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Constipation

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Pediatric Surgery

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Abstract

Constipation is a common condition, with the reported prevalence in children ranging from 0.7 to 29.6%. The peak incidence of constipation occurs between 2 and 4 years of age, with an increased prevalence in boys. Constipation may be defined as being either organic or functional, with childhood functional constipation further defined by the Rome IV criteria. Constipation may also be classified as acute or chronic. The persistent symptoms experienced by children with constipation may have a detrimental impact on both the patient’s and family’s quality of life. A structured approach to the investigation, diagnosis and management of this common childhood condition is essential.

In P. Puri and M. Höllwarth (eds.), Pediatric Surgery: Diagnosis and Management, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-69560-8_45, © Spinger-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2009

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatric Surgery, The Royal Children’s Hospital and Surgical Research Group, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Hannah M. E. Evans-Barns & Sebastian K. King

  2. Surgical Research Group, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Bridget R. Southwell & John M. Hutson

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  1. Hannah M. E. Evans-Barns
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  2. Sebastian K. King
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  3. Bridget R. Southwell
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  4. John M. Hutson
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to John M. Hutson .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Beacon Hospital, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Prem Puri

  2. University Clinic of Paediatric and Adolescent Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria

    Michael E. Höllwarth

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Evans-Barns, H.M.E., King, S.K., Southwell, B.R., Hutson, J.M. (2023). Constipation. In: Puri, P., Höllwarth, M.E. (eds) Pediatric Surgery. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81488-5_68

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81488-5_68

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