Any ideas on how to help my son's constant constipation?

Paul & Margaret - posted on 10/14/2011

Also I forgot to say that it does not cause bloating, cramping or gas like most other laxatives or fibres on the market do. Good luck. ;0(

Paul & Margaret - posted on 10/14/2011

For those who live in Australia the equivalent of Miralax is OsmoLax. Identical formulation with no salt or potassium loading and no sugars. This means NO taste and no problem getting into your child. See your pharmacist or GP for a script as it is on PBS. Hope this helps it certainly did for my grandson. Marg

Caitlin - posted on 10/04/2009

try a little bit of brown sugar in the bottle of warm water only enough to slightly colour the water.. works for my son or u could try softly massaging his tummy

CHERYL - posted on 10/04/2009

did you try warm water,or prune juice with water in it that might help but it always helped my children,but it has to be warm

CHERYL - posted on 10/04/2009

did you try warm water,or prune juice with water in it that might help but it always helped my children,but it has to be warm

Jessica - posted on 10/04/2009

does he drink a lot of milk???if so cut down on it.

Daryl - posted on 10/04/2009

Quoting Alison:

Any ideas on how to help my son's constant constipation?

My sons seems to be constantly constipated - have tried banana's, extra water, apple juice, kiwi fruit, coloxyl drops, parachoc and nothing really seems to help. Any ideas????

Hi Alison. My daughter had the same problem. She was taking too much Iron for her system. She was cut back on the dosage and she eats lots of celery, pears, apples, grapes etc, anything for fibre. she went on a fibre diet and has been fine since. I hope this will help you.

REBECCA - posted on 10/04/2009

Quoting Alison:

Any ideas on how to help my son's constant constipation?

My sons seems to be constantly constipated - have tried banana's, extra water, apple juice, kiwi fruit, coloxyl drops, parachoc and nothing really seems to help. Any ideas????

Hi there. My 2 year old has suffered with this since birth. She has a Movicol sachet daily in her drink, we also found that Lactulose is brilliant, it is tasteless and colourless and we give her a spoonful of Fibresure. She now goes more often rather than sometimes not going for a week, so try this.

Linda - posted on 10/03/2009

He is not getting enough moisture in his bowel. He is either not getting enough water or fiber to hold the water. If you narrow his diet to just fruit and vegtables, whole grains and small amounts of protein (no cheese, no junk food) and he still has a problem I would suspect parasites. Yes, I know it sounds disgusting but it is a real posibility. Children can pick these up very easily. You can get help with that from a good health food store of chiropratic office. I hope you can resolve this problem soon it's not just uncomfortable it's important for your childs health.

Joey - posted on 10/03/2009

epsom salt bath really seems to help but I dont know about real clinical constapation like what your dealing with... hope it helps

Denise - posted on 10/02/2009

Fiber Gummies or Pedilax chewables is what I recommended to a friend of mine at work for her daughter. Also, you can try Yo-Jay at Hy-Vee. It is yogurt mixed with juice drink-like a smoothie-it is in the refrigerated section.

Amanda - posted on 10/02/2009

be careful of bananas they can be EXTREMELY binding, as can apple juice (I found out the hardway) Depending on the age of your son (my daughter was 2) I used childrens senokot, and mixed it in with chocolate milk. Also for quick relief Fleet makes a childrens liquid suppository that works really quick (within 10 mins). Good luck !!!

Amanda - posted on 10/02/2009

I gave my kid grape juice.

Megan - posted on 10/02/2009

I give my daughter Activia yougrt and it really seems to help her!

Megan - posted on 10/02/2009

I give my daughter Activia yougrt and it really seems to help her!

Megan - posted on 10/02/2009

I give my daughter Activia yougrt and it really seems to help her!

Jessica - posted on 10/02/2009

My son was the same way he would get so bad that his stomach would hurt apple juice works on him no but before the only thing that would really work is Castor oil, you can find it in your local grocery store. ( If you use it mix it with juice with a strong tast like grape juice)

Jacki - posted on 10/02/2009

Any juices that start with the letter "P" have something in them that stimulate bowel movements. Per my daughters doctor. I have to be carefull not to give her too much. Once the block is out, they may get a bit of loose stool due to the back up. My doctor also recommended 2 oz of pear juice every morning to keep from backing up again.

Jenny - posted on 10/02/2009

I've read bananas are actually a binding nutrient, which is why they're part of a "B.R.A.T." diet - bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast - whenever someone has the flu. Have you tried cereal bars, grape juice, or prunes?

Mandy - posted on 10/02/2009

My pediatrician told me to give my little girl diluted prune juice. Just mix a small amount less then a ounce or maybe a ounce with water. Prune juice always does the trick!

Carla - posted on 10/02/2009

We give our son Senekot, it's a pill he swallows daily. We also push the water & exercise which seems to help, also strawberries are supposed to help. The senskot or generic name of Senegent can be bought over the counter wiyhout a script from a dr. I think. Hope this helps, good kuck

Rose Lynn - posted on 10/01/2009

Well banana's will get him constipated. They are good for him but to many will stop him up . it did to my son. A high fiber diet will help. Prunes or prune juice are great. You could mix it with other juices. Tomatoes are great too. Sometimes if a child has a hard bowel movement, they will hold it in, because it hurts. My niece used to do it.

