Why Kids Get Constipated — And How Parents Can Fix It | Dr. Iris Wang

The Exam Room by the Physicians Committee

Physicians Committee

Medicine, Health & Fitness, Nutrition

4.9 • 3.5K Ratings

🗓️ 10 March 2026

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Constipation isn't just an adult problem — millions of kids struggle with it too.

On this episode of The Exam Room Podcast, Chuck Carroll is joined by Dr. Iris Wang, a gastroenterologist at the Mayo Clinic and the author of the children's book Boo Can't Poo.

Dr. Wang explains why constipation happens in children, how diet and lifestyle affect digestion, and what parents can do to help their kids develop healthy gut habits early in life.

🧠 You'll learn:

• How common constipation is in kids
• How fiber supports a healthy gut microbiome
• Why hydration is essential for digestion
• The surprising role of the pelvic floor in bowel movements
• Practical tips to help picky eaters get more fiber
• How parents can talk about poop without embarrassment

Dr. Wang also shares why breaking the "poo taboo" is so important for long-term health.

📚 Get the book Boo Can't Poo
👉 https://amzn.to/4ufsIPF

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- About Us -
The Physicians Committee is dedicated to saving lives through plant-based diets and ethical and effective scientific research. We combine the clout and expertise of more than 17,000 physicians with the dedicated actions of more than 175,000 members across the United States and around the world.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Today, on the exam room.
0:05.0	Consipation can drive a lot of other GI symptoms that people don't necessarily think are related.
0:11.0	There can be a lot of pain, there can be a lot of gas pain, and gas pain can be dismissed often, but gas pain can be bad enough to send someone to the emergency room,
0:19.0	and anyone who's experienced that been there
0:21.2	knows what I'm talking about. Constipation can lead to so much backup and so much negative feedback
0:27.3	that our stomachs don't empty. And so it can really cause a gamut of GI symptoms that we don't
0:32.8	really think to attribute to the constipation to the point that I try to teach all my fellows
0:36.6	that is the root of all evil.
0:42.4	Welcome to the exam room podcast, brought to you by the Physicians Committee.
0:46.6	Hi, I'm Chuck Carroll, raising health IQs coast to coast and around the world.
0:51.7	Hi to the exam room. He's listening in Boise, Idaho, Mobile, Alabama,
0:56.7	and Dublin, Ireland. Wherever you are, we appreciate you helping to make the world a healthier
1:01.8	place. This is episode 19 of season 9, number 718 overall. And today's guest is someone who has played
1:10.0	a very important role in my own health
1:12.8	journey. And I am definitely honored to have her here with us. Dr. Iris Wong is a gastroenterologist
1:19.7	at the Mayo Clinic and also happens to be my doctor there. And over the past year, she has
1:25.9	helped me through some of the most difficult moments
1:28.4	with my own health, helping me to better understand what was happening with my body when mysteries
1:34.3	were all around, but answers were few and far between. Dr. Wong truly helped to get me
1:40.7	back on the path forward to a healthier life. And so it really does mean a lot to
1:46.9	have her here with us today. But today is not about me, nor is it about my health, because Dr. Wong
1:54.8	is also the author of a really fun and important children's book called Boo Can't Pooh. And this is a book that
	...

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