Herbal Treatment
If your child is experiencing alternating constipation and diarrhea, oatmeal cooked in flaxseed tea can be very helpful. It soothes irritated intestines and relieves constipation. Prepare flaxseed tea by mixing 1 teaspoon of flaxseed in 1 quart of spring water; simmer for fifteen minutes. Use the resulting liquid instead of water to cook oatmeal. Or add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the tea to 4 ounces of juice and give your child one dose daily. Constipation should be relieved within forty-eight hours.

Licorice tea or tincture is soothing to irritated intestinal walls and helps relieve chronic constipation. Give your child one dose, once or twice daily, for three or four days.

Note: This herb should not be given to a child with high blood pressure.

Liquid food-grade aloe vera juice is quite helpful in resolving constipation. Make sure you purchase the edible form of aloe vera juice. Combine 1 tablespoon of the liquid with fruit juice or applesauce to make it more palatable, and give it to your child once or twice daily.

One to 10 drops of organic flaxseed oil, given twice daily in food, can help ease your child's bowel movements.

Homeopathy
If your child is chronically constipated, it may be best to treat him with a constitutional remedy prescribed by a homeopathic physician. For an occasional constipation problem, select a remedy that matches your child's symptoms from the list that follows.

Use Alumina for a child who has stools that are small, hard, dry pellets, often covered with mucus. Elimination is very difficult for this child. Give him one dose of Alumina 30x or 9c, two or three times daily, for two or three days.

Calcarea carbonica is often used for constipation in small children with digestive disorders. If your child is constipated, with a hard, distended stomach, but is not cranky, crying, or complaining and seems to be feeling fine, give him one dose of Calcarea carbonica 30x or 9c, twice daily, for two or three days.

If your child has a hard, dry stool and experiences pain right before a bowel movement, give him one dose of Lycopodium 30x or 9c, two or three times daily, for two or three days. This remedy is also recommended for the child with lower intestinal gas that smells like rotten eggs.

Natrum muriaticum is the remedy for children who love salt-they lick salt off their plates and suck salt off pretzels and crackers-and are on the thin side, especially around the neck. These children are typically thirsty, yet have hard, dry stools. They benefit from one dose of Natrum muriaticum 30x or 9c, given twice daily, for two or three days.

Nux vomica is helpful for a child who may overeat and thus become constipated or gassy. If your child is impatient and agitated; craves rich, greasy, and/or spicy foods; and passes small, dark, hard stools after trying many times to have a bowel movement, give him one dose of Nux wmica 30x or 9c, twice daily, for two or three