Constipation | Symptoms

How often should I have a bowel movement?

Not everyone has bowel movements once a day. It's not true that you must have a daily bowel movement to be considered "regular." A normal range is anywhere between 3 times a day to 3 times a week. You may be getting constipated if you start having bowel movements much less often than you usually do.

How do I know if my child is constipated?

Your child may be constipated if one or more of the following are true:

• He or she has fewer than 3 bowel movements a week.
• The stools are hard, dry and unusually large.
• The stools are difficult to pass.

For some children, it is normal to pass stools as far apart as every few days. Whether your child is constipated or not depends on how often he or she normally passes stools and how easy this is to do. If stools are soft and easy to pass, less frequent stools are not a problem. If they are hard and difficult to pass, your child is likely constipated. If your child is having trouble with constipation for more than 2 weeks, it is called chronic constipation.