Characteristics of Children Admitted to Hospital for Constipation

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the sociodemographic characteristics of children with constipation, the causes of constipations in these children and the common practices of the parents to solve the problem of constipation.Materials and Methods: The population of the study was comprised of children aged 1 to 16 years followed with the diagnosis of functional constipation in the outpatient clinics of pediatric surgery at a university hospital in Istanbul between 1 June 2009-1 June 2010. A total of 146 children and their parents who agreed to participate in the study were included. The data of this descriptive cross-sectional study were obtained by using a questionnaire which was evaluated by appropriate statistical analysis.Results: About half of the children in the study were between 1-3 years old and females. We detected that in approximately half of the children constipation problem began during transition period from solid foods before age 1. The majority of children experienced abdominal pain, bloating, stool retention, fear and anxiety during bowel movements, hard/painful defecation, increased stool volume and fecal mass; and that though it varied according to age groups, most of the children drank olive oil and fruit juice to overcome constipation. Families of children in all age groups affected in similar proportions by constipation problem and this problem did not affect sibling relations.Discussion: Risk factors for constipation were found to be under 4 years of age, starting additional/solid foods before 6 months, starting school, having family members with constipation, feeling fear and anxiety during defecation and having symptoms arising from stool retention such as abdominal pain, abdominal bloating, and hard and painful defecation. (Journal of Current Pediatrics 2011; 9: 103-9)