reflexes, muscle strength, and muscle tone 2 legs Anal scars Abnormal thyroid gland Distention Abdominal prolapse Anal Meconium >48 hours postpartum Interstitial fissure

Children are very susceptible to functional chronic constipation, especially in the following 3 stages:
Stage 1: The baby switches from a liquid diet to a solid food Stage 2: The period when the child learns to sit Potty alone Stage 3: When school starts

Functional constipation can be encountered in any child at any age, this is a medical condition that, although not life-threatening, will cause many effects if not handled promptly. mental health and well-being of children. Parents can prevent functional constipation in children by:
Adjusting the child's diet, giving the child adequate amounts of food daily and drinking plenty of water. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Rub the baby's belly according to the colon to stimulate and increase bowel movements. Teach your child to have a bowel movement on time.

Functional constipation can cause certain discomforts for children, so parents need to actively learn the knowledge about this disease to take effective and safe preventive measures, if their children are constipated. accompanied by unusual symptoms, it is necessary to take the child to the hospital for examination and to rule out other dangerous diseases.
Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital is applying a treatment method for cases of constipation due to a decrease or loss of defecation reflex by anal electrical stimulation combined with interference waves, biofeedback ( biofeedback). The above method has helped >80% of patients recover the defecation reflex, improve bowel motility and bowel movement, and improve constipation.
Depending on the patient's constipation, the doctor will appoint necessary investigations such as: Colonoscopy with contrast, anorectal pressure measurement, assessment of bowel function and pathologies. related to the pelvic floor, ... to find the cause, thereby giving the optimal treatment regimen. Hundreds of patients of different ages have achieved the desired treatment results. The most important criterion to evaluate the success of treatment is that the patient has regular bowel movements every day, bowel movements are easier...