Childhood constipation: diagnosis, treatment and the role of dietary fiber : good fibration?

Abstract

Constipation in childhood is a very common problem. In most cases it is short lived and can be treated easily. When constipation is diagnosed in a child a few organic diseases, like Hirschsprung’s disease, must be ruled out first, which can generally be done by taking a thorough history and performing a complete physical examination. When, as in most constipated children, no organic cause can be found, a diagnosis of functional constipation is made. No further investigations are needed and a trial with laxative treatment for a limited amount of time is standard care. In this thesis, we reported the results of further research into the diagnosis and treatment of constipation in otherwise healthy children and in pediatric CF patients. The main focus in this thesis was the use of dietary fiber as a treatment option.