NUTRITIONAL ASSESSMENT OF SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN WITH FUNCTIONAL CONSTIPATION

Abstract

onstipation is common among children, accounting for an estimated 3 to 5 percent of all visits to Pediatricians. Functional constipation is an umbrella term that encompasses a group of disorders associated with difficult, infrequent, or seemingly incomplete defecation without evidence of a structural or biochemical explanation. Constipation is particularly common at three times in an infant and child's life: after starting cereal and puréed foods, during toilet training, and after starting school. Parents can help by being aware of these high-risk times, working to prevent constipation, recognizing the problem if it develops, and acting quickly so that constipation does not become a bigger problem. Functional constipation is not due to a medical problem. It happens when a child withholds stool, usually because they are afraid of the pain linked to passing hard stools or have a fear of the toilet. Psychosocial factors, such as major life events, may play an important role in the pathophysiology of FC. Furthermore, behavioral disorders, such as autism spectrum disorders and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, are associated with a higher risk of childhood constipation. The Rome III diagnostic criteria for functional constipation in infant, toddlers, and children