Medical examinations reveal child’s diarrhoea to be actually chronic constipation

Reem visited Emirates Hospital - Jumeirah (EHJ) – an Emirates Healthcare company and an internationally recognised 100-bed beacon of progress in the region’s healthcare system after her 4-year-old son, Rayan complained of what she believed was diarrhoea. She sought medical attention after she realised something was wrong especially because Rayan was periodically releasing small quantities of loose stools.

On evaluation by Dr Sripradha Sudarsanam, a Specialist Paediatrician at EHJ, Rayan was diagnosed with chronic constipation.

“Many children who suffer from chronic constipation experience leaking of soft stools in their underwear which poses a big problem in their social and emotional dimensions. Because of the unconscious leaks, the children are almost always smelly and are being neglected and isolated in classroom by their peers. The leaky stools are the newly formed stool which trickles down through the hard stools stuck to the intestine. Sometimes vigorous pushing due to urge to defecate can cause a tear in the anal region and cause bleeding as well,” explained Dr Sudarsanam.

According to studies, 30 percent of children are affected by constipation at some point in their lives. When not adequately treated, chronic constipation can lead to haemorrhoids, anal fissures, bowel bleeding and faecal incontinence.

“Children who are improperly toilet-trained and lack fibre intake in their diet often complain of chronic constipation. Parents should ensure that children avoid processed food and eat food rich in fibre, such as fruits and whole grains. They must also monitor their child’s fluid intake and ensure that they drink between 1 to 1.5 litres of water each day,” said Dr Sudarsanam.

Constipation is a vicious cycle, and seeking medical attention at the right time can help avoid further complications in children while also helping their emotional and mental health from deteriorating.