Question
A 13-month-old child is experiencing stool that is in ball shape, with these balls splitting into multiple smaller balls during excretion and having a hard texture. Even with three bowel movements a day, this situation has persisted for several days. After vitamin testing, no deficiencies were found. How should this situation be explained?
Answer
When infants experience constipation, the stool may become hard and dry. This hard stool can cause pain and discomfort as it passes through the anus, leading the child to be afraid of defecation and unwilling to exert force, thereby exacerbating constipation. Long-term constipation not only leads to the accumulation of toxins in the body, affecting metabolism, but may also result in malnutrition and decreased resistance. To help constipated babies defecate smoothly, you can try the following methods: gently massage the baby’s abdomen by placing your palm flat on the baby’s navel area and gently rubbing in a clockwise direction. This promotes intestinal peristalsis, aids defecation, and also helps digestion. Additionally, consider using pediatric…