Children's Health

Does your baby younger than 6 months of age have more than a streak of blood on the stool or on the diaper?

Has your child age 6 months or older passed a large amount of blood in the stool (enough to leave a red stain on his or her diaper or to turn the water in the toilet bowl red)?

Has your child age 6 months or older passed two or more stools containing a moderate amount of blood (enough to leave a pinkish stain on his or her diaper or to turn the water in the toilet bowl pink)?

Has your child age 6 months or older passed a small amount of blood on the stool more than one time in the last 24 hrs?

Has your baby younger than 6 months passed a stool with a streak of blood on it or on a diaper more than one time, and a doctor has not evaluated this problem?

Has your child age 6 months or older had a very small amount of rectal bleeding (streak of blood) for longer than 1 week or more than 1 time a day?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Do you think that your child's constipation may be caused by physical or sexual abuse?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Does your child have painful constipation despite home treatment?

Does your baby younger than age 3 months have constipation that has not improved after 24 hours of home treatment?

Does your child age 3 months or older have constipation that has not improved after 1 week of home treatment?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Does your child have severe rectal pain after passing stool?

Does rectal pain prevent your child from passing stool?

Does your child still have mild to moderate rectal pain that persists after 1 week of home treatment?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Did your child's constipation begin after taking a medicine?Note: If your answer is "Yes ":Before your child's next dose (the same day), call the doctor who prescribed the medicine to see whether your child should stop taking the medicine or take a different one. An appointment may not be needed.If you gave your child a medicine not prescribed by a doctor (nonprescription), stop giving the medicine. If you feel your child needs to take the medicine, call your doctor.

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Does your child have constipation that has not improved or is getting worse after 1 week of home treatment?

Does your child have new bowel habit changes that have not improved or are getting worse after 1 week of home treatment?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Does your child have constipation and:Leaks formed or liquid stool into his or her underwear andIs unable to correct the problem when it is brought to his or her attention?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Call your health professional immediately.

You have answered "Yes" to a question that indicates you may need immediate care. Call your health professional now to discuss your symptoms and arrange for your care.

• Symptoms are likely to worsen without medical care.
• If you do not have a health professional, seek emergency care.
• Emergency transportation is not needed. However, if you are not able to travel safely either by driving yourself or having someone else drive you, call an ambulance.

You do not need to answer any of the other questions.

Call your health professional today.

You have answered "Yes" to a question that indicates you need to call your health professional to discuss your symptoms and arrange for care.

• An appointment today is usually needed.
• Symptoms are unlikely to improve without medical care.

Return to the Check Your Symptoms section and answer the questions. You may need to see a health professional sooner if you have other more serious symptoms.

You may wait to see if the symptoms improve over the next 24 hours.

You have answered "Yes" to a question that indicates you may wait to see if your symptoms improve over the next 24 hours (or the specified time period). If symptoms improve, no appointment is needed.

• If symptoms do not improve after 24 hours (or the specified time period), an appointment within the next 24 hours is usually needed.
• If appropriate, try home treatment to relieve your symptoms.
• Check your symptoms in 24 hours, or sooner if there is any change.
• Call your health professional if symptoms get worse.

Return to the Check Your Symptoms section and answer the questions. You may need to see a health professional sooner if you have other more serious symptoms.