Although hemorrhoidal disease mainly affects the adult population, the occurrence of Children hemorrhoids is not such a rare event. If we are mothers, it can be painful to witness our baby’s discomfort:we feel disoriented, confused and don’t know how to behave.
Don’t worry: hemorrhoidal disease in children can be insidious, but it is certainly possible to manage and solve it by following some useful precautions.
Children hemorrhoids, how to notice the presence?
Here are the main alarm bells that our little one throws at us:
- The crying. If the child affected by haemorrhoidal disorder does not speak yet, he will manifest his discomfort by crying, especially at the moment of evacuation.
- Blood in the stool. We may notice the presence of some traces of blood in the stool; let’s not be scared and ask the pediatrician for advice.
- Frequency and time of evacuation. If the child is old enough to go to the bathroom on his own, we will have to pay attention to his behavior: if he takes a long time he may have difficulty evacuating due to constipation; conversely, if the child goes to the bathroom frequently, he could have diarrhea. It is good to remember that they are both factors that favor the onset of haemorrhoidal disease, both in adults and in children.
What factors predispose the appearance of external hemorrhoids in kids?
The onset of hemorrhoidal disease in children is attributable to the same contributing causes that expose adults to this disorder, such as:
- Constipation. The difficulty in evacuating can induce excessive stress on the pelvic floor and in particular on the haemorrhoidal vessels, causing inflammation, dilation and possible leakage of the haemorrhoids from the anal canal.
- Dysentery. Frequent in children, it can be viral or bacterial in nature or caused by foods containing irritating substances in the intestinal mucosa. However, if the disorder continues beyond two days, it is advisable to consult your pediatrician.
- Overweight and obesity often due to poor nutrition. It is important to feed our children in a balanced way, with regular meals and healthy snacks, avoiding as much as possible packed foods rich in preservatives or with an excessive calorie content, as well as fried and / or very salty foods.
How to prevent the onset of external hemorrhoids in children?
The first thing to do is to impose a diet rich in fiber and water on the child: we therefore favor fruit, vegetables and cereals accompanied by an adequate water supply, consulting the general practitioner or pediatrician to determine the correct quantities.
In addition, moderate physical activity such as swimming will stimulate intestinal transit and help keep our baby healthy.
