To ask for your tried and tested constipation remedies for a toddler

[ladyballer]

My friend's toddler is struggling with poos and it's very upsetting for my friend.

Have you got any tried and true remedies or any general advice?

This started around a month into potty training. The toddler is 25/26 months old (don't come at me about using months, for this it's important to be accurate!)

Tia

Tinned peaches!

Fresh orange juice and tummy massages

Lactulose /movicol

I'm wondering if it's more an anxiety thing? My friend is really upping the prunes and soft fruits etc, and she has some medicine from the doctor although I'm not sure what it is exactly

What is it you're looking for? Either Google it or tell her to go back to the doctor.

if it has been going on for a whole, I would speak to GP. Movicol works really great - esp if it is a chronic thing rather than a one off but it is prescription medication. My DD had awful constipation as a toddler and it was the only thing that worked. I wish I would not have wasted time on prunes, lactulose etc.

If she is on movicol, it can take a few days until it kicks in..

I have the same with my almost three year old at the moment and it started around march which was when we began potty training. Movicol works but meant she had quite a lot of poo accidents. I also had it with her big brother and think it's common. It only.lastwd a few months

Best thing is lots of water and lots of fruit. I give my DD baby pouches of fruit as she devours them and can easily have 2 or 3 a day.

And I agree with pp it took about 3 days to work. She started having the runnier poos on day four.

We had to use movicol. Only thing that worked. We tried it al. It got so bad it started to cause urine infections. They lasted 2 years. We had to have profolatic antibiotics for over a year! All down to constipation.

Spoonful of Pure orange juice

Movicol until poo is runny and toddler can't withold any more. Then carry on with Movicol for far longer than your friend thinks she needs to.

Direct friend to www.eric.org.uk/ who basically know everything there is to know and more about toddlers and bowels and constipation.

Pears are very good.

Apple juice no idea why - DS eats loads of fruit and veg normally but apple juice seems to be the key for him.

We were prescribed Lactulose for our toddler DD and it's worked quite well

The GP ignore all the crackpot ideas on here I have a child with chronic constipation ,the child needs medical attention.

Dried Mulberries boiled and juice given to DC. It works.

My 3 year old gets like this. Fresh orange or apple juice, a warm weak tea with a sugar in (this is not something she regularly has before anyone jumps on me) sitting in a warm bath, rubbing her tummy in circular motion, going for a good walk, and the most important thing is loads to drink. My dd only gets constipated when the weather is very warm, because she gets dehydrated I think. It really does cause problems.

It sounds more like withholding the poo on purpose, caused by potty related anxiety?

Gp chat.

It sounds like it could be a mental as well as physical problem, what with occurring so close to potty training.

To add to all the other suggestions, I tried upping fat intake by adding a couple of teaspoons of coconut oil to our morning porridge. I described it to the toddler as "Magic Potion, to help your poo slide out." (It does taste and smell yummy, too.)

I think I found this idea in 'Oh Crap! Potty Training' book by Jamie Glowacki. She certainly has lots to say about the subject, if you are after further reading!

It sounds like it could be a mental as well as physical problem, what with occurring so close to potty training

Definitely. My dd will be holding herself and shuffling but saying she doesn't need to go then she wets herself. This will happen repeatedly over a couple of days and we'll know she's holding a poo in and so avoiding the potty. Then she poos and it's horribly painful and dramatic so she gets even more scared of it for next time. The movicol made them softer but for the first couple of weeks she didn't know they would be softer so still refused the potty. We are now continuing with movicol and she has started being able to say "it's not a hurting poo mummy" and know how to feel the difference. She is now (finally) going to the potty most of the time. It's been a long journey. Bless.

My son had similar problems at that age. He has stool softeners and all kind of stuff from dr. Health visitor suggested it could be a milk intolerance. Switched to soya milk/yogurts etc and problem disappeared overnight. About a year later switched back to cows milk and all good. She told us it can be the digestive system changing as toddlers stop needing milk.

Homemade apple sauce, an espresso and a spliff

Crazy Jack apricots. My then two year old got hold of a pack, ate about a quarter of it before I realised, then spent an afternoon on the toilet.

Literally the only lesson I’ve ever taught her that she’s remembered is why we don’t eat more than three at a time