The Impact of Constipation on Growth in Children

Abstract

ABSTRACT:The observation on the impact of constipation on nutritional and growth status in healthy children was never reported. During a 4-y period, we evaluated the consequence of constipation on growth in children. The enrolled children were aged between 1 and 15 y with constipation. Medical response of constipation to treatment was evaluated by the scoring of constipation symptoms. The correlation of therapeutic effect of constipation with growth status at 12 wk and 24 wk was statistically evaluated. About 2426 children (1284 boys, 1142 girls) with a mean age of 7.31 Ϯ 3.65 (range 1.1-14.9) y were enrolled. After 12-wk treatment, significant increase of z-scores of height-for-age, weight-for-age, and body mass index-for-age were all found in patients with good medical responses (1377 cases) than in those with poor medical responses (1049 cases). The 1049 patients with poor medical response received advanced medications; significant increase of z-scores of height-for-age, weight-for-age, and body mass index were also found in these patients. A marked increase of appetite was significantly correlated with better gain on height and weight after treatment. We conclude that chronic constipation may retard growth status in children, and a long-term medication for constipation in children appears beneficial to their growth status.

Evaluation of the Growth Parameters in Children with Chronic Functional Constipation

“…The obesity was observed in 44 out of 101 constipated children (43.6%) and 30 out of 100 normal control (30%), that are comparable with our findings, although our patients were younger than those analyzed in Misra et al study (6). On the other hand, in another study, Chao et al (4) investigated the growth status of Taiwanese children with constipation, and further evaluated the impact of constipation on growth status during a 12-week and 24-week medical therapy. They reported that near 5% of patients were over weighted (> 90 %) or In obese status, whereas near 25% of patients were underweighted (< 10%) or malnourished.…”

“…There are a few data with controversy on the growth status of children with chronic constipation. Chao et al (4) reported the impact of chronic constipation on nutritional and growth status in children. They concluded that chronic constipation may negatively affect the children growth, but after long-term treatments due to the significant increase of appetite, restoration of normal growth was obtained and significant increase of Z-scores of height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) were observed (4).…”

Bowel movement frequency, oxidative stress and disease prevention

“…In an animal model, inducing constipation led to oxidative stress, whereas prebiotics attenuated both constipation and oxidative stress (42). Prolonged duration of constipation in children was found to lead to oxidative stress (43) and growth retardation (44), whereas effective management of constipation attenuated the growth retardation (44). Consequently, assuring proper bowel movement frequency may significantly affect public health.…”

Significant increase in constipation may affect the growth, development and well-being of children

“…In addition to colonic distension, abdominal discomfort, gas formation and painful defaecation, chronic constipation may also have deleterious effects on the growth, development and general well being of children. (2) With regard to the latter the psychosocial consequences of constipation are many. Children with constipation will inevitably encounter the embarrassing experience of recurrent episodes of faecal incontinence due to the overflow caused by faecal impaction.…”