Toddlers & Constipation ... HELP!

[maciec]

My poor little guy is having a terrible time going poop. We have tried apple
juice, orange juice, cutting out dairy products, warm baths, and suppositories (actually only 1 so far). He is really straining to get it out and crying when he's trying. I don't know what else to try so I am looking for suggestions. What's come out is about the size of a walnut at best.

I just called the doctors office and I am waiting for a call back.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Dory's Twin]

My DS went thru this. You will have to sneak oil into everything....unfortunately if this goes on too long it can obstruct his bowel....or it can be so painful coming out that he refuses to go...and the vicious cycle begins....now that DS is 15 we actually joke about it!

The oil just makes it so slick that it comes shooting out!

 

[Dopey Sharon]

Prune juice

 

[americanmale]

We used to have to mix Cayo syrup(pure sugar) in with DD's juice about once a week. She would be stopped up so tight until about 1 hour after that juice. Then the blowout would occur.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

Try the Fleets Infant LIQUID suppositories. I absolutely swear by them. They're little bulbs filled with a glycerin liquid, you insert it in his bum, squeeze out the liquid, then wait. I had to use them with two of my sons when they were infants (for multiple reasons) and they work like a charm. He won't like it though!

 

[momof2minnies]

What I used for my dtrs. was molasses. Mix it warm in milk and it is sweet, they drank it and it works well.Good Luck
Linda

 

[SamIAm21]

Fletcher's Castoria? It's completely natural and will help him pass things along and like the above poster said, lots of oil? You wouldn't happen to live near a White Castle hamburger joint would you? Those work even for the most stubborn cases.

 

[camreesmom]

Karo syrup always worked the best for us also. Twins DS14 had frequent problems with constipation since they were such picky eaters. Hope your little one feels better soon.

 

[foolishmortal]

Our doctor always says water...or fruit juices that start with a P...Pear or Prune.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Please do take this seriously.
Remember that it is not really normal to go thru all kinds of juices and fibers and suppositories just to 'go'.

If this is a real problem, then it could be encopresis, which can be damaging to the bowel.

Miralax is a godsend!!!

Ask your doctor, or see a Ped.Gastroenterologist.

I hope the problem clears up quickly for your little one!!!

 

[mom23boys]

My middle DS has had these problems since he was a baby. I have given him Miralax for a couple of years now.

A few weeks ago he got an infection with a high fever, well 5 days later he was double over in pain. He was not eating or drinking so I did not give him his medicine. We thought apendix but he was constipated. We went to the ER and they did 2 fleet enamas to get it out. I was truly amazed what came out.

If he is just going a walnut size maybe he is holding it in. I thought my DS was trying to push it out, but really he was holding it in so it would not hurt. An enama will get what is at the bottom but you have to deal with it all.

Since DS was all "cleaned out" by the ER he has been great, I give him his medicine and he goes everyday without it hurting.

I was also told no sugar drinks and of course no high fat foods.

I wish your little on better soon.

 

[T1130]

My dd has had the same problems. I swear by little tummies it is a laxative.

 

[beattyfamily]

Oh boy, I had this problem with my oldest, who will be 10 in two weeks. Started shortly after she was potty trained. Once at age 3, she held her poop for 8 days!!!! It would also get bad on vacation when her schedule was different.

We tried everything; mineral oil, prune juice, suppositories, some chocolate flavored liquid you can put in drinks, Senokot etc... and out of all of them, she didn't mind the mineral oil, if you can believe it.

Since then she's always had problems with constipation, and never completely outgrew her fear of the pain of constipation and now she'll will be seeing a specialist for it in June.

Hopefully, you can nip this and prevent any long-term problem. Good luck!

 

[MAKmom]

Apples are binding so do not give him Apple Juice. It took us 6 years to figure out DD9 is Lactose intolerant she gets constipated not runny. Any amount of Dairy will bind her.

 

[mickeyboat]

Be careful with apples and apple juice. Our pediatrician told us that they can either have a laxitive effect or a constipating effect. We were trying to get DD5 to drink more fluids by using apple juice, and it may have had the reverse consequence.

Good luck. I hope your little one is feeling better soon.

Denae

 

[maciec]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of the responses! Usually apple juice and orange juice act as a laxative for him, but this time it's just not working.

I have never heard of a lot of these suggestions, boy I am glad that we have each other to go to for shared experiences.

I finally heard from the doctor and he is going in tomorrow morning at 11. I feel so bad for him.

We are potty training and actually, I think this is helping him realize what the sensation feels like to poop.
I am hoping that this is not a serious problem and we can get it cleared up quickly. I'll take a blow out any day over watching this pain he's going through.

 

[dmslush]

How old is he? You say that you are potty training, is he sitting on the potty when he is trying to go? DD was super constipated all of the time (I know she'll love it when she sees that on the dis LOL). Out of desperation once when she was about a year old, I put her on the big potty to see if gravity would help. Well, you know how they have to spread eagle and hang on on the big potty? It seemed to work the magic. From that day on, she would go potty for poop. I would use another suppository and then give him a few minutes and sit him on the big potty.

 

[Feralpeg]

Apple juice is very constipating because it contains pectin. Try prune juice or mineral oil. DD had the same problem when she was young. The doctor had me give her one tablespoon of mineral oil a day. Since it is pretty disgusting to take, I put a glob of Hershey's Chocolate Syrup in the spoon of mineral oil. That way, she only tasted the chocolate. Prune juice works pretty fast, but if he is really in pain you should get a Fleet enema kit.

I hope he feels better soon.

 

[crystalblue705]

My daughter had a very painful bowel movement when she was a toddler and since that time she would hold it in. It was a very hard time because we would try everything to make her go. She wouldn't bend her legs,she would walk around stiff legged because she was afraid of the pain and wouldn't let it come out. The only thing that really worked was Kondremul Mineral Oil but you had to start with quite a bit to get the big poop out first then wind down with the quantity.The Dr. will help with the amount you need if this is suggested and it didn't taste bad. There was still one time when she had to go to the ER because her stomach was big and it didn't look like anything was coming out soon. She had the enema. It was a very tough road. It's like everything was on hold because of the pain and frustration your child goes through with this. There were days we couldn't leave the house. When she got older, I would still give Kondremul to her every night to make sure there would be no problems. She is now 10 and apparently grew out of it.

 

[pajamommy]

My son went through the same thing. The only thing that eventually worked was putting Citrucel Clear Mix in his juice every morning, until he just went on a regular basis. This was when he was about 3, now he is 7 and has not had any problems since then. Good luck, I know how frustrating it can be!