Defaecation pattern and intestinal transit in Nigerian children

Abstract

The defaecation pattern and intestinal transit time of 410 apparently healthy children aged between 6 months and 5 years were studied by questionnaire and carmine red marker. T h e majority of the children ate a predominantly high residue diet. Stool frequency varied from once every other day to 5 times a day, with 9 5% of the children opening their bowels one to three times a day. There was a gradual decline in mean stool frequency with increasing age. The stool produced was usually soft and between 5 0 and 75ml in size. Mean mouth to anus transit time in 98 randomly selected children from the study group was 18.3 hours. The information obtained from this study should facilitate early identification of diarrhoea and constipation in the Nigerian pre-school child.