Gastrointestinal System - Pediatric/Paediatric Constipation
Normal Pediatric (Infants, Toddlers and Children) Stool Characteristics – Frequency, Colour and Consistency Background
Please Note: This content is being reviewed and updated. It may not reflect the most current evidence and recommendations.
Importance of Topic to Practice
Parents often express concerns about the frequency, consistency or colour of their infant’s or child’s stools. Parents may label their infant or child as constipated when their bowel habits do not match their conception of what is 'normal' or they are unfamiliar with normal changes in stooling patterns that occur with changes in age or diet (e.g. breastmilk to formula or whole milk, formula to whole milk, introduction of solids) (1-4). Some newborns have a