Toddlers Forum - Infants and stool holding

Parenting > Toddlers Forum > Infants and stool holding

Q: Infants and stool holding

asked by: DoctorQuestion on May 29th, 2009

My 18 month old screams when having a bowel movement. She is not constipated and is quite regular. (daily) She usually screams for about 5 minutes and then seems ok after she is done.

Replies(1)

Dr. Leonard J. Grossman , MD

replied on June 15th, 2009

Infants and stool holding

I see your 18 mo. old cries prior to a bowl movement and seems fine afterwards. A most common cause for this behavior is ‘stool holding.’ This usually occurs in older children during toilet training but I have seen it in children as young as yours.

If you or anyone has started toilet training I might advise you to stop. The exact cause of this stool is not completely understood but it surely is associated with toilet training.

If your child does not perceive any pressure to be toilet trained either from you or any other caretaker, and the behavior does not resolve itself with a laxative diet, she should be evaluated by her pediatrician.
LJGMD

DISCLAIMER: "Ask a Doctor" questions are answered by certified physicians and other medical professionals who volunteer their time on eHealth Forum. For more information about experts participating in the "Ask a Doctor" Network, please visit our medical experts page. You may also visit our Toddlers , for moderated patient to patient support and information.

The information provided on eHealth Forum is designed to improve, not replace, the relationship between a patient and his/her own physician. Personal consultation(s) with a qualified medical professional is the proper means for diagnosing any medical condition.

This question has been answered by the doctor. This topic is now open for public discussion, however no comments below this point will be answered by a doctor.

Learn About Us

Get Help

Join In

Do More

We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health
information:
verify here.

The site is not a replacement for professional medical opinion, examination, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your medical doctor or other qualified health professional before starting any new treatment or making any changes to existing treatment. Do not delay seeking or disregard medical advice based on information written by any author on this site. No health questions and information on eHealth Forum is regulated or evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and therefore the information should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a medical doctor. Posts made to these forums express the views and opinions of the author, and not the administrators, moderators, or editorial staff and hence eHealth Forum and its principals will accept no liabilities or responsibilities for the statements made. Schizophrenia health sitemap.
This page was last updated on January 1, 2009.
© 2008 eForums, Inc