According to a clinical review in the 18 November issue of the BMJ,chronic constipation in children is a frequent phenomenon,claimed to account for some 25 per cent of the work of paediatric gastroenterologists,and ranking among the 10 most common problems encountered in their routine.In early childhood the frequency of defecation diminishes from more than four stools per day to 1.2 at the age of four.By that time 98 per cent of children are toilet trained.The characteristics of constipation are infrequent emptying of the bowel,unduly large stools and difficult or painful defecation.There may be a family history of constipation,and it is often associated with a diet that is deficient in fibre.The stages of growth at which children are threatened with constipation are weaning,toddling and starting school.
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