Constipation

Debbie - posted on 06/03/2010

my 3yr old daughter was always constipated peadatrician recommended parachoc medicine brought over the counter at the chemist works fantastic

Stephanie - posted on 05/26/2010

The biggest thing is to pay attention to your child's pooping schedule, that is how we were able to know what to do. At first, it was very important that we gave our daughter Miralax every day, so she wouldn't be so stressed out. So that may be the best thing at least for a month or two, then while the Miralax helps ease the discomfort, then take dietary factors into consideration. Our pediatrician also suggested giving our daughter foods or drinks (you know those foods that don't sit well and run back out) that actually gave her diarrhea which at least softened the stool so she would not have a difficult time.

Pamela - posted on 05/25/2010

My 11 yr old as well, she gets so backed up that in the exrays you can see her large and small intestins packed. She cryes in so much pain and all the drs do is tell me to give her myralax. so if you find any miracles please post

Stephanie - posted on 05/25/2010

My daughter had that problem BIG time! We used Miralax, it;s awesome, and then started working on the root cause. She was drinking way too much milk, which had dual affects, constipation, and a feeling of fullness. So when she asked for milk, we offered her something to eat or another liquid, like juice or water. It took time, but she is much better, and no longer needs the Miralax.

Wendy - posted on 05/25/2010

At a health food shop you can get some slippery elm powder if you mix it in his cereal for about a week it should work. By the way it tastes of mild curry without the heat.

Lisa - posted on 05/21/2010

Grape juice is the best thing to use. Whenever my kids or myself is constipated (me which hardly happens) but when my kids were young Grape juice did the trick. And I am saying 100% grape juice. Tho it maybe a little more expensive the grape drinks like Fruitopia or other no name brands the best is Welch's Grape Juice. Try it, It works and it is good for your son as well

Deborah - posted on 05/20/2010

If it is an consistant problem, I would always consult your childs doctor first to make sure there are no underlying problems and to ease your mind. My son (now 4) had a period of time where he'd refuse fresh fruits and veggies of any kind. So due to the lack of fiber in his diet, he was constipated A LOT. His doc recommended suppositories. My poor son! What a disaster and to add insult to injury they didn't do nayhting at all!!! I cooked up Barilla Multi-Grain and 100% Whole Wheat (also by Barilla) for him since he can never eat enough pasta. LOL. Oh and not both at the same time. I just bought both and they had the same effect. Oh yeah, each and everytime my boy would have a good BM within 24 hours. So I switch back and forth between the Multi-Grain and 100% Whole Wheat y Barilla at least once a week to keep him and us "regular". It works and is so much easier on everyone than the suppositories. When he was under a year old, we'd give him prune juice cut with water and that also worked.

But check with the doctor because taking things (especially meds) regularly to go pooh can lead to the body NOT being able to go pooh WITHOUT the meds. Remember everyone is different. Some [people go everyday, some every other day or more. So you gotta find what your 3 year olds "schedule is" that is normal for him/her. But if there are those little rabbit pellet looking poohs....yeah that's constipation :-( Good Luck!

Nancy - posted on 05/20/2010

I see lots of advice about apple juice, One lesson I learned the hard way...water the juice to at least half water. Full strength can give your child painful gas.

Marina - posted on 05/19/2010

I hope you got my reply last time. How are things going now? Is he drinking lots of water and eating fresh fruit and veggies?

Yvonne - posted on 05/19/2010

When my oldest daughter was 6 (currently 15) she had the same problem. Her pediatrician informed me to give her the "P" fruits. Those are Peaches,Pears,Plums and Prunes. Within 48hrs she was feeling alot more comfortable and has helped her for the longterm. Also, plenty of H2O. hope this helps.

