Explain childhood constipation to me

[mandmsmummy]

My DS1 (8) has had tummy ache for two weeks, comes and goes and doctor had given him movicol. I thought constipation was when you don't go very often or can't go. My son goes but has huge poos, can be 20cm long and very thick! Have we been fobbed off? X

You can have a bowel movement every day and still be constipated. The key thing is whether the bowel is fully emptied each time. If not, over time the bowel gets backed up with poo, which never gets better and bowel movements are hard and painful to pass.

Does that make sense? What you're describing, the large bowel movements, are very indicative of the bowel being sluggish and needing help. Movicol is the best treatment out there.

Thanks
How do you know if the bowels empty? It does sound like he's passing them easier and he goes every day x

Well, unfortunately, as a parent you don't - and this is a problem I have with my three year old. It's tempting to ask a doctor to teach me how to examine her tummy!

But hopefully the Movicol will make everything softer and easier to pass, so your DS won't have any more abdominal pain and large painful bowel movements. That alone should show his bowels are less backed up.

Thank you, how long should it take to ease? X

It really depends how backed up he was in the first place. You can always take him back to the GP who can examine his tummy and will be able to tell whether the blockage has cleared or not.

Ok thanks for your advice xx

I can feel a back up in the tummy of my skinny 2.5 year old.

I just firmly press on and off above the hip bones/ pelvis where it's all soft.
I usually find a back up is most easily identifiable on her left (my right) it just feels like harder lumps in amongst squishy belly.
I noticed that I could feel it because I regularly massage her tummy when she's struggling

Ok so were on day 15 where my son has said he has tummy ache. There have only been a couple of days where he hasn't complained. He seems fine most of the time and suddenly he will say he has tummy ache. Particularly before a bowel movement and at bedtime. Tonight he says he feels sick too. He's not really ill but I can't understand why this is happening like this now? Should I be worried. I've booked another doctors appt for tomorrow but I am worried. He's taking movicol twice a day.