My seven-year-old son suffers severe constipation, often relieving himself once in three days. He has a normal diet. Please advise. — Vaishali Meenakshi, Chennai

By definition, constipation is not passing stools daily; straining and/ or passing hard or pellet-like stools. It’s one of the most common causes of recurrent abdominal pain in children. A daily diet with inadequate fibre, junk food containing flour, preservatives, confectionery and not drinking sufficient water are the common causes. There are other organic causes of constipation that need to be ruled out if a patient doesn’t respond to conventional treatment.

Include fibre-rich foods in his daily diet, ban junk food, and encourage him to drink plenty of fluids. Drinking water mixed with child-safe stool softeners is also advisable. If despite these interventions the problem persists, consult a pediatrician.

My daughter suffers mild asthma. When she runs fast, she begins to wheeze, though wheezing stops within a few minutes. The doctor has not prescribed any medication. Is it safe for her to play sports? — Shalini Shiv Prasad, Bengaluru

Childhood asthma has different stages as well as severity classifications. Going by your description, your daughter may be suffering exercise-induced symptoms of asthma. When an asthma-vulnerable individual exercises, histamine is released from mast cells in the lung epithelial lining leading to bronchospasm or airway tightness. This can be prevented by prescribing Leucotriene receptors.

Asthma is a genetic disease, but environment and lifestyle factors also do play a major role. Avoid asthma triggers to prevent symptoms. Yoga and endurance enhancing exercises improve children’s vital lung capacity, quality of life as well as exercise tolerance. Consult your pediatrician to diagnose her asthma severity so she can prescribe suitable treatment.

My nine-year-old son loves to play basketball and practices four hours daily. His coach wants him to eat protein-rich non-vegetarian food. However we are vegetarians. How can I ensure he gets enough protein from a vegetarian diet? — Sachin Bansal, New Delhi

Proteins are the building blocks of the human body. They improve muscle mass and support organ development. Animal meat is a good source of essential amino acids needed for protein synthesis. However proteins of plant origin are equally nutritious if ingested in the right proportions.

Vegetarians can get their proteins from dairy products such as cottage cheese (paneer), yogurt, soya, tofu, pulses, and grains. In fact, the Indian vegetarian diet comprising cereal and dal is well-balanced and protein-rich. To ensure optimal physical growth, children should have 1-2 gms of proteins per kg bodyweight daily. For example, a child weighing 20 kg should have 25-30 gm of protein per day. So, despite being a vegetarian, your child can get the requisite protein from a vegetarian diet.

For a detailed analysis of your son’s body and suitable diet, consult a dietician.

(Dr. Yogesh Kumar Gupta is head of the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, Fortis Hospitals, Bannerghatta Road, Bengaluru)

Also read: My daughter has UTI. Help!