Donna - posted on 05/19/2010

Hi there, is your son STRESSED, this could the cause of why he is constipated, check out what he is doing and eating every day and then slowly change it. You could also try some warm water and brown sugar that is what I used for my daughter, you don't need to give too much but it is something that we all generally have in our cupboards and it is alot cheaper than other things you might try. There is something in the brown sugar that just might soothe your child. You can add this to their milk if he is still having formula add it to his formula but make sure the water is quite warm and don't forget to do a slight taste test just too make sure that it is not too sweet for him, it should be just enough to taste not be sickly, I hope this helps anyway, we mothers do like to try a number of things until we find something that works for us, what ever you find works for you then just stick with it. Also you don't have to keep giving him this every day, every 2nd or 3rd day should be fine but after all you are his mother so I will leave it up to you to decide how much, and how often. All the best it is really heart breaking when our little one is in so much pain

Louise - posted on 05/19/2010

They will eat what we give them, if they don't have a choice it will be easier to get the good foods into them," Stoic parenting " My little boy has the opposite problem, more runny poo. However it is allergy related as he is allergic to egg, soy, potato, chicken and mushroom. Annifalactic tomost of these, as well as they cause severe exzema. Good luck

Alice - posted on 05/19/2010

orangejuice

Gina - posted on 05/19/2010

have you been to the Doctor, to see what might be the problem? Could your son have a food allergy tha tis causing this, keep track of what you are feeding him , does he drink lots of milk, juice, or water?

Louise - posted on 05/18/2010

Make sure your son is getting a good fibre diet, lots of meet and vegies especially. I grate Kraft cheese sticks-kids love these ) over all vegies and melt it in the microwave.
Cauliflour, Brocoli, sweet potato, carot, suede. I also cut them into small bite sized bits.
Make it a treat. It is something special to have cheezie vegies. " so yummie."
You could also make sure your husband and you plus other kids always have special "cheezie vegies" with their meals. You know how kids are, always wanting what we have. Good luck, it works for me.
I also make a mixed vegie and cheese spread for toast. Just mash it all together. The cheese makes it nice. You need to eat i too, to start them off. Fruit is also important, Apple wedges, banana- dip that in that chocolate that hardens when it drys, as a treat- that is if they don't like fruit; Always say how you love to eat it too.

Agna - posted on 05/18/2010

Psyllium, whole if you can get it. Tasteless, can mix it into his oatmeal or cereal. Great for adults as well.

Sue - posted on 05/18/2010

is he eating fruits and vegetables? is not, try graham crackers also

Vicki - posted on 05/18/2010

One of my boys had a real time with constipation when he was little and the doc said NEVER give him white bread it just sits in the stomach and rots and nothing gets through and lots of fruit and veggies. We discovered a few prunes a day worked and since he loved them we went with that. And exercise - get that stuff moving. When we sit around a lot our bodies don't work quite the way they were designed so exercise exercise exercise. In fact i had a friend who's little boy has down's syndrome and he had such a time going. they discovered if they played chase with him it wouldn't be long until he was going normally - so after supper games included chase around the table a few times.

Becky - posted on 05/18/2010

Have you check out to see if he has an allergy to wheat or gluten. I had a friend who's son was, and he would always get that way as soon as he ate wheat & or gluten. Hope you find your cure.

Julie - posted on 05/18/2010

Simone and other mothers,
I had to have a colonoscopy several years back and my dr. gave me MIRALAX to use for the pre test cleaning. I mixed it with water and it was thick like a jelly and stunk like a tire show room. I read the label and did some research. The active ingredient in Miralax is Polyethylene Glycol 3350 (PEG 3350) with the "industrial application for use in metal working and rubber compounds." hhtp://www.allchem-inc.com/peg_3350.asp. Naturally our FDA said it was safe if taken in smaller amounts but who wants to ingest plastic and rubber compounds? This stuff is not tasteless and I had a belly ache for days, it was horrible. Yes, it did cause my bowels to move but anyone's bowels would reject this stuff. It is such an irritant to the colon that it spues out its contents. Not to mention this stuff gets into the blood stream.

I will say no more as each of us will make our own decision of what we put into our bodies, just read the material. Site after site says the same thing. Even gasoline, in small amounts won't kill us but do we want it in our bodies? Water, apple juice, prunes, warm baths, tummy massages are all an option, wouldn't we try these good ole standbyes before we use chemicals?