Tracie - posted on 10/01/2009

When my son was four, I finally couldn't take it anymore! Always a smudge in his underwear and the doctor telling me to give him mineral oil, and the child always grumpy and unhappy. Finally got a referral to a gastrointestinal specialist. He had encopresis - impacted bowels - not just constipation. The x-ray has horrifying to a mom! We started a program of regular enemas, followed by a couple weeks of suppositories to get his bowels cleaned out. Then a strict regimine of high fibre diet, meals at the same time every day, regular trips to the toilet whether he wanted to go or not, more mineral oil ... all to retrain his muscles so that he could go. Ask your doctor about a specialist. My son's whole personality changed once we got him healthy!

Beth - posted on 09/30/2009

I totally agree with Samantha. My son has constipation problems, he is 3, and he takes prescription Miralax (generic) daily and it really helps.  The drs. told me that it is really common now because alot of kids don't eat enough fruit and veggies.  I would definitely recommend asking your dr. about it. It really helped us, after 2 trips to ER and a third to IA city ER where he had to have an enema. Good luck!

 

Quoting Samantha:

My twins were born premature and we had real big problems with consitpation. We ended up on a prescription of Miralax. It was a powder that mixed into their bottles once a day. It worked miracles. You would of course have to get your dr on board with giving it to your baby. A consitpated baby is just as bad as a colicy baby! Good luck..

Sharon - posted on 09/30/2009

When my son was a boby I had to put syrup in all his bottles. Then when he was about 4 yrs old I foulnd out he had a intestional blockage. We believe he has this problem because he will swallow his food instead on chewing it up completely. The doctor put him on benefiber daily and prescribed Miralax. We finally got him on track. And just have to give him a weekly dose of the Miralax now. Hope my experience will be of some help. Good Luck

Patti - posted on 09/30/2009

Does he drink Milk or eat milk products? The reason I'm asking is that I had the same problem as a child. Actually it went on into adulthood, who knew that dairy products could constipate a person.

Cosette - posted on 09/30/2009

Fiber, water, apple cider. Some fruits like banana's bind you-which is good when you have loose stool not when constipated. Believe it or not, when my kids got constipated I made the excercise, especially running and touching toes and reaching for the sky. Apparently it helps the stomach to move the bowels.

Tara - posted on 09/30/2009

Mineral Oil! My daughter had issues also and this stuff will make them go fast!

Ashley - posted on 09/30/2009

Hi there. When both my girls had problems with the toilet i gave them syrup of figs. You get it from any super market or chemist, it is herbel. I aslo give them fig biscute's and they seem to help. Banana's bind you not help you go to the toilet. We suffered with this problem for 2 years, give it a go see if it work's for you. Good luck.

Sue - posted on 09/30/2009

Post a reply! hi Alison, the thing with bananas is if they are just ripe they will make the person more constipated, if left untill they black on the outside then they work well for easing constipation.. My son has hirschsrungs and we have tried everything for this problem. prune juice works but tastes awful, sweet potato is very good. Have the doctors told you why this is happening?

Melissa - posted on 09/29/2009

Thought my son had appendicitus he was sooo backed up. Got two enemas in the ER. It was crazy. So now(he's 17) ten yrs later, when he doesn't have a bm daily....He drinks 64 oz of apple juice and that softens itup and lets it out. He's a very finicky eater. Hardly eats veggies or fruit. Hope this helps

Catherine - posted on 09/29/2009

Prunes!

Cindy - posted on 09/29/2009

How old is your child? Most children love dried apricots and those are full of fiber

Terri - posted on 09/29/2009

My daughters ped suggested I give her 1/2 - 1 table spoon of mineral oil. You can find it in any drug store. It is a natual alternitive to medicine.

Tanya - posted on 09/29/2009

talk to the doctor to diagnoe the severity of the constipation and maybe shed light on its etiology first. Depeding on these findings you will be able to determine the best way to deal with this condition. My son was severely constipated... after a one-week admission to Sick KIds to rule out everything from cancer onward... he was given the diagnosis of chronic constipation with incontinence overflow. We tried a variety of different schedules and combinations of stool softeners and laxatives. What ended up working best for us was a prescription for PEG 3350.

Virginia Emily - posted on 09/29/2009

A practical way to help:

note the time when he eats and set a kitchen timer for about 20 minutes. when the timer goes off- remind him that it is time to use the toilet, and he can TAKE HIS TIME. often, this solves the problem, after making it a daily habit.

SOmetimes, kids are busy and don't want to be bothered with doing their business on the toilet as they have more interesting things to do instead, like play with trucks and legos, etc... know what I mean? they hold it in...and keep doing that till it becomes a mass too hard to move,....then pooping get sto be painful so they hold it in even longer. sooner or later they bloated and have headaches and feel ill. eating foods that soften stools will help, too:

Jenn - posted on 09/29/2009

Have you tried miralax? I think that is how you spell it.

