A Parent’s Guide to Kids Constipation Relief: From Babies to Preteens
Written by: CDHF
Updated: July 23rd, 2025
Constipation can affect anyone, but it can be especially challenging for children. In fact, it is estimated that constipation may impact up to 30% of children worldwide! So, as a parent, you might be wondering how you can provide constipation relief for kids?
We will discuss factors that are important when trying to provide kids constipation relief, such as signs of constipation, causes, and ways to address it.
Keep reading to learn more.
What is Constipation
You may hear about constipation often, but what does it actually mean when your child is constipated? Constipation typically refers to stool that has stayed in the bowels for an extended period and has become hard and difficult to pass.
Signs of Constipation
The bristol stool chart is a great resource to refer to when determining if your child is constipated. If you repeatedly notice Type I or Type II stool your child may be constipated. However, there are other signs that you can look out for.
What to Look for Kids Ages 0-4
- Your child walking stiffly on their toes
- Visibly straining
- Holding bowel movements
- Traces of stool in your child’s diaper
- Fewer than 2 bowel movements a week
What to Look for Kids Ages 5-11
- Traces of stool in your child’s underwear
- Fewer than 2 bowel movements a week
- Painful bowel movements
- Withholding during play and activities
What Causes Constipation
There are many possible causes of constipation some might be related to physical conditions and medication however, this next section will focus on physical activity and diet which includes fluid and fibre intake, along with changes to your child’s diet.
Lack of Movement and Physical Activity
Physical activity is an important part of living a healthy lifestyle. Being sedentary or not engaging in play can potentially increase the chances of constipation. This is because the bowel does not get the physical stimulus of stretching and moving, which supports digestive health.
Dietary Intake of Fibre
A diet limited in fibre can increase the chances of your child experiencing constipation, as fibre is an important component of gut health.
Fibre helps your child feel full and plays an important role in helping food move through their body. When your child doesn’t have enough fibre in their diet, it can be harder for food to move through their body. Stool can also be harder as fibre helps hold water and softens stool.
Fluid Intake
If your child doesn’t drink enough water, this may lead to dehydration. When your child becomes dehydrated, they sweat less, and their body begins to try and retain more water which may lead to stool that is harder and more difficult to pass.
Switching Diets
Young children on formula and or starting to include more solid foods may experience constipation. This is not something to be alarmed about, your child’s body is adapting to what it is eating. However, if you notice blood in your child’s stool, be sure to consult a health care professional.
Providing Kids Constipation Relief
When providing kids constipation relief, focus on finding ways that fit what they like. This ensures that your child plays an active and engaged role in treating their constipation. Here are a few ways to help provide constipation relief for kids:
Stay Active
Physical activity is an important part of living a healthy lifestyle and can help prevent constipation by providing movement to your bowels, which helps get stool moving and keeps your child regular.
Health Canada recommends at least one hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily for children aged 5-11. For children aged 0-4 trying floor-based play and tummy time throughout the day to help keep your child active and provide some constipation relief for kids. You can also try tummy rubs for constipation quick relief for kids.
Fibre Intake
This section explains soluble and insoluble fibre, along with recommendations for fibre and how they might help provide constipation relief for kids.
Types of Fibre
Soluble fibre is the type of fibre that you eat that absorbs water and creates a gel. For example, chia seeds are a type of soluble fibre that forms a gel and can help provide constipation relief for kids. Soluble fibre helps by softening stool through the presence of increased water.
Insoluble fibre is a type of fibre that does not form a gel in water and doesn’t not get broken down, it helps to bulk stool along with helping stool move through the bowels.
Recommendations
| Age (years) | Male | Female |
| 1-3 | 19g | 19g |
| 4-9 | 25g | 25g |
| 9-13 | 31g | 26g |
This table shows the recommended fibre intake for children aged 1-13 in grams per day. Foods containing 4g of fibre per serving are high in fibre and 6g or more are very high in fibre. Offer whole fruits and vegetables that your child enjoys to help increase their fibre intake.
Fluid Intake
Staying hydrated provides many different benefits to your child’s body, but it’s especially important to prevent dehydration, which can contribute to constipation.