Natalia - posted on 05/18/2010

My daughter suffered from constipation as well. The one and only thing that is natural and no worries of over use is just straight mineral oil. It's cheap and easy to disguise in juice or milk. Because it is oily it will not mix well but my daughter was still using her bottle at that age so I would just mix it in the milk and give it a shake. I agree with Krista, lots of fruit and water but that never helped my daughter at all. Mineral oil was the best. You can find it in any drug store in the aisle where they keep the constipation meds. It helps by lubing the intestines and therefore the stool slips out easily pain free. I had to use it for many years. It started when she was 9 months old because we had to switch her to soya formula because of colic (soya causes constipation) and that is where it started. We had to get x-rays every year to make sure the stool was not backing up in her body. You have to be carefully with that. A child could die from backed up stool. It can cause the body to go into toxic shock. I used mineral oil for years on my daughter until she was maybe around 10. She is now 13 and is fine. It took years to grow out of it. Also, talk to the doctor about it as it can lead to serious problems later on in life if it's not treated properly but when you use the mineral oil, plan to use it for a very long time until he can pass the stool without pain but it's something you always have to use so don't stop giving it to him. It's completly safe for long term use. Good luck.

Julie - posted on 05/17/2010

Oh Simone, I hate to hear a child is constipated but I know it happens. Mom would always make sure the child is alright and not in any danger of a serious complication, so maybe a trip to the doctor might be called for.



If it were my child, (and I have two sons who are grown) and a new grandson, and my Hubby is a doctor, this is what I would do. First, drink water. Many children today do not get enough water, just plain water. In my day of child rearing, we gave our new borns a couple of ounces of water every day. The seasons are changing and these little ones get as thirsty as their adult counterparts. They are sweating, playing, getting dehydrated from the use of air conditioiners just as they did with the heaters this past winter. Water. Water. Water. They cannot get too much water.



Next, along with the water . . . I gave mine PLAIN yogurt. No sugar added, no fruit, as fruit has sugar. Sugar will dehydrate us. PlAIN yogurt has natural bacterias that help balance out the bacterias in our colon that are much needed for digestion, assamulation of nutrients and absorbsion. The "probiotics" in the yogurt will assist in the breakdown of food, to more completely digest foods. Smaller, unbunched stool is easier to pass, the water will lubricate the stool and help it to pass easier. The two together are a sure winner. I have always turned to these hard fast "cures" for myself when I became constipated. Try it. There is no harm in it. Try these two for one week, or 7 - 10 full days.



Give you child water 2 - 4 oz. two or more times a day, or as much as he asks for it. Likely he will ask for it more than this. Give him a tablespoon or more of the plain yogurt 3 times a day as a snack or with a snack of crackers.



I know the "PLAIN" part of this yogurt is awful but only because we are used to adding sugars to it. Did you know that sugars actually distroy the bacterias found in yogurt: L. acidophilus, b. longum, b. bifidum, b. lactis.



If your son has had antibiotics anytime in the past, his intestinal flora will have been compromised as antibiotics kill the good as well as the bad bacteria in the gut. With antibiotics, sugars, lack of plain water, inproper chewing and lack of time to have a bowel movement or no time scheduled can cause all of us to become constipated. It is a good idea for mom's to have a tablespoon of plain yogurt a couple of times each day and plenty of plain water to keep our systems at working. 7 - 10 days of this addition to out diets can change a lot: lose of weight, easier bowel movements, better looking complexions, fewer lines and wrinkles, brighter skin, more energy, ...and the list goes on.



One last thing. Many of us don't take the time to have regular bowels movements and some times in the rat race of life our children suffer with us. We all should be going to sit on the throne when we feel the urge to go not hold it back until it goes away because we don't have time right now. This waiting will cause "bunching" of the stool in the rectum. Once in the rectum the stool does not get any water. In a time that adults' number 1 cause of death is colon cancer, (this claim was made on TV last week) it is time we all take time out to do what our bodies ask of us. Moms with good habits, teach our children the same.



Hugs

Julie

Diane - posted on 05/17/2010

there is an over the counter medicine that the doctors around here recomend. i think its called lactaid. my grandson was so constipated his bowel movements were huge when he finally managed to go. this stuff really helped him. ask at your drug store. no little kid should have to go through that. good luck. dmcg.

Kathleen - posted on 05/15/2010

My son started with his constipation issues at 7 mos, and has continued to this day. He's gone through long periods of time when everything is fine, and then is starts all over. When he was little, we used pear juice, that worked well, but didn't stick for long. After that we finally acquiesed and spoke to the doctor about it. He was put on Miralax. We'd put it in his juice in the morning, he'd finish the cup, and before we knew it, he was back to normal. We really went through hell at times with him. We only put him on that when we're truly at our wits end. Now, his "miracle" is blueberries. If he's constipated, we give him a bowl with milk, and he's great. It works beautifully. Keep him drinking too! I hope that helps. Sorry for the looooong story, but I know how painful, in all ways, it can be!!

