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Constipation in children and young people: diagnosis and management
NICE Clinical Guidelines, No. 99
This guideline is the basis of QS62.
Introduction
Constipation is common in childhood. It is prevalent in around 5–30% of the child population, depending on the criteria used for diagnosis. Symptoms become chronic in more than one third of patients and constipation is a common reason for referral to secondary care. Morbidity may be under-reported because people may not seek advice because they are embarrassed.
The exact cause of constipation is not fully understood but factors that may contribute include pain, fever, dehydration, dietary and fluid intake, psychological issues, toilet training, medicines and familial history of constipation. Constipation is referred to as ‘idiopathic’ if it cannot be explained by anatomical or physiological abnormalities.
Many people don’t recognise the signs and symptoms of constipation and few relate the presence of soiling to constipation. The signs and symptoms of childhood idiopathic constipation include: infrequent bowel activity, foul smelling wind and stools, excessive flatulence, irregular stool texture, passing occasional enormous stools or frequent small pellets, withholding or straining to stop passage of stools, soiling or overflow, abdominal pain, distension or discomfort, poor appetite, lack of energy, an unhappy, angry or irritable mood and general malaise.
Painful defecation is an important factor in constipation but it is not always recognised; withholding behaviours to prevent passage of painful stools are often confused with straining to pass stools. Families may delay seeking help for fear of a negative response from healthcare professionals. It has been suggested that some healthcare professionals underestimate the impact of constipation on the child or young person and their family. This may contribute to the poor clinical outcomes often seen in children and young people with constipation.
Soiling is debilitating but rarely life threatening so it might be expected to have little impact on healthcare provision. But many children and young people experience social, psychological and educational consequences that require prolonged support.
Some children and young people with physical disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, are more prone to idiopathic constipation as a result of impaired mobility. Children and young people with Down’s syndrome or autism are also more prone to the condition. It is important that assessment and ongoing management for these children and young people happen in the same way as is recommended for all children and young people.
Without early diagnosis and treatment, an acute episode of constipation can lead to anal fissure and become chronic. By the time the child or young person is seen they may be in a vicious cycle. Children and young people and their families are often given conflicting advice and practice is inconsistent, making treatment potentially less effective and frustrating for all concerned. Early identification of constipation and effective treatment can improve outcomes for children and young people. This guideline provides strategies based on the best available evidence to support early identification, positive diagnosis and timely, effective management. Implementation of this guideline will provide a consistent, coordinated approach and will improve outcomes for children and young people.
Terms used in this guideline
- Chronic constipation
Constipation lasting longer than 8 weeks.
- Digital rectal examination
Examination of the lower rectum using a gloved, lubricated finger to check for abnormalities.
- Idiopathic constipation
Constipation that cannot (currently) be explained by any anatomical, physiological, radiological or histological abnormalities.
- Intractable constipation
Constipation that does not respond to sustained, optimum medical management.
- Optimum management
Management as set out in this guideline.
- Specialist
Healthcare professional with either interest, experience and/or training in the diagnosis and treatment of constipation in children and young people. Examples: specialist continence nurse, community paediatrician with an interest in the diagnosis and treatment of constipation.
- Specialist services
Services for children and young people that include constipation management.
A larger glossary of terms can be found in the full guideline.
Patient-centred care
This guideline offers best practice advice on the care of children and young people with idiopathic constipation.
Treatment and care should take into account patients’ needs and preferences. Children and young people with idiopathic constipation and their parents and carers should have the opportunity to make informed decisions about their care and treatment, in partnership with their healthcare professionals. If children do not have the capacity to make decisions, healthcare professionals should follow the Department of Health’s advice on consent and the code of practice that accompanies the Mental Capacity Act. In Wales, healthcare professionals should follow advice on consent from the Welsh Government.
If the patient is under 16, healthcare professionals should follow the guidelines in the Department of Health’s Seeking consent: working with children.
Good communication between healthcare professionals and patients is essential. It should be supported by evidence-based written information tailored to the patient’s needs. Treatment and care, and the information children and young people and their parents or carers are given about it, should be culturally appropriate. It should also be accessible to people with additional needs such as physical, sensory or learning disabilities, and to people who do not speak or read English.
Families and carers should have the opportunity to be involved in decisions about treatment and care. Where appropriate, for example for older children, this should be with the child’s agreement.
Families and carers should also be given the information and support they need.
