Toddler constipation - help!

[Lozario]

DS1 is 17 months and has been struggling with his poos for the last few weeks. I think it started with a painful poo a few weeks ago and ever since, he has been holding them in, doing a funny poo dance and going "oooh mama mama!" with a worried face! He didn't go for 5 days last week, in the end I took him to the doctor who gave us lactulose and suppositories (AWFUL experience!!) which did do the job later that day - again, and again, and again...!!!

But DS1 still seems scared of pooing and I feel like we're in a vicious circle of him holding them in, and making himself more constipated and uncomfortable. He hasn't pooed all weekend again so I've given him another dose of the lactulose, but I don't want to have to rely on it! Does anyone else have any experience of this - I feel DS has a sort of mental block with pooing now (as well as an actual block!!!).

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help...

[mamaJK]

my sister in law went through this. worth taking to a paediatrician rather than a GP to check nothing serious going on but it's all the usual stuff..

water (lots!!), blueberries, steamed broccoli etc were winners for her little boy. it can definitely become a psychological problem if he has constipation often and can create a nightmare with potty training.
try not to make too big a deal of it when he does do a poo or your reaction / worry might add to the problem.

watch the diet really closely and lots of water or watered down juice.

it's awful for the little ones so you're right to get onto it without relying on lactulose and suppositories!!

good luck

[beachavendrea]

Hi
not sure of this will help but my 6 month old was constipated almost all of his little life. So I would give him lactolose and suppositories as prescribed by his paedtrician for a few days and his bowls would move and then stop again!

Anyway I told this to the paedtrican and he said to use lactolose for a month to get everything moving as you don't want them to be afraid of the pain of pooing- which I guess has happened to your ds.

After using it for a month he has been regular for 10 days now, a first!

I was also worried about getting him dependant on lactolose but the paedtrician told me it goes straight through them so shouldn't be a problem.

Anyway maybe this is something you could try or discuss with your doctor.

Hope it improves being constipated is terrible!

[amidaiwish]

i would keep up with lactulose (combined with lots of fluid so it doesn't make his poo sticky). keep him on it for about a week altering the dose so he is pooing at least daily and that the poo is soft, even if it is a bit runny, until he forgets the fear. he may have a small cut from the painful poo, did the doctor check?

melon, apricots, vegetables etc... no bananas, limit yoghurt.

the last thing you want is for him to start holding it in, that is a nightmare cycle once it starts. (i know, dd2 was on movicol for a year aged 2.5)

[amidaiwish]

beachavendrea is right - about a month might be more like it! see how you get on.

[Lozario]

Thanks guys, this is really useful - I thought I was just meant to give him the lactulose just until he had gone, so I guess I'll give him the lactulose once a day this whole week. He's usually fairly good with fruit and veg too but we all had colds this week so he's been off his food. We'll try and get back on top of that this week too. He loves prunes and dried apricots with his breakfast but he won't drink a great deal of water - never has, despite my pushing it!

The doc didn't check him, so I'll see how he is this week and maybe go back; he did a small poo this arvo and cried a LOT with it again and for quite a while afterwards too, so it does seem to still be hurting him :(

[amidaiwish]

ok use enough lactulose to get the poo slightly runny. it sounds like he has a little tear which needs to heal before he can cope with solid poo.
if he won't drink enough water, try apple juice (water it down 50-50), or prune juice mixed with apple juice and water is a good mix.
at that age mine used to drink more if they had a straw, not sure why!

DD2 used to go ballistic when the doctor checked her fissure, i think it hurts a lot, so the doctor was probably right to leave him be unless absolutely necessary.

keep in touch, DD2 is 5 now and i still remember how traumatic all this was.

[amidaiwish]

innocent smoothies good too

[Lozario]

amidaiwish thanks, you're right, it's so upsetting to see him like it, and I really never want to give him a suppository ever again - he cried and cried, was awful! Seems so cruel when they can't understand what's happening and why.

[dikkertjedap]

I was once told that orange juice also makes pooing easier ...

[amidaiwish]

the problem with the suppositories is that they hurt/uncomfortable if their bum is full of poo.
in spain & italy you can buy these little glycerine and camomile pumps (over the counter at any chemist) - you squirt glycerine into their bum which is far easier than trying to put a suppository in.

worth getting some on your next holiday!

[MarnieM]

My son is 15mths old and has had problems with pooing since he was 8mths old, when the consistency changed from being on solid food. We have been back and forth to the doctors and have been on lactulose and suppositories to try and loosen it up and to try and stop him getting a fear of going. None of these worked. He learnt how to hold onto them and can do for up to 4 days. When he finally goes it hurts him like hell and he screams. When he started nursery I told them of his problems and they said they had come across one other child with this issue and they had to give him Linseed on his breakfast every morning. I decided to give this a go and it does work, we are no longer on the lactulose. He still definitely doesn't like going (when he is older we will probably have to do star charts etc. to get him to go) but he is no longer screaming and some days there is no fuss at all. You can buy linseed from any health food shop (Holland & Barrat for example). You need to dry fry some of the seeds in a frying pan then mash them up in a pestle and mortar so the seeds turn into a powder. Keep the powder in the fridge then add a teaspoon to his breakfast every day. Hope this helps.

[Lozario]

Thanks chaps - he's still suffering but seems to be a bit less upset about it. If it's still bad in a week or so once we've used this stuff every day. Poor little guy!

[nightcat]

I love linseed/flaxseed - magic and lots of health benefits
I have an adjustable grinder (looks like a smallish pepper grinder) and grind whenever I remember :)