All of the following are causes of constipation among toddler EXCEPT :

IGNOU PB. Bsc. Nsg. Entrance-2025

Child Health Nursing (Pediatrics)

Medium

Appeared in: IGNOU PB. Bsc. Nsg. Entrance-2025

Explanation

Excessive milk intake is a dietary contributing factor, not a primary behavioral cause that initiates the stool withholding cycle.
It contributes to constipation mainly by displacing fiber-rich foods from the toddler's diet, leading to harder stools.
Clinically, the more direct and well-known consequence of excessive milk intake in toddlers is iron-deficiency anemia (milk anemia), not constipation itself.

Option A: Forced or premature toilet training is a well-known cause of functional constipation. It creates stress and anxiety, leading the toddler to withhold stool as a form of control.
Option B: Fear of bowel movements is a core component of the vicious cycle of functional constipation. It directly leads to the behavior of stool withholding.
Option D: A painful bowel movement is the most common initial event that triggers the entire cycle of fear and stool withholding.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Etiology of functional constipation in toddlers as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a crucial role in educating parents about the causes of functional constipation, including recognizing withholding behaviors (like stiffening or hiding) and the importance of a balanced diet.
Parental guidance should focus on positive, non-coercive toilet training methods, waiting for signs of readiness from the child.
Dietary counseling should include limiting milk intake to approximately 16-24 ounces (480-720 mL) per day for toddlers to ensure appetite for fiber-rich foods and adequate iron intake.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the keyword 'EXCEPT'. This signals that you need to find the option that is NOT a cause of constipation, meaning the other three options are valid causes.
Review the options. Think about the pathophysiology of functional constipation in toddlers, which is often behavioral.
Analyze 'Forced toilet training', 'Fear of bowel movements', and 'Painful bowel movement'. Recognize these as interconnected parts of a behavioral cycle: pain leads to fear, and fear leads to withholding. Forced training adds a psychological stressor that also leads to withholding.
Now evaluate 'Excessive milk intake'. Consider its role. It's a dietary factor that can make stools harder but doesn't directly cause the behavior of withholding. It's a contributor to the physical problem, not the psychological trigger.
Conclude that the dietary factor is the outlier compared to the three direct behavioral/psychological causes, making it the correct answer for an 'EXCEPT' question.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 2 pp. 73-75, 170-172

E6 Ghai Essential Pediatrics(pp 26-904 of 913) p. 301-303