Care of young people in transition between paediatric and adult services should be planned and managed according to the best practice guidance described in Transition: getting it right for young people.
Adult and paediatric healthcare teams should work jointly to provide assessment and services to young people with idiopathic constipation. Diagnosis and management should be reviewed throughout the transition process, and there should be clarity about who is the lead clinician to ensure continuity of care.
Key priorities for implementation
History-taking and physical examination
- Establish during history-taking whether the child or young person has constipation. Two or more findings from table 1 indicate constipation.
- If the child or young person has constipation, take a history using table 2 to establish a positive diagnosis of idiopathic constipation by excluding underlying causes. If a child or young person has any ‘red flag’ symptoms, do not treat them for constipation. Instead, refer them urgently to a healthcare professional with experience in the specific aspect of child health that is causing concern.
- Do a physical examination. Use table 3 to establish a positive diagnosis of idiopathic constipation by excluding underlying causes. If a child or young person has any ‘red flag’ symptoms do not treat them for constipation. Instead, refer them urgently to a healthcare professional with experience in the specific aspect of child health that is causing concern.
- Inform the child or young person and his or her parents or carers of a positive diagnosis of idiopathic constipation and also that underlying causes have been excluded by the history and/or physical examination. Reassure them that there is a suitable treatment for idiopathic constipation but that it may take several months for the condition to be resolved.
Table 1
Key components of history-taking to diagnose constipation.
Table 2
Key components of history-taking to diagnose idiopathic constipation.
Table 3
Key components of physical examination to diagnose idiopathic constipation.
Digital rectal examination
- Do not perform a digital rectal examination in children or young people older than 1 year with a ‘red flag’ (see tables 2 and 3) in the history-taking and/or physical examination that might indicate an underlying disorder. Instead, refer them urgently to a healthcare professional competent to perform a digital rectal examination and interpret features of anatomical abnormalities or Hirschsprung’s disease.
Disimpaction
- Assess all children and young people with idiopathic constipation for faecal impaction, including children and young people who were originally referred to the relevant services because of ‘red flags’ but in whom there were no significant findings following further investigations (see tables 2 and 3). Use a combination of history-taking and physical examination to diagnose faecal impaction – look for overflow soiling and/or faecal mass palpable abdominally and/or rectally if indicated.
- Offer the following oral medication regimen for disimpaction if indicated:
- –
Polyethylene glycol 3350 + electrolytes, using an escalating dose regimen (see table 4), as the first-line treatment[1].
- –
Adjust the dose of polyethylene glycol 3350 + electrolytes according to symptoms and response. As a guide for children and young people who have had disimpaction, the starting maintenance dose might be half the disimpaction dose (see table 4).
- –
Add a stimulant laxative (see table 4) if polyethylene glycol 3350 + electrolytes does not work.
- –
Substitute a stimulant laxative if polyethylene glycol 3350 + electrolytes is not tolerated by the child or young person. Add another laxative such as lactulose or docusate (see table 4) if stools are hard.
- –
Continue medication at maintenance dose for several weeks after regular bowel habit is established – this may take several months. Children who are toilet training should remain on laxatives until toilet training is well established. Do not stop medication abruptly: gradually reduce the dose over a period of months in response to stool consistency and frequency. Some children and young people may require laxative therapy for several years. A minority may require ongoing laxative therapy.
Table 4
Laxatives: recommended doses.
Diet and lifestyle
- Do not use dietary interventions alone as first-line treatment for idiopathic constipation.
- Treat constipation with laxatives and a combination of:
- –
Negotiated and non-punitive behavioural interventions suited to the child or young person’s stage of development. These could include scheduled toileting and support to establish a regular bowel habit, maintenance and discussion of a bowel diary, information on constipation, and use of encouragement and rewards systems.
- –
Dietary modifications to ensure a balanced diet and sufficient fluids are consumed.
Information and support
- Offer children and young people with idiopathic constipation and their families a point of contact with specialist healthcare professionals, including school nurses, who can give ongoing support.
1. Guidance
The following guidance is based on the best available evidence. The full guideline gives details of the methods and the evidence used to develop the guidance.
1.1. History-taking and physical examination
- 1.1.1.
Establish during history-taking whether the child or young person has constipation. Two or more findings from table 1 indicate constipation.
- 1.1.2.
