2-year-old constipation?

Constipation is quite common in 2-year-olds. Generally, pooping less than 3 times a week, hard and dry stool, straining or painful defecation are considered signs of constipation.

At this age, the most common causes are: low-fiber diet (few fruits/vegetables, lots of white bread/rice/banana), inadequate fluid intake, and toilet training period when the child develops a habit of holding in stool.

First steps you can try:

• Increase fluid intake: water, water with chopped dried fruit (prune, pear, apricot).
• Add fiber-rich foods: cooked vegetables, prune, pear puree, whole wheat bread, oat cereal.
• Give unsweetened probiotic yogurt daily.
• Belly massage and bicycle motion: moving the legs like pedaling a bike supports bowel movements.

When to see a doctor: If constipation lasts longer than 2 weeks, there's belly bloating or pain, you see blood in stool, or the child shows poor weight gain, I recommend consulting a pediatrician.