Signs of Dehydration
- Dry skin
- Dry mouth and lips
- Sunken eyes
- Dark urine
- Reduced number of wet diapers or fewer washroom visits
When you notice these signs, you should consider increasing your child’s fluid intake. This can help to reduce the risk of dehydration and ease constipation.
Dehydration also increases when your child is physically active. There is also an increased of risk of dehydration during the summer. Water is a great way to get fluid into the body during physical activity, and an ice-cold glass of water is an amazing way to quench your thirst during the summer heat.
Recommendations
| Child’s age | # of 8 oz bottles or cups |
| 0-6mo* | 3 to 4 |
| 6-12mo* | 2.5 to 4.5 |
| 1-4 year | 3.5 to 5 |
| 5-13 | 5.0 to 7 |
The following table provides a guide on fluid recommendations for children aged 0 to 4 years and children aged 5-13. However, your child’s need may vary.
*For toddlers be sure to follow hunger cues as breast milk and fortified formula should be their only source of fluids until they are 6 months old.
Checking your child’s urine colour is a quick way to tell if they are hydrated. Pale yellow or light lemonade colour indicates good hydration. Whereas dark yellow may indicate dehydration.
Toilet Training and Proper Bowel Routines
Toilet training and bowel routines are an important part of providing constipation relief for kids. Toilet training helps your child avoid holding in their stool and proper bowel routines can help keep your child regular.
Try these strategies to help your child build a bowel routine and help reduce how often your child withholds their stool.
- Have your child spend 5-10 minutes on the toilet after meals
- Encourage your child to tell you when they need to go to the washroom
- Provide clothes that are easy to pull down
- Provide positive encouragement by reinforcing good behaviour
When to Reach out to a Healthcare Professional
It is important to connect with your health care provider if you notice any of the following:
- There is blood in your child’s stool
- Your child having trouble peeing, walking or with balance
- If your child has very hard stools and is straining for an extended period
- If your child finds urinating painful
Constipation Relief for Kids: Foods to Consider
Now that you know what can cause of constipation and how to address it, let’s talk about some foods and drinks that may provide constipation relief for kids. It is always best to provide foods your child enjoys and that are relevant to your cultural needs, family preferences, and traditions. Here are some of our recommendations you can try!
Focus on Whole Foods
Whole foods are an important source of fibre in your child’s diet, Health Canada recommends a balanced plate with 1/4th grains, 1/4th protein and meat alternatives, and ½ fruits and vegetables.
Here are some foods you can try and incorporate into your child’s snacks throughout the day
- Apple sauce
- Raisins
- Baby carrots
- Berries
- Sliced pears with the skin on
Fluid
Water is fantastic source of hydration and recommended for all Canadians. However, drinking juice can also be a good choice especially for young children dealing with constipation. Fruit juices contain sorbitol, which helps stimulate the bowels and provide constipation relief for kids, 30mL – 125mL of fruit juice can be provided.
Child Friendly Sources of Fluids:
- Prune or apple juice (great source of sorbitol for constipation relief)
- Watermelon
- Milk or fortified plant-based alternatives (where appropriate)
- Smoothies (try adding chia or flax seeds for some added fibre)
Treats and Snacks High in fibre
You can also try and incorporate fibre into your child’s diet through some tasty treats!
Here are a few options that you can consider:
- Frosted Mini-Wheats
- Bran Muffins
- Chia Seed Pudding
- High Fibre Chocolate Cookies
- Roasted Chickpeas
- Puffed Lotus seeds (Makhana)
Final Thoughts
Providing constipation relief for kids does not need to be challenging! Now that you know what causes constipation, you can provide constipation quick relief for kids by giving them foods and drinks they enjoy, creating healthy bowel routines, toilet training, and providing fibre through various treat options!
Key Takeaways
- Watch for behaviours like walking stiffly and straining
- Ensure there is plenty of fibre in your child’s diet, try snacks like roasted chickpeas
- Keep your child adequately hydrated with water and other beverages they like
- Keep your child active and engaged in play, try tummy massages for toddlers
- Create a toilet routine that helps your child stay regular and encourages toilet use
- Speak to a doctor if notice blood in your child’s stool or if they are having trouble walking or peeing
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