Factors Related to the Duration of Chronic Functional Constipation in Children Referring to a Pediatric Gastrointestinal Clinic of Shiraz in 2014 - 2016

Constipation is a common problem among children. This study aimed to identify the factors related to the duration of chronic functional constipation.

The study was conducted on 826 children with chronic functional constipation referring to a pediatric gastrointestinal (GI) clinic in Fars province. The inclusion criteria of the study were suffering from constipation not due to anatomical (Hirschsprung’s disease and spinal disease) and organic reasons (non-functional constipation), not suffering from other systemic disorders (hypothyroidism and psychomotor retardation), not having the history of prior anal surgery, and not using drugs inducing constipation. The data were analyzed using a linear regression analysis.

This study was performed on 826 children with chronic functional constipation with the mean age of 4.98 + 2.74 years. Among the study children, 418 (50.6%) were boys. Based on the results of multivariate linear regression analysis, the duration of chronic constipation was related to children’s age (B = 0.695 [P < 0.001]), intervals between defecations (B = 0.158 [P = 0.036]), age at the onset of defecation control (B = 0.15 [P = 0.050]), intervals of cereals consumption (B = 0.345 [P < 0.001]), and mother’s education level (B = 0.283 [P = 0.001]). Accordingly, every year increase in children’s age was accompanied by 8.5 months of constipation. In addition, every unit increase in the consumption of cereals during the week (every day, three days a week, once a week, and rarely) caused a four-month increase in chronic constipation.

With increasing age, children need parental care to prevent the occurrence of chronic constipation. Moreover, increasing interest in video games has been accompanied by a decrease in physical activity, which requires more attention from parents