Kids Constipation: 5 Tools to help You and Your Kid with Constipation Have a Great Summer
Kids and Constipation: 5 Tools to Help You, Your Child, and Their Caregiver Thrive Through the Summer
🎶“Summertime and the livin’ is easy . . .” 🎶 goes the Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong song.
Summertime for children is a special time of year. No responsibilities, just having fun all day…
… Chasing down the ice cream truck.
… Swimming in the pool.
… Playing games with their best friends.
… Hunting for “monsters” in the backyard.
… Maybe even going to day or sleep-away camp.
However, when a child has constipation and/or accidents, all those summer dreams can turn into nightmares – for you, your child, and their caregiver(s).
You’re facing all the changes that come with summer – schedule changes, different or new caregivers, unfamiliar settings, camp, and new friends. And we know how these changes can be “kryptonite” to the successes you’ve worked so hard to achieve.
Plus, if you’ve got a new caregiver or are sending your child to camp, there's always going to be a learning curve as new people learn to properly care for your child and their unique needs. If the caregiver doesn’t feel comfortable caring for your child, they may even turn you away. That’s why it’s so important to support your child and those caring for them as we go into these summer months.
This is even more applicable for parents of kiddos struggling with constipation and accidents.
Keeping all of this in mind, the Constipation Gurus put together 5 tools to help you, your child, and your child’s caregiver breeze through summer. If your caregiver is hesitant about caring for your child because of their constipation and accidents, then these tools will give them the know-how they need to confidently care for your kiddo.
Tool 1: Letter to Caregiver
This is the first piece of information you can give to your child’s caregiver. In this letter, explain that your child has a medical condition and give details. This helps the caregiver understand what’s going on and how to help your child.
The letter should explain the condition(s) your child is dealing with. You also want to make sure the caregiver knows that you’re there to answer any questions they have.
A caregiver letter can also provide information about some of the accommodations your child needs to successfully deal with their constipation and prevent accidents – like having scheduled toilet sits, performing exercises, and taking supplements.
The goal of this letter is to help the caregiver understand your child’s medical condition, that any accidents are not the child’s fault, and start explaining how to care for your child.
Tool 2: Constipation and Continence Care Plan
Along with the “Letter to Caregiver” the Continence Care Plan provides the nitty-gritty details about your child’s medical issues and needs.
Your child’s needs should be spelled out in detail in an easy-to-read format like bullet points or a checklist.
Some examples of tips to include in your child’s Continence Care Plan are:
Provide frequent access to the bathroom
Remind the child to go to the bathroom within a certain time frame after eating
Use a private bathroom
Provide access to their water bottle at all times
Provide access to their “clean up bag” if they have an accident
This lets the caregiver know exactly what your child needs while in their care.
Tool 3: Clean Up Bag Checklist
This handy checklist reminds you what to pack in your child’s “clean up bag” and it gives the caregiver a list of everything in the clean up bag. Tell the caregiver that these are all things you’ll be sure your child has each day.
Some items to include on your Clean Up Bag Checklist are:
Change of clothes
Wipes
Pull-ups, if needed
Gloves
Dry pad for bed
Timer
Having this checklist and the clean up bag ready to go takes a huge weight off the caregiver’s shoulders because they know they have everything they need in case of an accident.
Tool 4: Your Child’s Daily Schedule
Providing the caregiver with your child’s normal daily schedule lets them know how to keep your child on track. This can be a simple list or a detailed grid format. Provide information on your child’s normal eating schedule and when they take supplements and medications. You could also include an area for the caregiver to record meals, bowel movements, and accidents.
Including a water tracker is helpful for everyone to know how much water your child needs to stay hydrated and if they’re drinking enough. Because as you know – drinking enough water is a key way to prevent your child’s constipation.
Tool 5: Summer Hydration Ideas
Providing a list of hydration ideas will help the caregiver keep your child well hydrated, which prevents constipation. You can include foods that are high in water to help cover their daily needs.
You can also include unique hydration ideas. Things like special summertime treats, for example:
Frozen watermelon or grapes
100% juice popsicles
Fruit smoothies
These special treats not only help prevent constipation but also taste great!
Bringing It All Together
We want you and your child to be “livin’ easy” this summer.
These 5 tools can help you, your child, and their caregiver have a smoother summer with less stress. As a bonus, these tools can also help when your child experiences changes like transitioning to a new daycare or moving up a grade in school.
If creating these resources seems overwhelming – don’t worry, we’ve already done the work for you! Our Summer Survival Toolkit for Constipation and Encopresis has all of these tools ready to go. You don’t have to create a thing! As a bonus, you get ideas for summer lunches, snacks, and other child-friendly recipes.
If you want to know how to help your child overcome constipation and accidents, then our Poop Boot Camp is where you want to be. This online class was created by our team’s Registered Dietitian and Pelvic Floor Specialist who specialize in working with children. It includes six modules packed with actionable information to get your child from constipated to a regular poop schedule that you can do on your own time. When you purchase Poop Boot Camp during July, 2022 we’ll include the Summer Survival Toolkit for Constipation and Encopresis for free!