If the child or young person has constipation take a history using table 2 to establish a positive diagnosis of idiopathic constipation by excluding underlying causes. If a child or young person has any ‘red flag’ symptoms, do not treat them for constipation. Instead, refer them urgently to a healthcare professional with experience in the specific aspect of child health that is causing concern.
- 1.1.3.
Do a physical examination. Use table 3 to establish a positive diagnosis of idiopathic constipation by excluding underlying causes. If a child or young person has any ‘red flag’ symptoms do not treat them for constipation. Instead, refer them urgently to a healthcare professional with experience in the specific aspect of child health that is causing concern.
- 1.1.4.
If the history-taking and/or physical examination show evidence of faltering growth treat for constipation and test for coeliac disease[2] and hypothyroidism.
- 1.1.5.
If either the history-taking or the physical examination show evidence of possible maltreatment treat for constipation and refer to the NICE guideline on child maltreatment: when to suspect maltreatment in under 18s.
- 1.1.6.
If the physical examination shows evidence of perianal streptococcal infection, treat for constipation and also treat the infection.
- 1.1.7.
Inform the child or young person and his or her parents or carers of a positive diagnosis of idiopathic constipation and also that underlying causes have been excluded by the history and/or physical examination. Reassure them that there is a suitable treatment for idiopathic constipation but that it may take several months for the condition to be resolved.
1.2. Digital rectal examination
- 1.2.1.
A digital rectal examination should be undertaken only by healthcare professionals competent to interpret features of anatomical abnormalities or Hirschsprung’s disease.
- 1.2.2.
If a child younger than 1 year has a diagnosis of idiopathic constipation that does not respond to optimum treatment within 4 weeks, refer them urgently to a healthcare professional competent to perform a digital rectal examination and interpret features of anatomical abnormalities or Hirschsprung’s disease.
- 1.2.3.
Do not perform a digital rectal examination in children or young people older than 1 year with a ‘red flag’ (see tables 2 and 3) in the history-taking and/or physical examination that might indicate an underlying disorder. Instead, refer them urgently to a healthcare professional competent to perform a digital rectal examination and interpret features of anatomical abnormalities or Hirschsprung’s disease.
- 1.2.4.
For a digital rectal examination ensure:
- privacy
- informed consent is given by the child or young person, or the parent or legal guardian if the child is not able to give it, and is documented
- a chaperone is present
- the child or young person’s individual preferences about degree of body exposure and gender of the examiner are taken into account
- all findings are documented.
1.3. Clinical investigations
Endoscopy
- 1.3.1.
Do not use gastrointestinal endoscopy to investigate idiopathic constipation.
Coeliac disease and hypothyroidism
- 1.3.2.
Test for coeliac disease[2] and hypothyroidism in the ongoing management of intractable constipation in children and young people if requested by specialist services.
Manometry
- 1.3.3.
Do not use anorectal manometry to exclude Hirschsprung’s disease in children and young people with chronic constipation.
Radiography
- 1.3.4.
Do not use a plain abdominal radiograph to make a diagnosis of idiopathic constipation.
- 1.3.5.
Consider using a plain abdominal radiograph only if requested by specialist services in the ongoing management of intractable idiopathic constipation.
Rectal biopsy
- 1.3.6.
Do not perform rectal biopsy unless any of the following clinical features of Hirschsprung’s disease are or have been present:
- delayed passage of meconium (more than 48 hours after birth in term babies)
- constipation since first few weeks of life
- chronic abdominal distension plus vomiting
- family history of Hirschsprung’s disease
- faltering growth in addition to any of the previous features.
Transit studies
- 1.3.7.
Do not use transit studies to make a diagnosis of idiopathic constipation.
- 1.3.8.
Consider using transit studies in the ongoing management of intractable idiopathic constipation only if requested by specialist services.
Ultrasound
- 1.3.9.
Do not use abdominal ultrasound to make a diagnosis of idiopathic constipation.
- 1.3.10.
Consider using abdominal ultrasound in the ongoing management of intractable idiopathic constipation only if requested by specialist services.
1.4. Clinical management
Disimpaction
- 1.4.1.
Assess all children and young people with idiopathic constipation for faecal impaction, including children and young people who were originally referred to the relevant services because of ‘red flags’ but in whom there were no significant findings following further investigations (see tables 2 and 3). Use a combination of history-taking and physical examination to diagnose faecal impaction – look for overflow soiling and/or faecal mass palpable abdominally and/or rectally if indicated.
- 1.4.2.
