Infant Has Not Emitted Feces for Three Days

Question

My 15-month-old son experienced diarrhea last week, and has only had one loose stool since Friday night. He has not emitted feces for three days now. This situation is concerning. Could you please provide an explanation, and is it necessary to use medication?

Answer

Please describe the child’s current diet. If the diet is normal and there is no stool, try the following methods: (1) Increase the sugar content in milk by adding 10 grams of white sugar to every 100 milliliters of milk. (2) Give the child some honey water. (3) Pay attention to giving the child supplementary foods rich in vitamins, such as fresh fruit juice, vegetable water, and apple puree. If the child has difficulty in passing feces and cannot expel them on their own, you can try inserting a soap bar or glycerin suppository into the anus. If still unable to expel, you can use infant suppositories or have the doctor handle it in the hospital. Do not give the child laxatives on your own.