Bottom Line Recommendations: Functional Constipation

Children with functional constipation (FC) often present to the ED with impaction or colicky abdominal pain. The prevalence of FC in infants and toddlers is approximately 20%. While organic causes are responsible for less than 5% of constipation in children, FC may mimic surgical causes of abdominal pain, such as appendicitis, intussusception and bowel obstruction, thus a careful assessment is required before making this diagnosis.