Constipation in children is a common problem which, due to the discomfort and trauma it causes to the child, can have long-term consequences and be prolonged into adulthood.

Not every organism is the same, so the number of bowel movements per day cannot be the same for every child. This number can also be affected by the food the child takes in, physical activity and other factors.

Some children have a bowel movement several times a day. If your child has bowel movement only several times a week, this is not necessarily a cause for concern, as long as the stool is soft and the process is pain-free. In any case, the diagnosis of constipation and possible treatment should be carried out by a professional, and parents should not act on their own assessments.

If the stool is not regular, fecal mass accumulates in the intestines. This causes the bowels to expand and the stool becomes hard and difficult to eject. Eliminating such a stool is painful and can be accompanied by bleeding, which causes fear in the child and the child delays going to the toilet. Fear also causes muscle contraction in the pelvic region, which makes the situation even worse.

Very tidy and clean children may avoid emptying their bowels because they see it as a dirty activity. All this leads to the creation of a vicious circle from which it is difficult to get out without professional help.

Parents often use natural remedies in these situations, increase fluid intake or give their children probiotics, but these approaches are not long-term solutions.

Constipation in children requires professional help and psychological supervision, because in addition to impairing physical health, it can cause psychological problems, due to trauma, feelings of shame, criticism and the like.

At Medikid, for the first time in Montenegro, we use a globally tested approach to resolving constipation in children, the so-called "bowel management programme".

The programme usually lasts one week, and adapts to the problems the child has through individual treatment plans. On the first day, after the diagnosis, the child has an abdominal X-ray done. It is necessary to determine the shape and position of the bowel and the amount of fecal mass. Depending on the results of the X-ray and the patient's symptoms, a treatment plan is determined, which may include enemas, medications, changes in diet or psychological counseling.

In the following days, the patient adheres to the plan determined by the specialist, with daily communication with the parents about the progress. If necessary, the plan can be adapted to achieve optimal results. The ultimate goal of the program is to remove barriers that prevent the normal function of the intestines, as well as for the child to gain a healthy routine in stool regulation. At the end of the programme, the patient periodically reports for progress monitoring.

The success of the programme depends on the proactive commitment of all parties (doctor, child, parents), and the impact on improving the child’s quality of life and self-confidence is priceless.

Benign skin changes are removed under local anesthesia, most often when they cause discomfort, pain or itching, or vary in size and color, but can also be removed for aesthetic reasons.

Moles are benign skin changes that are often present from birth but can also appear later in life. They are usually brown to black in color, of various diameters. Although benign, moles can be a reason to see a doctor if their number is higher than usual.

Keratoses are changes on the skin yellowish or brown in color, which occur when the cells in the surface layer of the skin become excessively enlarged. They can appear in large numbers, cause itching and redness, and are rough to the touch. Parents often confuse them with moles, which, as a natural phenomenon, should not be touched. However, keratoses are not a problem that goes away on its own, they can grow over time and form a patch on the skin. The best aesthetic result is achieved when the keratosis is removed as soon as possible, so it is best to recognize and remove them in time. Keratoses cannot be removed with creams and ointments, but require an intervention of a specialist. The most effective methods for removing keratoses are surgery or radio waves.

Cysts on the skin can occur when the glands become clogged or old cells accumulate on the skin. The body normally rejects those cells and creates new ones. At first, cysts may look like pimples, and pus can often be squeezed out of them, which often leads to infections, redness and itching.

Atheromas or sebaceous cysts are painless bumps on the skin that occur due to blockage of the sebaceous glands. Fat that cannot reach the surface of the skin accumulates in a sac that grows over time. This white sebaceous mass can be squeezed out of the cyst, but this does not solve the problem, on the contrary, it can lead to an infection. For a permanent solution to the problem without recurrence, it is necessary to remove the cyst completely surgically.

Lipomas are benign tumors of adipose tissue. If they occur in large numbers, that condition is called lipomatosis. They are removed surgically.

An umbilical granuloma is a red or yellowish pea-sized lump on a baby's navel (umbilicus). It is one of the most common problems with the navel in newborn babies, and it usually occurs in the first weeks after birth.

Umbilical granuloma usually occurs immediately after the umbilical stump falls off, when the outside of the navel heals and is covered with new layers of skin. If this process does not complete fully, ie. the navel does not get covered with new layers of skin, granulomas occur.

Umbilical granuloma is resolved through two methods of treatment, depending on its size, which are: ligation and lapping.

Ligation is a method used for smaller granulomas, and involves the application of silver nitrate until the granuloma gradually recedes. The procedure requires 3 to 6 visits to the doctor.

Lapping is a one-time procedure used for larger granulomas, and involves tying a surgical suture where the granuloma connects to the navel. This interrupts the blood flow to the granuloma, after which it dries and falls off.

Both procedures are painless. After a successful medical intervention, the baby is discharged for home treatment with a scheduled check-up, and advice is given to parents on how to take care of the baby's navel during the recovery period.