Infants and Toddlers

• If your baby is constipated, try bottle-feeding her one to two ounces of either prune or apple juice. If your baby is able to eat solids, you can sprinkle a teaspoon of bran on top of her cereal. You could also offer her additional vegetables and fruits. However, infants who are under the age of six months should consume most fluids in the form of formula or breast milk. According to Medline Plus, babies who are breastfed do not typically suffer from constipation. Consider breastfeeding your infant to avoid this problem.
  
  As your child becomes a toddler, begin offering her chunkier pieces of vegetables and fruits, instead of only strained foods. Make sure that the breads and cereals she eats are made of whole grains. Fiber is important in preventing and treating constipation. There is plenty of fiber in whole grains and fruits, such as apples. It's also important that your child drinks enough fluids, especially as she'll gradually stop drinking as much formula or breast milk.
  
  

Older Children

• If your older child or teenager experiences constipation, make sure they drink enough water. This is especially important in warmer weather and if they exercise often. An adequate fluid intake is about eight to ten cups per day. If your child's diet is high in junk food, try making subtle substitutions. Instead of a bag of chips with lunch, pack them whole grain pretzels. Instead of pizza for dinner, offer their favorite vegetable served with whole grain pasta. Vegetables and fruits will have the most fiber if they are left uncooked and unpeeled. Children and teens can also try drinking prune juice or eating prunes to avert constipation.
  
  According to KeepKidsHealthy.com, some foods may increase the risk of constipation in children. If your child suffers from constipation, experiment with excluding dairy products such as cow's milk, cheese and yogurt from her diet. Instead, offer soy milk, which may help to soften stools. If dairy products turn out to be the culprit, make sure your child's diet includes calcium from other sources, such as fortified orange juice. The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse recommends scheduling an appointment with your child's doctor if her constipation lasts longer than two weeks.