Question

A 60-day-old male infant has not had a bowel movement for eight consecutive days, but shows no other abnormal symptoms. How should this constipation situation be handled?

Answer

Constipation in infants requires active treatment. The causes of constipation in children are diverse, including:

  1. Insufficient Diet: Infants with low food intake have less intestinal residue after digestion, leading to reduced bowel movements; insufficient sugar content in milk makes the stool dry; long-term insufficient diet can lead to malnutrition, making the abdominal and intestinal muscles weak, with insufficient tone and weak peristalsis, forming stubborn constipation.
  2. Inappropriate Food Composition: Constipation is closely related to the composition of food. For example, excessive protein intake and insufficient carbohydrates can reduce the relative number of intestinal fermentation bacteria, affecting fermentation, leading to alkaline and dry stool, and causing constipation. When there is a large amount of casein in the food, the stool contains a large amount of undissolved calcium soap, leading to increased stool volume and easy constipation. In this situation, it is recommended that parents seek the diagnosis and advice of a professional physician.