Any help with chronic constipation in a 5 year old PLEASE!!!!!

[DaysieGoneBananas]

Hi I took my son to see the GP about a year ago as he wasn't pooing until he went to bed. every night (and I mean EVERY night) he was pooing himself. He wouldn't go during the day at all. His pants always were dirty as the GP explained there was fluid leaking round what was sitting in him as he wouldn't get rid of it. He constantly had tummy ache. GP (lovely man) prescribed senna for him and explained that it may take up to 18 months to sort him out properly.
DS started going everyday at about the same time and things started getting better. Then suddenly he has started holding it in again and won't go. Things were awful last week he was utter agony with tummy ache and I held his hands while he tried to pass it and he was sobbing his heart out. Took him back to GPs (lovely doc now left saw different one, lady who seems to think you are wasting her time) she gave him lactulose.
I was just wondering if anyone else had had this and how long your children were on the meds for and how long it took to get better. Also did youhave any set backs. I'd say it was school but he's been there now for over two months so I don't think it could be that.
TIA

Would really recommend treating this properly as it can cause long term damage and total loss of any sensation. For every year it is not treated properly it takes two to recover. If they are impacted it cant be cured by a change in diet and too low a dose of movicol will just ease the problem temporarily. Please get referred as most GP's are not able to treat this correctly.

I would advise anyone to go privately and get referred for an xray if they can possibly get the money to prevent delays in diagnosis and the damage the delays can cause.

If I could go private I would but sadly we are not in a position to do that. What can I say to the doctor to make him do more? I've tried asking nicely, getting shirty and saying that the medication is clearly not working but I am just told to give teh medication a try. It has made him go a couple of times since he started taking it.

papaya sachets can help (caricol from health food shop or online). Gentle abdominal massage when it is not hurting can help, just go gently in clockwise direction using a bit of a vegetable based oil from the kitchen. And get specialist referral as advised above.

I second Eachpeach, read Constipation, withholding and your child, it's really helpful. We got it from Amazon I think. My dd, aged 6 has had chronic overflow constipation for a long time and what really helps is quite a big dose of movicol and drinking more. Our doctor said that she may need to stay on Movicol for 6 months or more and not to stop it just because the problem seems to ease - it won't make her bowel sluggish in the long run apparently.

Although she'd always suffered a bit, what sent it into overdrive was going to school. She just would not use the school toilets, not that I blame her, there weren't enough and they were unisex, resulting in them being covered in wee. Yuk. So she started withholding, and the problem got worse and worse. It was the school nurse who put us on the right path, she was so helpful, they're definitely worth talking to if you know who it is.

It's horrid, I do sympathise. Hope this helps.

Thank you for the replies. I got my copy of the mentioned book yesterday morning and I am half way through it.
Thankfully we have poo off! (gross sorry - but i'm so happy he's going I'd shout it from the roof tops!) He is very proudly telling us that he has been going every day since saturday I'm so pleased that I can't stop smiling. Not a phrase I'd ever thought to hear myself say but my DS's pooing has made my day
He is having overflow I htink as the movicol works thorough as he is having very skiddy pants (eeuw - sorry again) but that could also be due to not being able to wipe entirely at school. Extra stickers for going at school bless him.
nicklenackle i totally sympathise with your daughter's inability to go at school I was exactly the same when I was little and shared toilets! Its a big enough change why should they have to go in the same bathroom!

Right the movicol seems to be working. He has been to the toilet everyday for a week almost. Also big positive renforcement including from his Dad who finds it hard to get his tone of voice to change (sounds like he's telliong them off alot when he isn't. He isn't doing it on purpose he literally cannot hear the difference in the tone. He does wear hearing aids so ....) BUT anyway seems positive but i'm still concerned that they'll forget about him now.

sorry about the spelling I'm not quite with it today!

I had this with my 2nd and 4th child, although not to this age. They had to be on high enough doses of lactulose (much higher than the actual recommended dose), to not be able to hold on. Otherwise they held on for weeks and ended up with poos stuck half out for hours and causing tearing and bleeding (sorry poss TMI).

Your sons condition does sound more serious though and I think you should keep taking him back to the Dr, so they realise this is still going on and insist this is ruining your sons quality of life and he needs to be referred to a specialist.

Good luck.