Constipation in a 5-month-old child: treatment with medications and folk methods

An unfavorable environmental situation, long-term drug treatment, non-compliance with the principles of dietary nutrition by a nursing mother, acquired or congenital pathologies of the stomach can disrupt regular bowel movements in children five months of age. The most important thing is to detect the first signs in time in order to restore a stable digestive process and avoid intoxication of the entire body. Next, we’ll look in more detail at what to do if a 5-month-old child has constipation.

Signs and causes of constipation in a five-month-old baby

Constipation in a five-month-old baby develops due to the following factors:

During the first feeding. Early introduction of a baby to new foods leads to the development of diarrhea or constipation. The body of a five-month-old baby is not yet ready for adult food, so it reacts with various unpleasant symptoms. That is why you need to start introducing new foods into your daily diet gradually and only from the age of six months.
An imbalance of water and salts in the body is observed mainly in the summer and with a deficiency of breast milk. Mothers forget to give the child extra fluids, which leads to difficulty in defecation.
Poor quality baby formula. There are cases when the main components of baby food are not suitable for a particular child, which leads to disruption of regular bowel movements. It is enough just to change the mixture, for example, to one containing bifidobacteria, to restore stable functioning of the stomach.
A five-month-old baby may be teething. Mostly this is a very unpleasant process, which is characterized by pain and increased body temperature. All this together leads to intense loss of fluid and compaction of stool in the intestines.
Allergies to food, medications or chemicals. The digestive system reacts with unpleasant symptoms to any allergens. In this case, it is enough to exclude the allergic element from the baby’s daily diet to restore stable bowel movements.
Rickets or other neurological problems that are very often observed in children in the first months of life.
Disorders of the thyroid gland, namely a deficiency of enzymes that are responsible for the stable breakdown and absorption of food
Anemia, diabetes.
Hidden or acquired pathologies of important organs and systems.

Constipation in a five-month-old baby can be diagnosed by the following signs:

When you touch the tummy, the child feels pain and begins to cry.
Bloating.
Abdominal muscle tension.
Lack of bowel movements for 24 hours if the child is breastfed.
Feces have a hard and fragmented structure.
General weakness.
Loss of appetite and weight.
Presence of green mucus or blood in the stool.
Increased sweating and body temperature.

Traditional methods of treatment

Traditional medicine recipes will help restore stable stools.

So, below we offer several simple and effective ways to relieve constipation:

Prune decoction. Several berries are poured with boiling water and left to cool completely. Strain and give the kids one spoon before each meal.
A decoction of flax seeds or dill. Pour boiling water over a spoonful of seeds and leave until completely cool. The strained broth is given one spoon before meals.
Teas with a laxative effect, which include fennel, dill or flax extract. Such teas can be given from the first months of the baby’s life.
Vegetable oil, such as flaxseed or olive oil. A spoonful of oil can be added to baby formula or breast milk to speed up the removal of solid waste from the body.
Infant formula with probiotics, which allow you to restore the functioning of the stomach and quickly remove solid waste from the body.

Enemas for constipation in children at five months

Enemas should be used with extreme caution for constipation in children, because they have more contraindications than advantages. First of all, along with pathogenic microflora, beneficial salts, vitamins and enzymes are washed out of the body, which can negatively affect the digestive process. Frequent and uncontrolled use of an enema can cause severe diarrhea and dysbacteriosis.

For five-month-old children, you need to take the smallest size syringe. The volume of liquid should not exceed 100 ml. In some cases, 70 ml will be enough. The main thing is that the temperature of the solution does not exceed body temperature.

For severe constipation, you can use a decoction of chamomile or string, boiled water with a small amount of glycerin. Before insertion into the anus, the enema should be lubricated with baby cream.

In order to facilitate the process, it is recommended to buy a ready-to-use enema, namely Microlax. Five-month-old children need to insert the tip only halfway into the anus.

Pathology or normal?

It is worth remembering that constipation is characterized by severe, painful bowel movements, abdominal pain and bloating. Simple stool retention is not enough to make such a diagnosis. If the baby smiles, is interested in the surrounding objects, sleeps well and has not lost his appetite, then there is no need to panic. Constipation in children at 5 months is manifested by a reluctance to lie or sit in one place, refusal to eat, whims, and visible straining that does not lead to results. Thus, parents should worry only if a prolonged absence of stool causes obvious discomfort to the baby. Another sign of constipation is hard, fragmented, formed stool that has an unpleasant odor. If you have these signs, you should contact your pediatrician. If you find blood in the stool, you need to show your child to a doctor immediately, since this may indicate both a crack in the intestines and serious developmental pathologies.

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Treatment with drugs

Only under the supervision of a doctor can constipation in a 5-month-old child be treated with medical means. In addition, it is recommended to choose herbal or natural-based drugs that have no contraindications and almost never cause adverse reactions.

For example, for mild constipation, you can try glycerin-based rectal suppositories, which almost never cause negative effects. And suppositories with sea buckthorn can also cure pathologies of the large intestine, for example, cracks.

