Diet to help impacted bowel

[reddaisy]

DD is three and I think she has an impacted bowel. She has leaking stools and poos every few days and usually it is very large.

I am trying to focus on her diet for now to see if that can help so does anyone have any experience/suggestions of what she should eat more of/things I should exclude/limit?

She eats pretty healthily anyway but I am focusing on increasing water intake and fruit and veg. I have bought some prune juice to see if that helps as she won't eat prunes on their own but I hope she will drink the juice.

Any advice would be great.

No expert but I don't think diet will be enough to help if she has an impacted bowel. AFAIK she would need laxatives to clean out her bowel ASAP.

Best laxative is magnesium, it's a stool softener so should soften the impaction and allow her to pass it.

I think you need to go to the doctor. We've had issues like this and in the end Movicol was the only thing that worked.

Thanks. I took her a little while ago but he was quite dismissive and said these issues are v common and not to worry as she will grow out of it. How do I tell you the difference between normal toddler soiling and an impacted bowel?

We have found a daily probiotic drink has worked wonders x

Does she poo in the toilet?

We had similar problems with ds2 at that age. I spoke to the doctor, who said to try a change of diet to start with as his tummy wasn't hard.

He always ate fruit etc, but the thing that made the biggest difference was switching to wholemeal bread.

My DD1 has similar issues, my GP also said it was common but prescribed Movicol and said it would take some time for her to be back to normal (she has a fear of passing stools). I can't get Lactulose down her so Movicol was the next thing to try.

I wonder about those probiotic drinks, I was told that dairy can make constipation worse but if they work then I might get some for DD1.

Yes she does poo on a toilet but recently I take her there in time as I spot it from her body language. Some times it is just her leaking stools.

We moved a couple of months ago and a couple of weeks later she had diarrhoea for approx three weeks and now she leaks and poos approx every other day.

She only has wholemeal bread so I can't change that but thanks. I could change to wholemeal pasta though.

TBH I am scared of movicol because from what I have read the dosage seems to be something that needs adjusting and maintaining over a long period and I wanted to try tinkering with her diet first.

Try linseed - sprinkled on cereal / salads
Intact it can be added to most foods without detection.
It was the miracle cure for me after suffering terrible constipation following the birth of dc2

In fact - not intact!

Movicol was a wonder drug for my DS when he was younger. I was worried about it but doc assured us it was fine to take for a few weeks/months and it doesn't enter the blood stream. (at least I think this what he said) DS was in agony though I would've given him anything to help

TBH I am scared of movicol because from what I have read the dosage seems to be something that needs adjusting
We soon reduced the dose after the first poo tsunami

You need Movicol.

Also no more than one glass of milk per day, no apple juice. I also find too much chocolate bungs DD up as well.

DD took movicol from age of 5 till about 9 everyday. She is 11 now and still takes it occasionally when she has a relapse.

musttidyup - so glad it worked for you. Is your DS fine now? DD doesn't seem to be in any pain but the leaking stools/withholding/subsequent constipation cause me a lot of worry!

Linusprout sprouted flax powder, ( Flax is linseed ), IMO better than whole linseeds as you can better absorb the nutrients and hide it very easily. I put it in smoothies for myself and DD. We've never had constipation.
It's important to take with enough liquid, instructions on the packet.

This is so familiar! DS developed a fear of pooing on the toilet. He was soiling himself and 'leaking' poo. It was a nightmare. We tried laculose but it is only a softner, it doesn't make them go. Movicol has been fantastic for us, he still has to be reminded/made to sit on the loo but the cycle of with-holding and accidents is broken. Go back to your Doctor.

CeCe - I bought apple juice today as I read it was good for constipation! DD does drink water but she prefers OJ.

I also think she may need movicol but seriously what is the difference between normal toddler soiling and an impacted bowel?

I suppose because she was toilet trained for a long time without this issue first could be an indicator?

Maybe I have just answered my own question!

Took mov for about 6 months from 12-18 months only needed a low dose and ended up on one sachet a day which just kept things moving. He's 3 now and has no bowel issues. Don't be afraid of trying it.

Please. Go back. See a different doctor and get a referral to a specialist who knows how to treat impaction with overflow.

It is very unlikely that she will just grow out of it. It will be much easier to treat it correctly now than to let it go on. You really need to get it sorted out before she starts school.

Don't give high roughage foods, they just make to impaction worse. Prune juice is good, as is stewed apple, cooked carrots, soft vegetables and fruit.

Lactulose is good - you can put it in juice, but you may need to use movicol to establish a regular pattern. It usually takes as least as long as the problem has existed to retrain the bowel, possibly twice as long.

The fact that she has overflow shows that the impaction is severe.

3LittleFrogs - I think I will go back and yes I do want to get it sorted before she starts school and before she becomes self conscious.

She doesn't like to stop what she is doing to go to the toilet for a wee or a poo so that is an issue as well. Some of what I have read suggests that a lot of this could be psychological so I am trying to make sure she has plenty of time to go if she needs to, she has got a comfy seat etc.

The paediatrician told me that once the impaction becomes severe (like my DD) lactulose actually makes it worse. Although I am not sure why.

I can tell when my DD has had too much apple juice, milk or chocolate as she always needs to go back on the movicol for a few days. I now start it a few days before Easter in anticipation of all the chocolate!

This is a useful website.

any pain when passing normal poos?

ever considered milk intolerence?