Transit Study

Constipation is a common bowel problem in children. It refers to passing hard stools with difficulty, less frequently than normal. Several factors can result in constipation including lack of fibre and fluid intake in your child’s diet.

The transit study is a study of the motility (movement) of your child’s colon (large intestines).  This study is to check if the movement of stools in your child’s large intestine is normal or slow and evaluate the function of the bowel. Depending on the test results, the specialist will decide on appropriate treatment of your child’s constipation.

The study involves swallowing very small rings or markers. These rings can be mixed with food such as yoghurt or pudding for ingestion. After a few days of taking the markers, your child will need an X-ray. The rings are visible on X-ray. There are no risks involved with swallowing the markers as they are made of inert medical grade plastic material that will be passed out of your child’s body.

The colonic transit result will then be interpreted by your specialist to guide treatment for your child’s constipation.