For most children with constipation, a combination of extra fluids, fiber-rich foods, and a gentle over-the-counter osmotic laxative will get things moving within a few days. The right approach depends on your child’s age, since infants, toddlers, and older kids each have different safe options.
Sorbitol Juices for Babies and Toddlers
Infants respond well to juices that naturally contain sorbitol, a sugar alcohol that draws water into the stool and softens it. Prune, pear, and apple juice all work. For babies under six months, the recommended dose of prune juice is 1 to 3 milliliters per kilogram of body weight, once or twice a day, diluted with 1 to 2 ounces of water. For a 12-pound baby, that works out to roughly 1 to 3 teaspoons per dose.
Older babies and toddlers can have a small cup (2 to 4 ounces) of prune or pear juice daily. This is often enough to resolve mild constipation on its own without any medication. Avoid honey and corn syrup, both of which were once popular home remedies. Honey carries a botulism risk for children under one, and health authorities now advise against corn syrup as well.
Fiber: How Much Your Child Needs
A simple formula for children over age two: take your child’s age and add 5 to get the minimum grams of fiber per day. A 4-year-old needs at least 9 grams, and a 10-year-old needs at least 15 grams, up to a maximum daily addition of 10 grams beyond baseline. That sounds abstract, but it translates to practical swaps. A medium pear has about 5 grams of fiber. A half cup of black beans has around 7 grams. Swapping white bread for whole grain, adding berries to breakfast, and serving vegetables at dinner can close the gap without turning meals into a battle.
Increase fiber gradually over a week or two. Adding too much at once can cause bloating and cramps, which makes a constipated child even less willing to eat.
How Much Fluid Your Child Should Drink
Fiber works by absorbing water, so it only helps if your child is drinking enough. A rough guide based on weight:
- 22-pound child (about 10 kg): 4 cups per day
- 44-pound child (about 20 kg): 6 cups per day
- 99-pound child (about 45 kg): 8 cups per day
Water should be the main source. Toddlers who drink a lot of milk often end up constipated because milk displaces other fluids and fiber-rich foods. Cap milk at 2 to 3 cups a day for toddlers. Limit juice too, since large amounts can cause cramping and gas even when it’s the sorbitol-containing kind.
Over-the-Counter Stool Softeners
When diet changes alone aren’t enough, an osmotic laxative containing polyethylene glycol 3350 (sold as MiraLAX and store-brand equivalents) is the most widely recommended option for children. It works by pulling water into the intestines, making stool softer and easier to pass. It has no flavor or grit when dissolved in water or juice, which makes it easier to get kids to take.
The typical starting dose is 0.4 to 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day, given as a single dose or split into two. For a 40-pound child, that’s roughly half a capful (about 8.5 grams). Your child’s pediatrician can help you find the right amount, because the effective range varies widely, from about 0.3 to 1.4 grams per kilogram per day depending on severity. Most studies focus on children two and older, though some evidence supports safe use in younger toddlers under medical guidance.
Magnesium hydroxide (sold as Milk of Magnesia) is another osmotic option. It’s generally used in children two and older. For kids aged 2 to 5, the typical range is 0.4 to 1.2 grams per day. Older children and teens can take higher doses. It has a chalky taste that some kids resist, so polyethylene glycol tends to be the easier sell.
Glycerin Suppositories
If your child hasn’t had a bowel movement in several days and seems uncomfortable, a glycerin suppository can provide faster relief than oral options. For children aged 2 to 5, the standard dose is one suppository (1.2 grams) once daily. For children under two, check with your pediatrician first. Suppositories are a short-term tool. Don’t use them for longer than one week without a doctor’s guidance, because the bowel can start to depend on them rather than functioning on its own.
Toilet Habits That Help
Constipation in kids is often partly behavioral. A child who is busy playing, uncomfortable on the toilet, or stressed about potty training will hold stool in, which makes it harder and more painful to pass, which makes them hold it in even more. Breaking that cycle takes consistent routine.
Have your child sit on the toilet for 5 to 10 minutes after meals, especially after breakfast or dinner. Eating triggers a natural wave of intestinal movement called the gastrocolic reflex, and sitting 20 to 40 minutes after a meal takes advantage of that window. A small footstool under their feet helps them get into a slight squat, which straightens the rectum and makes passing stool easier. Leaning slightly forward while bearing down also increases abdominal pressure in a helpful way.
Keep it relaxed. Let them look at a book or sing a song. If nothing happens after 10 minutes, that’s fine. The goal is to build a habit, not create pressure. Over days and weeks, the body starts to respond to the routine.
Do Probiotics Help?
Probiotics are a popular option, and there is some evidence they can help. A large meta-analysis found that probiotic supplementation had a modest positive effect on constipation overall, particularly in children with functional constipation (the common kind without an underlying medical cause). The strains most studied include Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Bifidobacterium longum. These appear to work by influencing gut bacteria in ways that improve intestinal movement and stool consistency.
That said, probiotics alone are unlikely to resolve significant constipation. They’re better thought of as a supporting player alongside diet, fluids, and if needed, an osmotic laxative.
Signs That Need Medical Attention
Most childhood constipation is functional, meaning there’s no underlying disease. But certain signs suggest something else may be going on. Bring your child in promptly if you notice fever along with constipation, a visibly swollen or distended abdomen, weight loss or failure to gain weight, bloody diarrhea (which can actually signal severe constipation with overflow leaking around an impaction), or if constipation started in the first month of life. A baby who was very slow to pass their first stool after birth also warrants evaluation. If your child has tried appropriate doses of a laxative for a couple of weeks with no improvement, that’s another reason to follow up, since lack of response to treatment is itself a red flag that something else could be contributing.