Start maintenance therapy if the child or young person is not faecally impacted.
- 1.4.3.
Offer the following oral medication regimen for disimpaction if indicated:
- Polyethylene glycol 3350 + electrolytes may be mixed with a cold drink.
- Add a stimulant laxative (see table 4) if polyethylene glycol 3350 + electrolytes does not lead to disimpaction after 2 weeks.
- Substitute a stimulant laxative singly or in combination with an osmotic laxative such as lactulose (see table 4) if polyethylene glycol 3350 + electrolytes is not tolerated.
- Inform families that disimpaction treatment can initially increase symptoms of soiling and abdominal pain.
- 1.4.4.
Do not use rectal medications for disimpaction unless all oral medications have failed and only if the child or young person and their family consent.
- 1.4.5.
Administer sodium citrate enemas only if all oral medications for disimpaction have failed.
- 1.4.6.
Do not administer phosphate enemas for disimpaction unless under specialist supervision in hospital/health centre/clinic, and only if all oral medications and sodium citrate enemas have failed.
- 1.4.7.
Do not perform manual evacuation of the bowel under anaesthesia unless optimum treatment with oral and rectal medications has failed.
- 1.4.8.
Review children and young people undergoing disimpaction within 1 week.
Maintenance therapy
- 1.4.9.
Start maintenance therapy as soon as the child or young person’s bowel is disimpacted.
- 1.4.10.
Reassess children frequently during maintenance treatment to ensure they do not become reimpacted and assess issues in maintaining treatment such as taking medicine and toileting. Tailor the frequency of assessment to the individual needs of the child and their families (this could range from daily contact to contact every few weeks). Where possible, reassessment should be provided by the same person/team.
- 1.4.11.
Offer the following regimen for ongoing treatment or maintenance therapy:
- Polyethylene glycol 3350 + electrolytes as the first-line treatment[3].
- Adjust the dose of polyethylene glycol 3350 + electrolytes according to symptoms and response. As a guide for children and young people who have had disimpaction the starting maintenance dose might be half the disimpaction dose (see table 4).
- Add a stimulant laxative (see table 4) if polyethylene glycol 3350 + electrolytes does not work.
- Substitute a stimulant laxative if polyethylene glycol 3350 + electrolytes is not tolerated by the child or young person. Add another laxative such as lactulose or docusate (see table 4) if stools are hard.
- Continue medication at maintenance dose for several weeks after regular bowel habit is established – this may take several months. Children who are toilet training should remain on laxatives until toilet training is well established. Do not stop medication abruptly: gradually reduce the dose over a period of months in response to stool consistency and frequency. Some children may require laxative therapy for several years. A minority may require ongoing laxative therapy.
1.5. Diet and lifestyle
- 1.5.1.
Do not use dietary interventions alone as first-line treatment for idiopathic constipation.
- 1.5.2.
Treat constipation with laxatives and a combination of:
- Negotiated and non-punitive behavioural interventions suited to the child or young person’s stage of development. These could include scheduled toileting and support to establish a regular bowel habit, maintenance and discussion of a bowel diary, information on constipation, and use of encouragement and rewards systems.
- Dietary modifications to ensure a balanced diet and sufficient fluids are consumed.
- 1.5.3.
Advise parents and children and young people (if appropriate) that a balanced diet should include:
- Adequate fluid intake (see table 5).
- Adequate fibre. Recommend including foods with a high fibre content (such as fruit, vegetables, high-fibre bread, baked beans and wholegrain breakfast cereals) (not applicable to exclusively breastfed infants). Do not recommend unprocessed bran, which can cause bloating and flatulence and reduce the absorption of micronutrients.
Table 5
American dietary recommendations. (Institute of Medicine, 2005). Dietary reference intakes for water, potassium, sodium chloride and sulfate. Washington DC: The National Academies Press
- 1.5.4.
Provide children and young people with idiopathic constipation and their families with written information about diet and fluid intake.
- 1.5.5.
In children with idiopathic constipation, start a cows’ milk exclusion diet only on the advice of the relevant specialist services.
- 1.5.6.
Advise daily physical activity that is tailored to the child or young person’s stage of development and individual ability as part of ongoing maintenance in children and young people with idiopathic constipation.
1.6. Psychological interventions
- 1.6.1.
Do not use biofeedback for ongoing treatment in children and young people with idiopathic constipation.
- 1.6.2.
