Potential impact on guidance
Key pointYesNo
History taking and physical examination
  • Limited recent evidence is consistent with the message in current guidance that early identification and treatment can improve outcomes.
✓
Clinical management
  • Evidence suggests similar efficacy with polyethylene glycol (PEG) 3350 plus electrolytes2 versus rectal enemas in faecal disimpaction.
✓
  • Evidence suggests similar efficacy with PEG (unspecified) versus rectal enemas in maintenance therapy for constipation, although enemas were negatively perceived by some children.
✓
  • Evidence suggests that PEG 40003 is more effective than milk of magnesia in maintenance therapy for constipation.
✓
Diet and lifestyle
  • A limited and heterogeneous evidence base currently prevents firm conclusions being made about the role of probiotics in constipation management.
✓
  • Limited recent evidence for dietary interventions suggests that fibre can improve constipation but raising fluid intake above normal has no effect.
✓
Psychological interventions
  • Limited recent evidence suggests no benefit of interventions involving a child psychiatrist or psychologist in constipation.
✓

From: Constipation in children and young people

Cover of Constipation in children and young people
Constipation in children and young people: Evidence Update June 2012: A summary of selected new evidence relevant to NICE clinical guideline 99 ‘Diagnosis and management of idiopathic childhood constipation in primary and secondary care’ (2010) [Internet].
Evidence Update, No. 20.
Copyright © National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, 2012.

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