Regular bowel movements (poo, poop) are important to your child’s health. Bowel habits—how often, how much, and so on—will vary from child to child. Some children go more than once a day, while others may skip a day or two.

Healthy bowel habits start early in life.

• Ensure your child eats healthy foods — whole grain foods, fruits and vegetables — and drinks more water than juice each day.
• Staying active throughout the day helps to keep bowels working well.
• Teach your child not to hold a bowel movement. Explain that regular bowel movements are normal and important for good health.
• Children sometimes ignore the urge to go because they are too busy. To get your child to slow down, have her sit on the toilet 20 to 30 minutes after a meal.
• Try not to use negative words like “dirty” or “stinky,” which can make your child feel self-conscious about going to the toilet.

The most common problems with bowel movements are constipation and diarrhea.

What are symptoms of constipation?

Constipation means bowel movements that are:

• passed less often than usual.
• hard and dry, difficult or painful to pass.

If your child is constipated, it may seem like he is straining to go to the bathroom. In fact he is holding it in because it hurts to go.

Constipation can cause stomach pain and bright red blood on the surface of a hard stool.

What causes constipation?

• A low-fibre diet that doesn’t include enough whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Products with more than 4 grams of fibre per serving (listed on the package) are good sources of fibre.
• Too much milk, juice, or other dairy products can cause your child to feel full. That means she’ll eat less of other foods that help her bowels work well.
• Being afraid to use the toilet or potty. Your child may hold back a bowel movement if there is a crack or tear around the anus, causing pain.
• Not enough physical activity.
• Some medicine can cause constipation.

What can parents do?

• Offer foods that are high in fibre such as whole grain breads and cereals, fruits like apples, bananas, berries or prunes, vegetables and legumes (split peas, soy and lentils).
• Offer fruit instead of fruit juice, which doesn’t have fibre.
• Give your child milk and dairy products in amounts appropriate for their age. After 12 months of age, your child should not take more than 3 portions of milk products per day (one portion of milk equals 1 cup or 8 ounces, yogurt is ¾ cup or 175 grams, and cheese is 50 grams or 1½ ounces). Children between 2 and 8 years need only 2 portions of milk products a day.
• Do not rush toilet learning. Children can worry and hold back bowel movements. Try to get your child used to a regular daily toilet routine.
• Make sure your child has a firm support for his feet when he is passing a bowel movement. It will make it easier to push.
• Some children prefer to use a pull-up diaper instead of using a toilet. This might help them feel more relaxed.

What are symptoms of diarrhea?

• Your child has more bowel movements, and the stool is less formed and more watery than usual.
• Along with diarrhea, your child may have fever, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, stomach pains, cramps, and blood and/or mucus in the bowel movement.

What causes diarrhea?

There are many causes of diarrhea. Usually, it is caused by a virus (such as rotavirus), but sometimes bacteria can cause diarrhea. Diarrhea germs:

• spread easily from person to person, and especially from child to child.
• usually spread easily among children who have not learned to use the toilet.
  The spread can be reduced if both you and your child wash your hands carefully after every diaper change, after going to the toilet, and before preparing and eating food.

What can parents do?

Children with diarrhea lose fluids quickly. Continue to offer your child food and drink.

An oral rehydration solution (ORS), an exact mixture of water, salts and sugar, can be used to help keep your child well hydrated when diarrhea is serious. See Dehydration and diarrhea for more information.

What is toddler’s diarrhea?

Toddler’s diarrhea usually begins between the ages of 6 and 30 months and goes away by the time the child is about 4 years old. Children with toddler’s diarrhea may have 2 to 6 watery stools each day, but otherwise seem well and gain weight normally. It can be caused by not enough fibre in the diet, drinking too much juice or a diet too low in fat.

If your child has loose, watery stools often:

• Stop giving your child juice. Offer water instead.
• Offer more food with fibre, such as whole grain cereals, fruits and vegetables.
  If the diarrhea continues you should discuss it with your doctor at your next regular visit.

Call your doctor if:

• Has bloody or black stools.
• Usually has regular bowel movements, but suddenly stops.
• Is often constipated.
• Is toilet trained, but starts to lose some control of her bowel and to have accidents in her underwear.
• Has diarrhea and is younger than 6 months of age.
• Has diarrhea and a fever with a temperature higher than 38.5°C (101.5°F).
• Has signs of dehydration (increased thirst, no tears, peeing less, dry skin, mouth and tongue, faster heartbeat).

More information from the CPS: Dehydration and diarrhea

Reviewed by:
CPS Public Education Advisory Committee

Last updated: November 2007