Do not routinely refer children and young people with idiopathic constipation to a psychologist or child and adolescent mental health services unless the child or young person has been identified as likely to benefit from receiving a psychological intervention.
1.7. Antegrade colonic enema procedure
- 1.7.1.
Refer children and young people with idiopathic constipation who still have unresolved symptoms on optimum management to a paediatric surgical centre to assess their suitability for an antegrade colonic enema (ACE) procedure.
- 1.7.2.
Ensure that all children and young people who are referred for an ACE procedure have access to support, information and follow-up from paediatric healthcare professionals with experience in managing children and young people who have had an ACE procedure.
1.8. Information and support
- 1.8.1.
Provide tailored follow-up to children and young people and their parents or carers according to the child or young person’s response to treatment, measured by frequency, amount and consistency of stools. Use the Bristol Stool Form Scale to assess this (see appendix B). This could include:
- telephoning or face-to-face talks
- giving detailed evidence-based information about their condition and its management, using, for example, NICE’s information for the public for this guideline
- giving verbal information supported by (but not replaced by) written or website information in several formats about how the bowels work, symptoms that might indicate a serious underlying problem, how to take their medication, what to expect when taking laxatives, how to poo, origins of constipation, criteria to recognise risk situations for relapse (such as worsening of any symptoms, soiling etc.) and the importance of continuing treatment until advised otherwise by the healthcare professional.
- 1.8.2.
Offer children and young people with idiopathic constipation and their families a point of contact with specialist healthcare professionals, including school nurses, who can give ongoing support.
- 1.8.3.
Healthcare professionals should liaise with school nurses to provide information and support, and to help school nurses raise awareness of the issues surrounding constipation with children and young people and school staff.
- 1.8.4.
Refer children and young people with idiopathic constipation who do not respond to initial treatment within 3 months to a practitioner with expertise in the problem.
More information
You can also see this guideline in the NICE pathway on constipation.
To find out what NICE has said on topics related to this guideline, see our web page on digestive tract conditions.
See also the guideline committee’s discussion and the evidence reviews (in the full guideline), and information about how the guideline was developed, including details of the committee.
2. Research recommendations
The Guideline Development Group has made the following recommendations for research, based on its review of evidence, to improve NICE guidance and patient care in the future. The Guideline Development Group’s full set of research recommendations is detailed in the full guideline (see section 5).
2.1. Polyethylene glycol 3350 + electrolytes in children under 1
What is the effectiveness of polyethylene glycol 3350 + electrolytes in treating idiopathic constipation in children younger than 1 year old, and what is the optimum dosage?
Why this is important
There is some evidence that treatment of constipation is less effective if faecal impaction is not dealt with first. Disimpaction with oral macrogols is recommended for children and their use avoids the need for rectal treatments.
Rectal treatments are used more commonly in hospital than at home. Although relatively few infants are admitted to hospital, there would be savings if initially all children were disimpacted at home.
Polyethylene glycol 3350 + electrolytes, an oral macrogol, is licensed for disimpaction in children older than 5 years. Increasing experience has shown that it is effective in infants younger than 1 year old, but evidence is limited to small case series. If dosage guidelines and evidence on macrogol use in infants were obtained and published, more healthcare professionals might be encouraged to try macrogols in this age group. It would also allow the guideline to be applicable across the whole paediatric age group.
2.2. Age-specific information
Is age-specific information more effective than non-age-specific information in increasing children’s knowledge and understanding of constipation and its treatment, and what information should be given?
Why this is important
When treating idiopathic constipation it is helpful if children and young people understand how the bowel works, what can go wrong and what they can do about it. Younger children (pre toilet training) need to allow stools to come out. Older children and young people have a more active role and need to develop a habit of taking all prescribed medication, sitting on the toilet each day and pushing stools out. Volition from the child or young person is vital to establish and sustain a regular toilet habit. Intended learning outcomes are similar for all age groups.
Theory-based research has led to the development of some materials such as ‘Sneaky-poo’ that are not appropriate for young children. To help clinicians and parents motivate children and young people to fully participate in managing their constipation it is important to discover how best to communicate information to them, what materials are most effective and, specifically, what works at different ages.
2.3. Specialist services
Do specialist nurse-led children’s continence services or traditional secondary care services provide the most effective treatment for children with idiopathic constipation (with or without faecal incontinence) that does not respond fully to primary treatment regimens? This should consider clinical and cost effectiveness, and both short-term (16 weeks) and long-term (12 months) resolution.
