Bowel habits in Sri Lankan infants and toddlers, a population based study.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To obtain knowledge about bowel habits in healthy population of infants and toddlers in Sri Lanka. METHODS: We selected healthy children between 7 months and 5 years of age who visited vaccination and weighing clinics. To achieve data we used a self-administered questionnaire about the child's bowel habits during the previous two months. All subjects were selected in Gampaha district, Sri Lanka. Only those without defecation disorders were used for analysis. RESULTS: A total of 879 toddlers were eligible for analysis, (female n = 442 [50,3%], mean age 21,7 months, standard deviation [SD] 12,5 months). Of them, 595 (69,6%) defecated once a day, 20 (2,3%) had defecation >3/week and 6 (0,7%) <3/week. Stool consistency was hard or very hard in 30 (3,4%), 665 (78,9%) had smooth and soft stool and 107 (12,2%) had varying consistency. Straining and painful stool were reported in 560 (64,7%) respectively 194 (23%) of the sample, stool holding was present in 93 (10,8%) and 44 (4,9%) passed blood with the stool. No children reported fecal incontinence. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides data on normal bowel habits of Sri Lankan toddlers and infants. Bowel habits and disorders related to defecation in Sri Lankan toddlers and children differ from those living in the West probably due to dietary, genetic and environmental variations