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Characteristics of intestinal habits in children younger than 4 years: detecting constipation

Denise M Mota1, Aluisio J D Barros, Iná Santos

  • 1Department of Mother and Child Health, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. denisemmota@gmail.com

Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
|March 3, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Childhood constipation prevalence increases with age. Early toilet training and cow

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Child Development
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Childhood constipation is a common issue affecting a significant portion of young children.
  • Understanding risk factors such as toilet training and early dietary introductions is crucial for prevention and management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of childhood constipation and associated stool characteristics.
  • To investigate the relationship between constipation, toilet training timing, and the age of cow's milk introduction.

Main Methods:

  • A birth cohort of 4231 children was assessed at 12, 24, and 48 months of age.
  • Mothers provided data on sociodemographics, bowel habits, toilet training, and infant feeding practices, including cow's milk introduction.

Main Results:

  • Constipation prevalence was 27.3% at 24 months and 31.0% at 48 months, with higher rates in girls at 48 months.
  • Scybalous stools, evacuation difficulty, and hard stools were common features.
  • Toilet training before 24 months and cow's milk introduction before one year were associated with increased constipation risk and persistence.

Conclusions:

  • Childhood constipation prevalence rises with age and is not solely indicated by evacuation interval.
  • Early toilet training (before 24 months) and early cow's milk introduction (before 1 year) are significant risk factors for constipation.
Abstract

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