Constipation in children - How common is it?

Many children get constipation occasionally. Usually it only lasts a few days. But if a child is constipated for longer, it can be more serious.

We're not sure how many children get this ongoing type of constipation (called chronic constipation) because parents don't always take their child to the doctor. But here's what we know from the research.

About 33 percent of children aged 4 to 7 are constipated at any one time.[1]
5 percent of primary school children get constipation for more than six months.[2]
Chronic constipation is most common in children between the ages of 2 and 4, when they're potty training.[3]
In about 25 percent of children, constipation starts when the child is still a baby. [4]
Constipation causing bad stomach ache is a common cause of admission to casualty.[3]

Sometimes, liquid stools leak out into the underwear of children with constipation, but they don't realise it. This is called encopresis. Again, we don't know exactly how many children have this problem.

Some studies say that it happens to about 3 percent of children who are 4 years old and 2 percent of children who are 5 years old.[5]
It's most common in children aged 2 to 4.[5]
It happens in boys more often than in girls.[5]

References

Farrell M, Holmes G, Coldicutt P et al. Management of childhood constipation; parents' experiences. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 2003; 44: 479-489.
Yong D, Beattie RM. Normal bowel habit and prevalence of constipation in primary school children. Ambulatory Child Health. 1998; 4: 277-282.
Loening-Baucke V. Constipation in early childhood: patient characteristics, treatment, and long term follow up. Gut. 1993; 34: 1400-1404.
Nelson R, Wagget J, Lennard-Jones JE. Constipation and megacolon in children and adults. Diseases of the Gut and Pancreas. Blackwell Science, Oxford, UK; 1994: 843-864.
Loening-Baucke V. Chronic constipation in children. Gastroenterology. 1993; 105: 1557-1564.

This information does not replace medical advice. If you are concerned you might have a medical problem please ask your Boots pharmacy team in your local Boots store, or see your doctor.