Constipation is a condition, when the child has no bowel movements, finds it difficult to pass stools, or has pebble-like hard stools. Although common, it is not a very good situation to deal with when you see the little one agonized. Before we turn towards methods to cure, let's see what causes constipation in toddlers. Causes Here are some of the common causes.

• One of the common causes of constipation is diet that is low in fiber.
• Toddlers normally consume a lot of dairy products, like milk, which cause constipation.
• Insufficient consumption of water also causes this problem.
• One factor usually responsible for this is children's habit of ignoring the urge of visiting the washroom and relieving themselves.
• If a child has trouble passing stools, he will avoid doing so, in order to avoid the pain.

Home Remedies There are a number of home remedies for constipation in toddlers, which can be of immense help to your baby. As a parent, you will have to monitor your child's eating habits. You will have to make some dietary changes. Foods To Avoid: There are certain foods, which are known to cause constipation in toddlers. Foods like white bread, meat, dairy products inclusive of ice creams and cheese, bananas, polished white rice, etc., should be kept away from your children. Chips and various kinds of ready-made snacks should also be excluded from your child's diet. Fluid Intake: Increase the amount of fluids consumed by your child. You can give various fruit and vegetable juices to your child. Prune juice and apple juice are excellent choices. Toddler constipation is normally relieved by these. However, avoid aerated drinks by all means. As far as possible, the vegetable and fruit juices should be made at home. Do not use the ready-made ones, as they may not be as healthy. Roughage: Make sure you feed your child with a lot of bran and cereals. Food items like bran cereals, bran muffins, shredded wheat, whole wheat bread, or bran crackers, will help in bowel movements and relieve your child of constipation. Along with bran and cereal, make sure your child eats a lot of vegetables and fruits, to ensure fiber intake. Replace Milk: Soy milk is known to reduce constipation. Instead of the regular milk, you can opt for soy milk. There are chances that the child will not like its taste. So, you shall have to buy different flavors of soy milk to tempt your kid. Stool Softeners: There are a number of stool softeners, which serve as a constipation cure for your child. These are not like laxatives, and hence, your child will not get addicted to them. You may not have to give it more than once. The dosage may go up to maximum twice, in case of severe constipation. If your child has diarrhea, it is a sign that you will have to reduce the dosage of the stool softeners. Instead of these, you could also add a teaspoon of flaxseed oil to your toddler's cereal, only once a day. This is one of the simplest natural cures. Potty Training: It is not a cure exactly, but you will have to make sure that you potty train your child well. Your child should use the potty once a day at least. You can choose to fix a time for your kid, may be half an hour after meal time. Relieving the bowels on time shall help the kid avoid hardened stools. If these toddler constipation remedies do not work for your child, do not give your child over-the-counter laxatives. These are especially harmful for young children. You may have to take your child to a pediatrician. There can be something, which you are not able to notice, that is causing the problem. At the same time, if your young one passes blood with the stools, or has pain, it can be a sign of internal injury. In all such cases, it is best to visit the pediatrician at the earliest. Disclaimer: This article is for informative purposes only and not intended to replace the advice offered by a medical expert.