Everyone has a different normal bowel pattern. For example, some children have bowel movements only once every 2 to 4 days. It is normal for breast-fed babies to have large, soft bowel movements without pain up to 7 days apart. Others have bowel movements 2 to 4 times daily.
However, a child is constipated whenever his/her pattern slows down noticeably. Sometimes, Constipation can cause recurrent tummy pain.
Call your child's doctor if:
- Your child's general health seems to be affected
- Your child has significant tummy pain
- There is blood in the stool
- Your child cannot pass a bowel movement after 4 days despite increasing fluids and fibre (vegetables, cereal, fruits) in diet
- Your child loses some control of his/her bowel actions and begins to soil underclothes