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Expert Q&A
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| By iParenting Staff iParenting Staff Experts | ||
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What foods can cause a child to be constipated?
More than likely, it's the food and fluids your child ISN'T getting that's causing the constipation. Fiber and fluid work together to provide softer stools that are easier to pass. To figure your child's fiber needs, take his age and add 5. That gives you the number of grams of dietary fiber he needs daily, and will help you better used the Nutrition Facts label to find higher-fiber foods. Make sure to serve your child whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and fluid every day. Don't go overboard, however. Too much fiber fills up kids and may reduce the calories they get from other foods (fiber has no calories, but it provides bulk in the diet). Plus, excess fiber can cause diarrhea. Add fiber slowly and see what happens.
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