The investigation of the prevelance of constipation and influencing factors in patients admitted to the pediatric inpatient clinics

In this study, a cross-sectional research design was used to determine the frequency of constipation and the factors affecting it in patients admitted to pediatric outpatient clinics. Patients who presented to pediatric clinics with complaints of constipation were included in the study. A total of 55 patients were enrolled, with ages ranging from 1 to 204 months, and the mean age was 84.32 ± 54.47 months. Among the children with constipation, 55.6% were girls and 44.4% were boys. Data for the study were collected using electronic health records and anamnesis forms of pediatric patients who visited outpatient clinics. Among the children with constipation, 39 (72.2%) were term and 15 (27.8%) were preterm. Meconium output occurred in the first 24 hours in 64.8% of the children, in the first 48 hours in 27.8%, in the first 24-48 hours in 3.7%, and in the first 36 hours in 3.7%. It was found that 57.4% of the children who presented to pediatric outpatient clinics with complaints of constipation had a family history of constipation. Twenty-six (48.1%) of the children had received iron treatment related to anemia, while 28 (51.9%) were receiving medication for constipation. While 38 (70.4%) of the children were drinking cow's milk, 16 (29.6%) were not. The mean age at which toilet training began was 36.41 ± 8.27 months. The daily fiber intake of 23 children (46%) was adequate, while 27 children (54%) had inadequate intake. Of the children, 37% stooled 7- 10 times weekly, 37% more than 10 times, 18.5% 5-7 times, and 7.4% 1-4 times. Investigating the frequency of constipation in patients presenting to pediatric outpatient clinics is important for determining the prevalence of this health problem. This study reveals how common, yet often overlooked, constipation is and which age groups are most affected.