In order to choose safe medications, you should first determine the cause of constipation by undergoing an examination in the clinic. After all, this may be a symptom of a stomach disease, for example, an ulcer or a malignant intestinal tumor.

Prelax

Belongs to the group of mild laxatives and does not affect the delicate mucous membrane of internal organs. The first positive effect occurs within 6 hours after administration and can last for 12 hours. Therefore, you need to be at home or near the toilet in order to empty your intestines of toxins in time.

The main active component of the drug is lactulose, obtained by special processing of milk. The drug is well tolerated by the child's body, removes toxins and restores the normal level of beneficial bacteria in the stomach.

You can take it for three weeks or until all unpleasant symptoms disappear completely. If necessary and only after the doctor's permission, the therapeutic dose can be increased.

Duphalac

It is produced in a very convenient form, namely in the form of syrup, which allows it to be used in the treatment of five-month-old infants. The syrup has a pleasant taste, but you can add it to baby formula or breast milk.

Contains lactulose, which is perfectly accepted by the child's body if there is no allergy to milk protein. In addition, to accelerate the therapeutic effect, you should drink a lot during the day.

Lactusan

The drug is produced at a domestic pharmaceutical factory, which has a positive effect on its cost. You can be treated without interruption for two weeks or until all negative symptoms disappear.

Prescribe one spoon twice a day before main meals. The dose is selected individually, taking into account the condition and body weight of the baby.

At the beginning of treatment, gas formation may increase, which will normalize on its own after a few days.

Normaze

A modern drug with a high level of effectiveness. It is not addictive, which allows it to be used for more than four months. It all depends on the stage of constipation and the age of the baby.

It comes in syrup form, making it easier to take. Prescribe one spoon during meals. Adverse reactions such as bloating and flatulence are possible in the first two days of treatment.

Complementary feeding against defecation disorders

Constipation in a 5-month-old child can be cured by early introduction of complementary foods, but only after the doctor’s permission. In general, introduction to new food should occur only from the age of six months. At the same time, in case of problems with stool, you can try to introduce safe foods with a laxative effect into the diet.

A plum or an apple will help speed up the process of removing toxins. The fruits need to be crushed to a puree. We start with one spoon per day, increasing the dose every day. If there are no adverse reactions, then you can continue to give this complementary food.

In addition, it is useful to cook compotes based on plums and apples for constipation. Again, you need to start with a few spoons a day, be sure to monitor the baby’s health.

The group of drugs with a laxative effect also includes yoghurts, home-made kefir, beets, and zucchini. It is from these products that you should start the first complementary feeding for constipation.

How to help your child

Often, in order to relieve the baby of constipation, it is enough for the mother to change his or her diet. Doctors also recommend:

massage the child’s abdomen in a clockwise circular motion;
perform exercises with alternating leg lifts;
warm relaxing baths;
more age-appropriate outdoor games.

In the absence of contraindications, single-action microenemas MICROLAX® can be used to alleviate the baby’s condition. The substances included in their composition affect only the feces, helping to soften them. MICROLAX® does not have a harmful effect on the child’s body and can be used from the first days of life.

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The information in this article is for reference only and does not replace professional advice from a doctor. To make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment, consult a qualified specialist.

Troubleshooting according to Komarovsky

Dr. Komarovsky recommends the following simple methods to combat constipation in five-month-old infants:

Increasing fluid intake. This applies to both breastfed and bottle-fed children. In addition to water, decoctions of prunes, fennel seeds and dill are useful.
Frequent walks in the fresh air.
Maintaining optimal indoor air humidity, namely 70%.
Introduction of products with a laxative effect into the diet of a nursing woman.
The use of physical stimulation of the anus using gas tubes.
Daily exercises and abdominal massage.
Using safe medications for constipation, such as those based on glycerin, lactulose or bifidobacteria.

Constipation during breastfeeding (breastfeeding)

When breastfeeding, constipation in a baby may be due to the immaturity of the digestive system, which is why feces do not move well through the baby’s intestines. If constipation in an infant is a common occurrence, then it is necessary to consult a pediatrician, neurologist, and possibly do an ultrasound of the abdominal organs. In rare cases, constipation can be a consequence of pathology of the nervous system.

But a much more common cause of constipation is the mother’s poor diet. Constipation is often observed in both the child and the mother herself. A nursing woman's diet must include vegetables, fruits, and dairy products. She should receive enough fluid. You should start your morning with a glass of water and a handful of prunes. Constipation can also be caused by iron supplements, which are often taken by women after childbirth on the recommendation of a doctor.

If a child has constipation, it is recommended that the nursing mother take a course of probiotics - preparations containing bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. They improve the intestinal microflora of both mother and child, and help to cope with constipation faster.

It is also useful to give probiotics to the baby himself. It is important that drugs are approved for use from the first days of life. Bifidum BAG is ideal for these purposes. It can be given to a child from birth. The drug contains bifidobacteria necessary for the proper formation of the child's microflora.