Keeping a poop diary for your child

Our son has eczema, and along with it came constipation. Keeping track of how often he went, what he ate and how he felt was the only way we could answer the doctor's questions. Here's what we learned.

By The family behind Stool Log · Reviewed 5 November 2026

Why it helps with children

Children often can't say when they last went, and parents only see some of it, especially once a child goes to nursery or school. It's also easy to remember only the bad days.

A diary of a week or two answers the questions the doctor will ask: how often, how hard, does it hurt, and since when. NICE, which writes guidance for doctors in England, includes keeping and talking through a bowel diary in the support it suggests for children with constipation.¹

What to note

The NHS says a child may be constipated if they have done fewer than 3 poos in the last week, their poo is large and hard or looks like "rabbit droppings", or they strain or are in pain when they poo.² A diary shows each of these.

• When they went. Date and roughly what time.
• What it looked like, using the Bristol stool chart. Older children can point to the picture, and our poo chart for kids names the types in words they can use; for younger ones, check yourself.
• Whether it hurt or they strained, cried, or held it in.
• Accidents and soiling. In a child who is already potty-trained, soiling is usually because they are badly constipated,³ so it's worth writing down.
• Days with no poop. Write "didn't go" so the gap shows.
• Drinks and foods you're keeping an eye on, such as milk, or fruit and vegetables.
• Medicines, with the dose and time, if the doctor has given any.

Making it work for a child

• Keep it light. A chart with stickers works for some children (ours prints on one page); others don't need to know there is a diary at all. Encouragement and rewards are part of the support NICE describes.¹
• Never make it a test. Feeling pressured while potty or toilet training is one of the possible causes of constipation the NHS lists.²
• Use the same words every time. "Was it lumpy or smooth?" is easier than asking about shapes.
• Let older children log their own, with you checking now and then.

When more than one adult is involved

If both parents, a grandparent or a carer look after your child, agree on one diary. A shared paper sheet on the fridge works, and so does an app everyone can reach.

What to show the doctor

Count the poops a week, how many were hard, and how often it hurt. Mention any change in eating or drinking, and anything new, such as starting nursery or school or toilet training: the NHS lists not eating enough fibre, not drinking enough, pressure during toilet training and worry about things like starting school among the possible causes.² Our guide to preparing for a GI appointment has more.

A note from us

We're parents, not doctors, and every child is different. What helped us most was having the record in hand at appointments instead of trying to remember. If you'd rather keep it on paper, our printable stool diary works for children too.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or nurse about your own symptoms.