Pediatric Specialists of Plano

Children’s bowel movements are important to their health

A child’s pooping schedule can be a major issue for any family. In the interest of promoting good health and happy kids, our Plano pediatricians have information and advice about bowel movements and health.

Improve children’s bowel movements

At our office, our Plano pediatricians ask parents how their child is eating and pooping. We ask teenagers how regular they are. Sometimes, we even take stool samples to test for an illness.

Regular bowel movements are easy to take for granted, but when children’s bowel movements are disrupted by constipation or illness, it can seem like a big challenge to get things back to normal. Here are some ways to improve children’s bowel movements.

  • Don’t potty train too early. Too much stress on kids to potty train can make them withhold poop. This can lead to constipation and sabotage your efforts.
  • Provide plenty of liquids. Healthy bowel movements require good hydration. Emphasize water and use juice sparingly to avoid adding excess sugar to your child’s diet.
  • Focus on fiber. High-fiber diets can help reduce constipation. Foods with fiber include fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains.
  • Keep track of bowel movements. It’s no parent’s favorite job, but it’s good to be acquainted with your child’s bowel habits. The best way to tell if your child is having constipation or other bowel problems is by knowing their typical schedule. Not all children poop every day. Some have bowel movements every other day, or every three days. Some may use the bathroom more than once a day.

When your child is constipated, contact our office before giving her a laxative, enema or other treatment. When used improperly, these can be dangerous for children.

Help when you need it.

When in doubt, our Plano pediatricians are there. We offer convenient office hours six days a week for sick visits and a pediatrician is on call 24 hours a day for urgent medical advice. We are proud to be your child’s medical home and want to make every visit a helpful one.

For help in troubleshooting your children’s bowel movements or to schedule an appointment, contact us.