Adherence/Outcomes After Use of Constipation Action Plan

Functional Constipation is a common childhood problem. The goal of this study is to evaluate
if a constipation action plan had any impact on improved adherence in management. Children
are eligible to participate in the study if they are otherwise healthy children whose primary
language is English with no conditions that would predispose them to develop constipation,
between the ages of 3 and 8 years of age and if they meet the ROME IV criteria for functional
constipation. The primary objective is to assess compliance in pediatric patients with
functional constipation that have been provided a constipation action plan plus educational
information. The secondary objectives are to assess improvement of constipation symptoms in
pediatric patients with functional constipation that have been provided a constipation action
plan and educational information and to assess the perceived effectiveness of the
constipation action plan from the viewpoint of the family. The proposed study hypothesizes
that patients diagnosed with functional constipation will have improved adherence to
medication treatment plan, to fiber intake, and to toilet sit time and have improved
constipation symptoms overall when provided with both a constipation action plan and
educational information regarding dietary changes, toilet sit time, and medications as
compared to education information alone.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Healthy

- History of functional constipation

- English as primary language

Exclusion Criteria:

- History of medical conditions pre-disposing to constipation

- English as a second language

- Chronic gastrointestinal disease