Laxatives For Children
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Laxatives for Children
Like adults, children can become constipated; laxatives for children may help, provided your doctor advises their use. CVS offers a full range of laxative products, making it easy to find the laxative for kids that your doctor recommends.
Symptoms of constipation in children include hard, dry stools that are difficult to pass, infrequent bowel movements (fewer than three per week), pain when evacuating the bowels and stomach pain. Hard stool may also be tinged with blood on its surface, and you may find traces of stool in your child’s undergarments, indicating that stool remains in the rectum after voiding the bowels. Children’s laxatives for constipation can help get things moving normally again in most cases.
What Is the Best Laxative for Children?
The best laxative for children is one that's recommended by a medical professional for your specific child. Always defer to your child’s doctor or pediatrician for guidance when your child is constipated. Your child’s doctor is the best source for determining which laxative is most appropriate for your child.
Are Laxatives Safe for Kids?
When properly administered under the advice of your child’s physician, most laxatives are generally suitable for kids. In some instances, you can help your child avoid the need for laxatives by ensuring the child’s dietary intake of fiber is up to recommended standards, that the child drinks plenty of water and that they exercise regularly.
How Long Does It Take for Kids’ Laxatives to Work?
The amount of time it takes a kid's laxative to work depends on the type of laxative and its mechanism of action. For example, a stimulant laxative may produce faster results than one that works as a bulking agent. Some laxatives work within a few minutes, while others may work overnight or even take a day or two for the full effects to be seen.
Keep in mind that constipation among children is common, and most of the time, it’s nothing serious. Still, if your child is chronically constipated, it may be a sign of an underlying medical problem that needs to be addressed. Reach out to your doctor or make an appointment at the MinuteClinic if the recommended laxative for children isn’t successful in treating your child’s constipation. This is especially true if your child’s constipation lasts longer than 2 weeks and is accompanied by fever, poor appetite, blood in the stool, swelling in the abdominal region, loss of weight or rectal prolapse.