How can I treat my child's constipation?

Here are some things to try:

• Avoid giving your child too many foods that have a binding effect. These include bananas, cooked carrots or squash, and large quantities of dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream.

• Boost your child's fiber intake. Give him plenty of whole-wheat crackers, cereal or bread, and fruits and vegetables such as prunes, apricots, plums, peas, beans, and broccoli.

• To help keep your child's stools soft, increase the amount of fluid he drinks. Water is your best bet, but small amounts of prune or apple juice may also help. However, you'll want to limit your child's juice consumption to about 4 to 6 ounces per day, to prevent tooth decay and a ruined appetite. He's probably drinking enough fluids if he pees at least once every five to six hours.

• Encourage him to walk, climb, and run around every day, to get the blood flowing to all of his organs.

• Massage your child's belly. Measure three finger-widths below his navel and apply gentle but firm pressure with your fingertips. Press until you feel a firmness or mass. Maintain gentle but constant pressure for about three minutes.

• Don't pressure your child to toilet train before he's ready. Pushing him to use the potty can make him afraid or resentful, and he could wind up withholding bowel movements. If you notice your child doing this, increase the amount of fiber he eats (see above), back off on the training, and wait to try again until you've spotted the signs he's really ready.

• Encourage your child to use the potty as soon as he feels ready to poop. If he says he never feels ready, try having him spend five to 10 minutes on the toilet after breakfast and dinner. (A child who's been constipated for a long time may have lost the ability to perceive that his rectum is full.) If your child goes to preschool, check to see if he's using the toilet there regularly. Some children are reluctant to use potties away from home.

• Talk to your child's doctor about treatment options. She may suggest an over-the-counter stool softener, a lubricant such as mineral oil, a suppository, or laxatives if your child is very constipated. A glycerin suppository will stimulate the rectum and help your child pass a stool. While using a suppository occasionally is fine, don't do it on a regular basis, since your child could wind up relying on them to have a bowel movement.

Note: If your child is deliberately holding back his stools, treating him with suppositories or an enema could be extremely upsetting to him. Always check with your doctor before resorting to this type of treatment.

• If your child is passing such hard, dry stools that he tears the delicate skin near the opening of his anus (you may be able to see these tears, known as anal fissures, or a little blood), you can apply some aloe vera lotion to the area to help it heal. Be sure to mention the tears to his doctor.