Constipated mindee - WWYD?

[Octaviapink]

My fulltime mindee eats the same as my two children apart from breakfast and supper that he has at home and I think a couple of bottles of formula a day (night and morning). However, unlike them when he's pooing he really strains and seems incredibly pained, and produces absolutely rock-like lumps. I only mention the comparison with my two because he mostly eats what they eat so it must be what he eats at home that creates this problem for him - he drinks about the same amount of water as them too. I hate to see him straining and whimpering. His mother's French and clearly sees nothing amiss. Would you mention it to her or just try and give him 'loosening' foods. And if so, what? I can't feed him exclusively on dried apricots.

oh tricky one Octavia

I would put concerns in writing, and signpost the parents to GP

move him onto more watery fruit - cucumber, grapes, melon etc - if you can, in the meantime

A drink of prune juice each day?

I'd have to say something though, just along the lines of that you've noticed he's constipated, and is really struggling with pooing and that it might be worth her speaking to the HV about it.

Agree that would put concerns in writing, suggest that she talks to a HV. Can cause health problems.

Although Yabu and bit xenophobic to highlight the mum's nationality!

kiwi fruit tends to be excellent for constipation.

Dozer I only mention the nationality because she does several things in a way I've never encountered before (paracetemol suppositories, anyone?) and that certainly wouldn't be the norm in this country - that in fact go against the instructions that we generally receive from doctors and HVs - but that I don't like to raise because, you know, different culture and all.

If she only has the one child then she may not realise that something is amiss. High fibre diets won't necessarily help children with constipation as they do adults. Having said that, I found flaxmeal (sprinkled on his weetabix)helpful for DS1 when trying to stop using movicol, but I was using that everyday. I wouldn't think you should be trying something like that without discussing it with the parent first though.

Both my children have had problems with constipation. It runs in our family and isn't anything to do with diet. DS outgrew it and I fully expect DD to do the same. Perhaps this little boy is the same? I think it's quite common.
Things that helped get them shifting are prunes, dried apricots, sweetcorn, warm orange juice and, if desperate, sugared water as a last resort.
Cheese tends to clog them up so we cut back on dairy when necessary.

I think you should mention it to the mum and see if she's aware. She may already be worrying and be grateful for a chance to discuss it.

poor diet, I should have said.

There are certainly a huge range of cultural differences -
I tend to think, as a broad generalization, the European practices
in child health are better than ours. I do abide by the UK guidelines when working with families, but provide the information for both countries and this ensures they can make an informed decision

Personally I feel the use of paracetamol suppositories is far, far more effective than oral paracetamol.
When I work with any European family here in the UK, I suggest to obtaining the suppositories when they are next there, or have visitors bring some with them. (assuming that is the choice they have made)

Generally, oral medications for children in Europe - the amount required by the child is based on weight, not age. Far more appropriate considering there
can be large differences in body size for children of the same age.

I could go on, but just hought I'd mention this because of the suppositories being raised in an earlier post.

Sorry but I had to at the reference to her being French, as if French people are generally all constipated.

I would absolutely mention it to her. If he's constipated he might be having his one poo of the day with you so she isn't actually seeing how much he's straining. I wonder what formula he's on...some of the formula for older babies can make children constipated as it's high in iron.

What has it got to do with anything the fact that mum is French?
Why would you not mention it to her? Maybe she has not picked up on it especially if it's her first child.

The other reason (apart from cultural differences) that I mentioned the family being French is that I have no idea what the French for 'constipated' is.

Constipe (needs an accent on the e) to pronounce "constipay". I am still confused about what you deem to be "cultural differences". We are not THAT different, you know. Maybe just a bit more blunt.
Actually, yes, a lot more blunt.

I can understand you hesitating saying something with cultural and language differences. I myself was gobsmacked at being told off by a French Doctor for giving DS1 paracetamol (non suppository ) for a sore throat. According to him paracetamol was to be only used when there was a fever and I should have been using ibuprofen for a sore throat . (Ignoing the fact that I wouldn't bloody well know how to ask for ibuprofen in French and the pharmacist couldn't understand any English, I certainly wasn't about to give Ibuprofen as a first option to a child that hadn't eaten all day!!!!!)

So you've managed a conversation about Paracetemol Suppositories but you can't work out how to tell her her child is constipated?!

Just tell her, she needs to know so she can have the chance to do something about it. Of course it could even be the change in diet at your house that causes it -I always get constipated when my diet changes, even if it changes to something healthier.

I have had little ones with constipation and have tried adjusting their diets (in consultation with parents). One thing I have been told which seemed to work for me is that sometimes neither fruit nor roughage is the problem and that the child may need more oil to help their digestion. I have added olive oil to mashed potatoes or pasta and this seemed to work for one little chap.

Maybe you don't mean it but I think its a bit to say:

I only mention the comparison with my two because he mostly eats what they eat so it must be what he eats at home that creates this problem for him

You do realise that people react differently to the same food?!? DS went through a constipated phrase as a toddler, he ate exactly the same as dd who never showed any problems in that regard!!