Occult constipation in children: An unaddressed problem of our day-to-day practice

Table 1 Demographic characteristics and clinical features, n (%)

Features		Frequency, n = 404
Mean age (months), mean ± SD		76.50 ± 36.62
Male		253 (62.6)
Female		151 (37.4)
Male:female		1.67:1
Abdominal pain		266 (65.84)
Anorexia		199 (49.26)
Vomiting		97 (24.01)
Nausea		69 (17.08)
Frequent defecation		67 (16.58)
Altered bowel habit		63 (15.59)
Failure to thrive		57 (14.09)
Recurrent helminthiasis		50 (12.38)
Abdominal distension		36 (8.91)
Fecal mass on palpation		32 (7.92)
Itching anus		31 (7.67)
Increased frequency of micturition		30 (7.43)
Nocturnal enuresis		24 (5.94)
Excessive crying at night		13 (3.22)
Straining during defecation with mucoid stool		12 (2.97)
Encopresis		12 (2.97)
Persistent diarrhea		10 (2.47)
History of repeated diarrhea		8 (1.98)
Acute diarrhea		3 (0.74)
Per rectal bleeding due to solitary rectal ulcer syndrome		2 (0.50)
Prolapse		1 (0.25)

Table 2 Symptomatic response after treatment, n (%)

Complaints	At diagnosis	At the 4th month of follow-up
Abdominal pain	266 (100)	6 (2.25)a
Anorexia	199 (100)	10 (5)a
Vomiting	97 (100)	8 (8.25)a
Nausea	69 (100)	8 (11.60)a
Frequent defecation	67 (100)	0 (00)a
Altered bowel habit	63 (100)	1 (1.59)a
Failure to thrive	57 (100)	0 (00)a
Recurrent helminthiasis	50 (100)	2 (4)a
Abdominal distension	36 (100)	2 (5.56)a
Fecal mass	32 (100)	2 (6.25)a
Itching anus	31 (100)	0 (0)a
Increased micturition	30 (100)	2 (6.67)a
Nocturnal enuresis	24 (100)	3 (12.50)a
Excessive crying at night	13 (100)	0 (0)
Straining during defecation with mucoid stool	12 (100)	0 (0)
Encopresis	12 (100)	1 (8.33)
Persistent diarrhea	10 (100)	0 (0)1
History of repeated diarrhea	8 (100)	0 (0)1
Acute diarrhea	3 (100)	0 (0)1
Per Rectal bleeding due to Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome	2(100)	0 (0)
Prolapse	1 (100)	0 (0)

^aP < 0.001, McNemar Test.

¹Diarrhea improved and no further episode during follow-up period.