Lisa - posted on 05/15/2010

I have a four year old that has been using Miralax since he was 18 months old.The prunes, raisins, apple juice, fluids, etc did not work. My pediatrician said Miralax is not harsh or harmful. He had to have it three times a day for about a year to keep him going. He also had a terrible backup. I now can give it to him a 1/2 cupful every 2-3 days. I still make sure he gets lots of the "helpful foods" in his diet and the yogurts. The activia is great for him according to my pediatrician but I get the "kiddie" designed ones also because he will eat those sometime twice a day and all yogurt is good for him. Talk to your child pediatrician and remember don't put off making him an appointment, he is miserable and there can be complications if this goes on too long!

Nicole - posted on 05/15/2010

I would suggest trying probiotics. They really help to stabilize the digestive system. The kind I use are simple powders that can be added unnoticed to juice or even water (ours taste kind of lemony). These are great for kids and adults, highly recommended!

Roberta - posted on 05/15/2010

You might try cracklin oat bran cereal for breakfast. It's sweet so he would like it and it worked for a child in my care a few years ago. Prunes work too but who likes prunes?

Samantha - posted on 05/14/2010

My daughter (now 6) had terrible constipation and tummy cramps. I had her hair tested and they found that she has a intolerance to soy and dairy, a different child now we are off both those although I do let her have some in moderation!!!!

Jen - posted on 05/14/2010

Milkinol is a God send! It is mineral oil and is orange flavored!!!

REBECCA - posted on 05/14/2010

MINERAL OIL USUALLY WORKS. ALSO TAKE A Q-TIP AND MASSAGE HIS ANAL NOT INSIDE JUST AROUND IT. IT WILL RELAX HIS BUTT MUSCELS. IF ALL ELSE FAILS I WOULD TAKE HIM TO THE DOC TO MAKE SURE THERE IS NOTHING WRONG.

Lee - posted on 05/13/2010

Encourage him (in the nicest way) to drink liquids. Water is best, but we also mix pure (unsweetened, no additive) fruit juice with water too to get our (now 4 year-old) son to drink a bit extra. We also create "space" for him to poo. He has plenty of fruit, seed and whole wheat bread and honey - as well as veggies such as broccoli and carrots daily (and NO milk products other than a little cheese every few days). He has changed from being constipated for up to ten days at a time to going daily and with ease. Is your son still drinking formula bottles? If he is, then that can be an enormous problem since the iron in the formula really stops them up. Good luck!

Kimberly - posted on 05/13/2010

we have had the same issue with our son and have had to put him on Miralax. He has been on it a couple years now and it works great. I would talk to your pediatrician about it, especially when potty training. Lots of water helps and try to limit his dairy intake as well. Good luck!

Danette - posted on 05/13/2010

My grandson has had similar problems, my daughter give him fiber in a powder in a drink and if really bad you can give him some prune juice and make sure he has alot of water cuz if he's constipated it will be like a rock and hurt him and the water helps with that alot. good luck.

Marleah - posted on 05/13/2010

I would get a product call Relive because my daughter use to use it for that. It helped just not just but me also. I am using it to loose weight. My friend sells it Joy Milligan call her # is 321-7701. I am not trying to sell you something I just know it works.
God bless, Marleah

Cj - posted on 05/13/2010

I have a couple of children in my care that have this issue a lot. One pediatrician said that P named fruits usually help with pooping - peaches, prunes, pears, plums. A LOT of water. Tomato products (super food so they should be getting a lot of these anyway.) For the kids (3 and over) who have issues with all these items addressed, we give Fiber One bars for breakfast unless they are having a REALLY soft stool the day before, then we will skip a day. We use the Karo syrup for the littler ones and additional pureed fruit.

Laurie - posted on 05/13/2010

My daughter went through this and it was horrible! Warm baths worked until she was bigger and wouldn't poop in the tub. Our pediatrician's nurse kept telling us this was normal with some young kids. We did finally end up seeing a Pediatric GI. We had to do the enema to get her cleaned out, then Miralax everyday. Dr. told us to adjust the dose until her stool was like chocolate pudding. She did finally get through it, but it was a very difficult process and horrible ordeal. Thankfully, my son has had no problems! Good luck and God Bless!

