Constipation in Kids: Are You Following the BRAT Diet?

If your child has suffered from constipation, diarrhea, or other stomach related illnesses recently, it may be time to introduce them to the BRAT diet. Don’t let the name put you off though, it is not referring to your child; BRAT stands for, bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. These foods are classic treatments for stomach illnesses.

What do they all have in common? They are all considered to be bland foods, and bland food are thought to be good for an upset stomach. They are also all considered to be binding foods, which means they are low in fiber and have the ability to prevent diarrhea by firming up your stools.

What else goes into a BRAT diet

The BRAT diet is more than just bananas, applesauce, rice, and toast. The focus of the BRAT diet is to eat bland foods. That leaves you with a lot of options, such as:

• Crackers
• Cooked cereals
• Weak tea
• Apple juice
• Flat soda
• Broth
• Boiled potatoes

How to follow the BRAT diet

The BRAT diet is not a regular diet; it’s something you eat in response to feeling sick or constipated.

1. Avoid eating any food at all within the first 6 hours of being sick.
2. Wait until the emesis and diarrhea has subsided for a bit and your stomach is at rest.
3. Introduce water and electrolytes back into your body: suck on ice chips, drink a sports drink, eat a popsicle, etc.
4. Try drinking bland liquids, like chicken broth, vegetable broth, sugar free apple juice etc.
5. If symptoms persist, initiate the BRAT diet and begin eating bland foods a little bit at a time.
6. After a day, begin slowly reintroducing foods back to your diet.
7. You should start feeling better by the end of it.