Enema treatment is normally safe for your child if they are experiencing chronic constipation that is untreatable by other remedies or medications. Enema is usually the last option when your child isn’t passing stool naturally, and other non-invasive methods are not working. A few enemas can help boost the normal bowel functioning of your child. Enema is not recommended for children under two years old until extreme need.
If you are administering enema to your child at home, make sure first to consult your child’s doctor and take care of the following precautions while administering enema:
- Properly lubricate the insertion tip of the enema tube with a decent amount of lubricant.
- Do not force the tube into your child’s rectum, but insert the tube inside very slowly and smoothly. Let your child relax and soothe him while you insert the tube into his rectum.
- Do not make enemas a habit of your child or administer them regularly. This can irritate their anus and harm their tissues. Moreover, it can slowly diminish their natural stool-releasing mechanism.
- If, from the enema, your child starts to vomit or show signs of nausea, pain, or swelling, stop the enema and consult the doctor immediately.
- A young child may face difficulty holding the enema solution for the desired time period. To help them hold the fluid, ask your child to inhale and exhale deeply to reduce the stress of immediate defecation and hold it for some time.
