Dr. Christina Rudd Dr. Christina Winsey-Rudd's unique Neuro-Integrative Technique -- a body-mind-spirit approach to coaching -- helps clients live deliberate, fulfilling lives. As former holistic chiropractic physician, and former co-host of "Focus on Holistic Health", she provides information about alternative health care topics for example herbs, energy medicine and bodywork therapies. Constipation Question: My child seems to have constipation as a rule instead of as an exception these days. He seems to only go every three days and when he does he has great difficulty. The stools seem dry and hard and it is causing him pain. I don't want to put him on laxatives or stool softeners, but it really hurts him and I'm worried. He hates prunes and prune juice. Besides, they give him terrible gas. Answer: Constipation is very frequently due to children not getting either enough fluids, too little fiber or both. Other causes include: a) children sometimes don't "listen" to their bodies. They can get so engrossed in activities that they don't want to stop playing long enough to have a bowel movement; b) emotional stress due to change (like a new home or new school), c) not enough exercise, d) overemphasis on toilet training. The most important way to know if your child is truly constipated is whether passing stools causes pain. Important Guidelines: (When accompanied by vomiting, blood in the stools, cuts or tears of the rectum and/or the constipation persists it is vital to rule out any kind of serious complication by seeing your pediatrician.) Fiber is vital to healthy bowel activity. If your child eats few vegetables, a few fruits and only white breads, crackers and the like then fiber may be severely lacking. Increase the amount of fruits in the diet and add cruciferous vegetables like broccoli whenever possible - even cut up into tiny pieces in vegetable-alphabet soup. Buy whole grain breads and try serving oatmeal for breakfasts. It is vital that the colon have the proper "good" bacterial population to "keep things moving right." Your local health food store will likely carry lactobacillus acidophilus or bifidus. Be sure to purchase the refrigerated kind to insure potency. Licorice tea or tincture is very soothing to the intestinal walls, and can be quite effective in relieving chronic constipation. One dose, once or twice daily for 3 or 4 days is a good place to start (don't give to child with high blood pressure) Aloe Vera juice (liquid food-grade) is very healing to the intestines. One Tbls. In fruit juice or applesauce makes it acceptable to little palates. One to 10 drops of organic flaxseed oil twice a day in food is another option. Other remedies include bowel massage, homeopathy and acupressure. See a local massage therapist or doctor of Chinese or homeopathic medicine. This information is not intended to be a substitute for visiting your pediatrician. If you or your child has specific concerns, you should see your doctor for a diagnosis and treatment.