Pain and discomfort in violation of bowel movements in children – an actual problem

Abstract

Pain and discomfort during bowel movements in children are among the most common symptoms in the modern civilized world. The most common cause of these symptoms is chronic constipation, which is often treated by a pediatrician or pediatric gastroenterologist. In differen­tial diagnosis, it is very important to distinguish between chronic symptomatic constipation and functional (without an organic basis), which are most common in childhood. Organic causes of constipation are usually dealt with in cooperation with specialized specialists. The main patho­physiological mechanisms of functional constipation are stress, pain during emptying, and fear of further painful bowel movements. The clinical picture is dominated by in­frequent and difficult defecation of a large amount of hard stools. If the history, laboratory and other additional stud­ies indicate functional constipation, and there are no warn­ing signs of chronic symptomatic constipation, complex treatment can be started. Therapy includes psychological preparation of the patient and his family, working with the correct technique of defecation, dietary and regimen mea­sures, sufficient physical activity, the use of osmotic lax­atives. The presence of warning signs requires a rational differential diagnostic procedure, which varies depending on the age of the child.