• Reference Number: HEY1006/2026
• Departments: Emergency Department, Paediatrics
• Last Updated: 28 February 2026

Introduction

This leaflet has been produced to give you general information about your child’s condition. Most of your questions should be answered by this leaflet. It is not intended to replace the discussion between you and the healthcare team but may act as a starting point for discussion. If after reading it you have any concerns or require further explanation, please discuss this with a member of the healthcare team caring for your child.

What is constipation?

Constipation is a common problem amongst children. This is the passing of hard stools with difficulty and less often than normal. Normal bowel opening could be from every other day up to 3 times a day.

Sometimes there may be blood in the nappy or on the tissue due to a small tear in the back passage. Other symptoms your child may display include tummy ache, poor appetite, generally unwell, fidgeting, restlessness, irritable, unhappy.

Early treatment is important to stop constipation from becoming a long-term problem.

What causes constipation?

There are many causes of constipation. These includes a lack of fibre in the diet, not drinking enough water, stool holding and emotional changes (for example after a change in routine or situation)

Stool holding is where children can frequently feel the need to go to the toilet but hold on, resisting this feeling. This means the stool gets large and is more difficult or painful to pass, leading to a cycle of reluctance to open the bowels.

Reasons for stool holding include previous painful motion, sore back passage or a tear in the back passage which is also very painful, or they may dislike unfamiliar toilets such as in a new school for example.

How is constipation treated?

The mainstay of treatment for constipation is laxatives. Macrogols are commonly used as laxatives, i.e. to treat constipation, in both children and adults; these retain water in the bowel, softening the stools.

Stimulant laxatives (senna / bisacodyl) – encourage the bowel to pass the stool. These are normally added if macrogols have not worked.

Treatment is normally given for several weeks, even after the constipation has eased. This helps establish a regular bowel habit. Then a gradual reduction will be needed to eventually remove the laxatives – your doctor should be able to help you manage this.

For laxatives to work, your child must also be drinking plenty of fluids. If this treatment does not work, then further medical help should be sought.

How parents can help prevent constipation

Make sure your child eats plenty of fibre and drinks lots of water. This bulks and softens stools. Foods which are high in fibre are fruit, vegetables, cereals and wholemeal bread.

Bottle-fed babies can be given water between feeds. Make sure the bottles of milk are made up correctly, as described on the tin.  If not, this can cause constipation along with other health problems. Older children should also be given lots of water. Fizzy drinks, juices and milk are filling and prevent children from having a healthy appetite, where they would eat more fibre.

Note: fruit juices sometimes have a laxative effect and can help if constipation is occurring.

Good toilet hygiene can help – try to establish a regular habit. Encourage your child to go to the toilet at regular intervals, including before leaving the house if they are nervous about strange toilets.  Reward systems such as sticker charts are helpful if your child is prone to holding on. Praise after going and avoid punishing or getting stressed over accidents.

Should you require further advice please contact NHS 111 or your doctor.

General Advice and Consent

Most of your questions should have been answered by this leaflet, but remember that this is only a starting point for discussion with the healthcare team.

Consent to treatment

Before any doctor, nurse or therapist examines or treats your child, they must seek your consent or permission. In order to make a decision, you need to have information from health professionals about the treatment or investigation which is being offered to your child. You should always ask them more questions if you do not understand or if you want more information.

The information you receive should be about your child’s condition, the alternatives available for your child, and whether it carries risks as well as the benefits. What is important is that your consent is genuine or valid. That means:

• you must be able to give your consent
• you must be given enough information to enable you to make a decision
• you must be acting under your own free will and not under the strong influence of another person

Information about your child

We collect and use your child’s information to provide your child with care and treatment. As part of your child’s care, information about your child will be shared between members of a healthcare team, some of whom you may not meet. Your child’s information may also be used to help train staff, to check the quality of our care, to manage and plan the health service, and to help with research. Wherever possible we use anonymous data.

We may pass on relevant information to other health organisations that provide your child with care. All information is treated as strictly confidential and is not given to anyone who does not need it. If you have any concerns please ask your child’s doctor, or the person caring for your child.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 we are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any information we hold about your child. For further information visit the following page: Confidential Information about You.

If you need information about your child’s (or a child you care for) health and wellbeing and their care and treatment in a different format, such as large print, braille or audio, due to disability, impairment or sensory loss, please advise a member of staff and this can be arranged.