Shelli - posted on 05/13/2010

They don't like to give enemas anymore, unless the child is hospitalised, then if really bad they will do it. But in the community they won't give them as too invasive.

Shelli - posted on 05/13/2010

My daughter gets really bad constipation, ask Ur GP (Doctor) to prescribe MOVICOL-half or MOVICOL PAEDIATRIC PLAIN, U mix the powder with water and stir or shake, then give to the child 3 times a day for 3 days and it WILL work. If it works for my daughter it will work for anyone. I hope this helps. XXXXX

Marina - posted on 05/12/2010

What kinds of food does he eat? If he takes in a lot of white bread, cake, pastries and sweets, he will be constipated. He must drink lots of water, be active, play and eat whole grain foods. Avoid sugary foods as they tend to draw moisture from the intestines. Good luck and let know if it helps. Maybe he is stressed about something too. It can cause him to be up tight and not relax.

Barbara - posted on 05/12/2010

I went through this for the last year and the only thing that worked was Miralax. I put it right in his cup and he doesn't know the difference. I give it to him based on how much I think he needs it. When I gave what the doctor said it was way too much and I paid for it with mess after mess., But now i give it to him 1x a week and it just keeps him regulated. I know that water and fruit and fiber helps but he is just such a picky eater that I can't get any of that in him so this was the best way to help him along! good luck!

Bonnie - posted on 05/12/2010

I had the same trouble with my son when he was about that age. I found giving him acidophilus worked like a charm, especially since he had recurring ear infections and had so many antibiotics. Once I got his good bacteria back to normal, he went no problem. He started having normal bowel movements after about 4 days! You can get it at the grocery store or department store in the natural/supplement area. Keep in fridge when you take it home!! Good luck!!

Catherine - posted on 05/11/2010

Take him to a chiropractor that is able to minipulate the ileocecal valve which separates the small intestine from the large intestine. It is not uncommon for this valve to malfunction in small children causing consipation and bloating.

Liz - posted on 05/11/2010

Water and raisins or prunes should help - lots of fruit and fresh veggies.

Kris - posted on 05/11/2010

hi, I have delt with constipation myself and have discovered that my body cannot tolerate wheat or gluten of any kind. It is called Celiac. Since I have eliminated gluten from my diet, I am becoming regular, the constant pain and pressure is going away and I feel SO much better. Just something to consider.

Francine - posted on 05/11/2010

I had the same problem with my 12 year old just this past February. I took him to see our family dr. and he recommended that he start eating more fruits. I started making him a smoothie in the morning before he goes to school with oranges, strawberries, watermelon and bananas with a table spoon of vanilla yogurt and a bit of milk. As well, I'm giving him one glass of Welch's grape juice (not prune, kids tend to not like the taste) with a table spoon of Benefibre with lots of ice every night before he goes to bed. Have him drink lots of water throughout the day. It cleared up within 10 days. Hope this is helpful for you.

Glenda - posted on 05/11/2010

My son, now 11 was constipated, but it was an indication (for him) of some upset. For example, my mom used to come stay with use for long stretches of time, when she'd leave, he'd stop pooping, until it was in his pants. He did grow out of that, when he was able to communicate his upset in some other way. From all the other posts I've read, and maybe even your situation, this might not be the case, but just a thought.

Jill - posted on 05/10/2010

My daughter who is 6, has severe constipation since birth. When on the toilet have their feet on a stool, and give them a book to read. They say some children become constipated from not taking the time to go. We also give her Miralax until stool is like applesause for a week, then we give the Miralax twice a week. Increase the fluids and fiber in the diet. Milk is not considered a fluid. Diet, fluids and behavior therapy combined help.

Donna - posted on 05/09/2010

We went through with this too. With our Daughter Rebecka, to the point we were at Children's Mercy er and urgent care everyday. they took xrays and it was back to her stomach through the intestines. They put her on miralax for 3 three day every 2 hours, and then continued once - twice a day to keep her reg. they said she was built up for over a year. She had blockages also. She missed almost a month of school going to the doctors. because when it got to a point she was throwing up and fevers.

Maria - posted on 05/09/2010

try a good enema

Juana - posted on 05/09/2010

My doctor recommended the apple juice when my son started on cow milk,or giving him pieces of apple. with my son he has had constipation since birth, and at that time I was giving him the karo syrup (the dark one) and I was giving him 1 teaspoon with each bottle as he needed and it always worked