What to do if your baby has recurrent anal fissures

If your baby has recurrent anal fissures, you should seek medical attention promptly to clarify the condition, and intervene through proper care and improved eating habits. The main causes may be related to constipation, improper anal cleaning, local injury and infection. It is recommended to adjust the diet to promote intestinal health, pay attention to anal care, and cooperate with professional treatment when necessary.

1) Common causes and solutions

-Constipation leads to increased intestinal pressure: Long-term constipation in babies can lead to excessive expansion of the anus during defecation, making anal fissures difficult to heal and recurring. It is recommended to relieve constipation by adjusting the diet, increasing foods rich in dietary fiber, such as applesauce, carrot mash, etc., and ensuring adequate drinking of water.

- Improper anal cleaning or care: Sometimes using poor quality wipes or wiping the anus in the wrong direction can cause damage to the baby's delicate skin. It is recommended to clean the anus with warm water, pat it dry after each bowel movement, avoid repeated friction, and keep the area dry.

- Local infection or trauma: Anal fissure infection can cause pain and affect healing, and may even cause suppuration. If infected, apply a child-specific topical antibiotic ointment recommended by a doctor and observe the healing process regularly. If there are repeated traumas, it may be necessary to evaluate whether the baby has bad bowel habits or external irritants.

2) Specific treatment methods

-Drug treatment: For babies with obvious local pain, you can use anesthetic ointment (such as lidocaine ointment) to relieve discomfort under the guidance of a doctor, or apply drugs that promote wound healing (such as dextran iron ointment) to the anal fissure.

- Sitz bath therapy: Use warm water to sitz bath your baby every day, and you can also add a small amount of medical potassium permanganate solution. Sitz bath time is 3 to 5 minutes, which helps soften local tissues, relieve pain and promote blood circulation, making it easier for anal fissures to recover.

-Dietary adjustment: Dietary management is an important long-term means to relieve constipation. When adding complementary foods to your baby, pay attention to avoiding spicy or irritating ingredients and give priority to easily digestible natural foods. At the same time, appropriate supplementation of probiotics may help the baby's intestinal flora and improve constipation symptoms.

3) Prevention and follow-up measures

- Adjust your baby's bowel habits, avoid squatting for long periods of time or straining during bowel movements, and cultivate a habit of defecating at a fixed time every day if necessary.

-Pay attention to the healing of anal fissure wounds. If you find that the wound continues to worsen, pus is discharged, or the baby has a fever or other abnormal symptoms, you must seek medical attention as soon as possible for a clear diagnosis and treatment.

The care of anal fissure in babies requires adjustments in diet, hygiene and habits, while paying attention to monitoring the progression of the disease. If the condition does not improve after home care, you should actively seek professional medical help to prevent it from affecting the baby's quality of life.