Help, My Kid Only Poops Once a Week!

It is common for children to have bowel movements once or twice a day; however, bowel patterns vary from child to child. Other kids may take 2-3 days before passing normal poop. If your kid only poops once a week, you may want to apply a dietary solution to help your kid change the poop pattern. You may also need to observe your child and determine if there are any other reasons why your kid only poops once a week, such as proper potty training. 

It may be necessary for a parent to ask a pediatrician for professional advice on helping a kid who only poops once a week. This also helps to know whether or not your kid is experiencing bowel complications or just withholding poop.

Why Does My Kid Poop Once a Week?

What is considered to be normal bowel movements differs from one child to another.  How much a child poops or how often one visits the bathroom varies across children. You need not worry about your kid being constipated if your child’s stool is soft and formed. One course of alarm you should have about your kid’s bowel movement is when your child’s stool is large and hard. The fear of experiencing pain while passing hard stool may cause your kid to withhold pooping. 

Tracking changes in your kid’s bowel movement’s personal patterns can help ease your worry about why your kid poops only once a week. If your kid changes from having two or three bowel movements a day to only once a week, you may need to consult a pediatrician.

A High Fiber Diet Helps Ease a Kid’s Poop

When your kid only poops once in a week, you can help change the pattern by adding more fiber to your child’s diet. A sufficient fiber supply in your kid’s diet can improve bowel movements, helping your child to poop more than once a week.

A high fiber diet improves your kid’s digestion and helps maintain regular bowel movements. You can encourage your kid to develop healthy bowel habits by increasing fiber content in the daily diet.  This ensures that your kid’s bowels keep working well, which in turn improves the overall health of your child.

Adding dietary fiber can help increase your kid’s stool size and softens it easing bowel movement and making them more regular. When soluble fiber passes through your kid’s bowels, it gets everything out, helping your child experience healthy bowel movement. This can cause a kid who poops only once a week to poop more often.

Lack of Potty Training for Your Kid

Does your kid poop only once a day? Lack of proper potty training may cause your child to hold and poop less or only once a day. Teaching your kid on the importance of regular bowel movements helps the child not to hold. Your kid needs to know bowel movements are normal and vital for good health. A positive attitude towards pooping will encourage your kid to poop regularly. 

You need to encourage a kid who poops once a week to feel comfortable using a toilet while at school or traveling. 

Is Your Kid Withholding Poop?

Kids between the ages of 2-5 may sometimes withhold poop, particularly during playtime when taking a poop break would mean stepping away from the fun. Younger kids may withhold poop because of a nasty diaper rash that becomes painful during a bowel movement. Your kid may also withhold poop while at school or away from home because of the discomfort of using a public toilet.

If your kid consistently withholds poop, it could lead to constipation, painful stools, and stool impaction. If your kid only poops once in a week, you need to ensure that it’s not a result of withholding poop or stool blockage.

Conclusion

Regular bowel movements are necessary for your kid’s health even though they may vary from child to child. Factors such as hot weather can alter the pattern of your kid’s pooping routine. Other changes in your kid’s routine, like traveling and stressful situations, could also cause your kid to only poop once a week. 

If you worry that your kid poops only once a week, you may consider dietary changes. Toilet training and encouraging your kid to use the toilet often can also promote your kid’s regular bowel movement. 

Consulting a pediatrician will best help you understand whether your kid’s pooping only once a week is considered normal.