Constipation and Bedwetting

What Does Constipation Have To Do With Bedwetting?

Large blockages of stool in the rectum can push against the bladder, causing a reduction in the amount of urine the bladder can hold. Some children will have constipation without displaying any of the normal symptoms, so make sure to check with your doctor.

What Is Constipation?

Constipation is a digestive disorder that causes infrequent bowel movements and/or passes hard, dry, and unusually large stools. Constipation is usually due to a lack of fiber and is relatively easy to cure by changing your diet.

Symptoms Of Constipation

Constipation in children can be identified by several symptoms. Some children might not show any of these symptoms, so it’s still important to discuss with your doctor if you think that they may be suffering from constipation. If your child is not showing any of these symptoms, you can request an abdominal x-ray, which will confirm if your child is constipated.

What Causes Constipation?

Constipation is usually caused by a lack of fiber in the diet, but it can also be caused by insufficient intake of fluids or by withholding stools (a habit some children develop). Less common causes in children include lack of physical activity, irritable bowel syndrome, stress, or reactions to some medications.

Treatment Of Constipation

Most of the time, constipation can be cured with some simple dietary changes by increasing their fiber and water intake. Some other forms of treatment are more extreme and should be discussed with your doctor before doing any other treatments.

Diet

Try to add these foods to your child’s diet: These foods should be avoided until your child’s constipation symptoms go away:

Medical Intervention

If your child has a large blockage, they may require cleaning out with an enema. This is rare and will need to be diagnosed by X-ray or colonoscopy. Laxatives can be helpful in getting bowel movements started again, but should not be used as a long-term treatment for constipation.

Once Constipation Is Cured, When Will The Bedwetting Stop?

The timing can vary based on children. Some will see changes immediately while others could take up to three months to stop bedwetting. This is based on how serious a case of constipation they had. Some children have large blockages removed and it takes more time for their rectum to shrink back to its normal size. If it has been longer than three months and you haven’t seen a change, it may not have been constipation causing your child’s bedwetting