Amy - posted on 09/29/2009

We have the same problem with our son. We were told to increase fiber, but that can actually make it worse in some kids, we have recently been told to do the Miralax as well. It mixes with nearly everything, color and tasteless... :) It is fast working though and can make for very loose stool, so do not travel ANYWHERE until you know how fast he will react to the dosing. It will soften it right up in no time, but can make for a mess if you aren't ready. Good luck!

Kim - posted on 09/29/2009

Quoting Tamara:

My Dr said (no matter what the age, as long as they eat some kind of foods) to use ANY 'P' fruit (peaches, prunes, plums, papaya....) and to AVOID bananas, rice & cut back on dairy. OTC like Lil Tummies laxative or Miralax can be used to "get things going" for a week or so, then ease off of it and see what the "P" diet does on it's own. My personal note: TAKE CARE OF THIS NOW! My oldest (now nearly 18) had a lot of problems w/ constipation as a little one and around 5 or 6 she began to have loose bowel accidents without even being aware of it. Doc diagnosed encopresis, which is caused by chronic constipation causing a blockage and the intestine gradually stretches out and allows 'seepage' of loose stool to go around the block. Many people think it's dirrhea and treat inappropriately, which just make things worse. Good luck!

Tamara --

Does encopresis get better, or does your daughter still suffer from it?  My son is 11, and I'm struggling with the same issues.  I'm going to try the "p" fruit thing and see if it helps, but he has also been limiting his diet -- mainly to the same foods that contribute to his problem.

Alison --

Thank you for asking about this!!! 

Roskola - posted on 09/29/2009

Go to the Health food store and ask for probiotics. They should have this in liquid or chewable depending on your child's age. My grandson, who is 11 had terrible stomach aches and was always constipated.He takes it everyday now and digestive track is normal!!

Rachael - posted on 09/29/2009

my son used to have the same problem. There are three options - you can either give him watered down prune juice - slippery elm powder or milk of magnesium - not mylanta but sometimes you can get from the chemist a milk of magnesium it is hard to find. You give it to your child every 30mins until they have a bowel motion. Hope this helps.

Melissa - posted on 09/29/2009

Needs to see a specialist...if the doctor says no, then i would demand it. My son used to have the same problem..we tried all the coloxyl stuff and everythings from the pharmacy. Now he has Brecky juice.(mixed juices together)..all bran with milk and a little sugar...fresh fruit like oranges and he is alot better. When he was a little younger (his is 5 now) we used to give him soft weetbix with mashed up prunes from the tin (u will find them in the canned fruit isle) and of course lots of GREEN vegies...lots. It will get better, but i would be making sure a specialist checks out his bowel, just to make sure there is no other reason...Goodluck with it, I know how awful it can be for the poor little things and for u....:-)

Julie - posted on 09/29/2009

A teaspoon of brown sugar twice a day ..It worked for my son when nothing else did............Put it in his bottle or milk which ever his having..A midwife gave me the tip..

Joan - posted on 09/29/2009

The different fruit flavored prunes in the bag should help have him eat two a day.

Lena - posted on 09/28/2009

My now 10 yr old daughter had the same problem. I was told to stay away from any "B" foods. To think of them as B is for Balls. Give Prune juice diluted in water or Mix Prune juice or Pureed Prunes with his cereal, esp. Oatmeal or Whole Grain cereal. Now, my daughter is taking Activia, on a daily basis. My sister's Dr. told her, she can give her 2 yr old daughter Activia for the same issues. It is a little pricey, but it works so much better & more natural then children's laxatives. Plus it is yogurt, so there are the benefits of the Vitamins & Minerals in there too. Whatever you do, DO NOT use a enema. I was told to do this when my daughter was 6 mo's old by an ER dr., the pharmacist had a cow & practically yanked her out of my arms. lol. He also backed up the B is for Balls theory.

Alissar - posted on 09/28/2009

hi alison,try to change the kind of milk u give him,and let it be not condence,warm but not hot.

Kathy - posted on 09/28/2009

Take him to a good chiropractor. Make sure you check him/her out first...there are a lot of quacks out there. Typically if you can find one that graduated from Palmer College you should be okay. I worked for a very good one for almost 20 years and could not believe some of the things that he helped people with. I think you will be amazed at the results!

Kathy - posted on 09/28/2009

My daught-in-Love dose not eat meat I I have learned a lot from her try more beans and less meat becarefull of Chesse too! if your sons is still nursing or formal a diffrent formal and eat a little less and have or help him move more.. and rice cereal allways help mine..

TAMMY - posted on 09/28/2009

try prune juice. my son had the same issue when he was about 3 months old. they told us to give him a baby enama and prune juice. it worked, but just be prepared for really messy diapers. good luck

Aspen - posted on 09/28/2009

What we did with my son and what my parents did with us kids was to give the child water with dark karo syrup in it. Put a couple teaspoons of karo to an 8 oz bottle. It works. If that isn't helping try using a lil bit more Karo. When I had my son I thought my parents were crazy ( they made their own formula and did stuff kind of organic like) so I asked the doctor and he said that it works, it's perfectly safe to use (only issue with water is the choking hazard). We used it when my son was an infant because the formal with iron made him constipated. I really hope this helps and best wishes!