Chronic constipation in children: organic disorders are a major cause.
Diagnostic tools for paediatric chronic constipation have been limited, leading to over 90% of patients with treatment-resistant constipation being diagnosed with chronic idiopathic constipation, with no discernible organic cause. Work in our institution suggests that a number of children with intractable symptoms actually have slow colonic transit leading to slow transit constipation. This paper reviews recent data suggesting that a significant number of the children with chronic treatment-resistant constipation may have organic causes (slow colonic transit and outlet obstruction) and suggests new approaches to the management of children with chronic treatment-resistant constipation.
Southwell
B R
BR
Department of Gastroenterology, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
King
S K
SK
Hutson
J M
JM
D001521:Behavior Therapy; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003112:Colonic Pseudo-Obstruction / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D003248:Constipation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008365:Manometry