Q: My nephew who is 3 and a half is suffering from pain while passing stools. Every two or three days he gets constipated. He has been diagnosed through a barium x-ray as having swelling of the descending colon. This was diagnosed 3 months back. After taking him to the childrens hospital, they only suggested administering anaema and washout. This was done for a month. But my nephew had still no relief. This is the 6th month and the problem still persists. Right now he is on homeopathy, he is little better, but the problem of constipation and pain during passing of stools and even wind still persists. Please advise.

A:If the barium study has been reported as normal, then your child has constitutional constipation. This starts with poor eating habits and poor toilet training. Once the stools become hard they cause pain, cracks the anal skin resulting in fissures. This further aggravates the constipation. Most importantly, the stools must be softened using mild laxatives. Simultaneously, improve the diet to include lots of fibre. Local application of creams to the anus before passing stools will make the act more comfortable.