Why this is important
By the time children reach tertiary care they have often suffered years of constipation with or without faecal incontinence and have intractable constipation.
Findings from one trial have suggested that children referred to a tertiary gastroenterology service and diagnosed as having idiopathic constipation are managed as effectively by nurse-led follow-up as by a consultant paediatric gastroenterology service. Parent satisfaction was improved by the nurse-led service. However, the nurse-led service may require increased resources because many more contacts are made. Several services with a similar model of care have been established but cost effectiveness has not been formally assessed.
For coherent services to develop across the UK, the cost effectiveness of specialist nurse-led services provided as first referral point if primary treatment regimens have not worked needs to be examined.
2.4. Colonic washouts
What is the effectiveness of different volumes and types of solutions used for colonic washouts in children who have undergone an antegrade colonic enema (ACE) procedure for intractable chronic idiopathic constipation?
Why this is important
The ACE procedure has a role in the management of people with treatment-resistant symptoms. Close follow-up is integral to the effectiveness of this technique to allow safe and effective administration of washout solutions.
The choice of washout solutions and frequency of administration differs between centres. Outcomes may be improved by evaluating how experienced centres choose washout solutions and by comparing techniques.
Centres offering the ACE procedure as treatment for children with chronic idiopathic constipation should be surveyed for their choice of washout solution. To determine the perceived strengths and weaknesses of each solution, the survey should cover enema, choice of washout fluid, volumes and frequency of administration.
2.5. Models of service
What is the impact of specific models of service on both clinical and social outcomes to deliver timely diagnosis and treatment interventions in children with chronic idiopathic constipation and their families?
Why this is important
There has been no research to explore the social impact on children with constipation and their families, and many of the clinical studies have been of mediocre quality. A comprehensive study is needed that investigates the effectiveness of specific models of care, and that takes into consideration both the clinical and social impact of this complex condition.
Update information
July 2017: The footnote in recommendation 1.1.4 was updated to link to the newest NICE guideline on coeliac disease. Footnotes in table 4 were corrected with manufacturer information that has changed since original publication.
Appendix A. The algorithms
A care pathway can be found on page 22–32 of the full guideline.
Appendix B. Bristol Stool Form Scale
The Bristol Stool Form Scale can be found on page 32 of the full guideline.
Footnotes
- [1]
At the time of publication (May 2010), Movicol Paediatric Plain is the only macrogol licensed for children under 12 years that includes electrolytes. It does not have UK marketing authorisation for use in faecal impaction in children under 5 years, or for chronic constipation in children under 2 years. Informed consent should be obtained and documented. Movicol Paediatric Plain is the only macrogol licensed for children under 12 years that is also unflavoured.
- [2]
See also the NICE guideline on coeliac disease: recognition, assessment and management.
- [3]
At the time of publication (May 2010), Movicol Paediatric Plain is the only macrogol licensed for children under 12 years that includes electrolytes. It does not have UK marketing authorisation for use in faecal impaction in children under 5 years, or for chronic constipation in children under 2 years. Informed consent should be obtained and documented. Movicol Paediatric Plain is the only macrogol licensed for children under 12 years that is also unflavoured.
Your responsibility: The recommendations in this guideline represent the view of NICE, arrived at after careful consideration of the evidence available. When exercising their judgement, professionals and practitioners are expected to take this guideline fully into account, alongside the individual needs, preferences and values of their patients or the people using their service. It is not mandatory to apply the recommendations, and the guideline does not override the responsibility to make decisions appropriate to the circumstances of the individual, in consultation with them and their families and carers or guardian.
Local commissioners and providers of healthcare have a responsibility to enable the guideline to be applied when individual professionals and people using services wish to use it. They should do so in the context of local and national priorities for funding and developing services, and in light of their duties to have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, to advance equality of opportunity and to reduce health inequalities. Nothing in this guideline should be interpreted in a way that would be inconsistent with complying with those duties.
Commissioners and providers have a responsibility to promote an environmentally sustainable health and care system and should assess and reduce the environmental impact of implementing NICE recommendations wherever possible.
Created: May 26, 2010; Last Update: July 2017.
- Constipation in Children and Young People: Diagnosis and Management of Idiopathic Childhood Constipation in Primary and Secondary Care
- 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)
- Surveillance report 2017 - Constipation in children and young people: diagnosis and management (2010) NICE guideline CG99
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