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Original poster

constant loose stools in 2.5 year old. Diet?

34 replies

cathyspam · 06/01/2006 12:13

Okay, so my 2.5 year old has really nasty loose stools a couple of times a day - i was wondering if there could be something i could change in his diet that might help. A typical day could be

Shreddies and banana with semi skimmed milk.

handful of grapes.

ham and cheese on best of both bread.
humzinger fruit stick
fromage frais
well diluted juice

plain biscuit and milk

homemade slamon fishcakes with baked beans

this is roughly average of what he might eat in a day - any suggestions?

OP posts:
Original poster
cathyspam · 06/01/2006 12:17

bump!

OP posts:
Original poster
cathyspam · 06/01/2006 12:30

hello? sorry but this has been going on for ages and cant be healthy.

OP posts:
morethanithot · 06/01/2006 22:06

hi there,
if it's been going on longer than a week or 2, then talk to your gp or practice nurse
it might be a sign of food allergy or intolerance.
some people advise cutting out one item at a time over 2 days to see how this changes the stools.
have your baby's stools ever been firm? i.e. this is a definite change and not normal for your little one.
also, is she/he otherwise well, and putting on weight, active etc?

jamiesam · 06/01/2006 22:18

Hi there.
Sorry, no real advice as such. Typical days diet looks pretty good but my boys have been eating trash for the past couple of weeks so I could be wrong.

I've been keeping a food diary for ds2 over the past 6 weeks or so as I want to explore his failure to gain weight with hv (he has consistently gained weight since I started keeping food diary - [sort of cross but happy emoticon!]).

If you don't take your gp/hv, could I suggest you keep a food diary for a few weeks and then go to hv. I don't know anything about food allergies as such - ds1 had appalling nappies around the age of 1 due to milk intolerance following virus. Happily temporary problem for ds. Not sure what might happen when child so much older food intolerance suspected. However, remember dr very unkeen to withdraw milk from diet on a 'whim'.

Good luck.

jamiesam · 06/01/2006 22:20

eek, obvious typo - 'if you don't take your ds to your gp/hv....'

Mercy · 06/01/2006 22:22

Toddler diarrhea is a well documented phenomenon. I believe you are meant to increase the amount of fat in the diet and cut down on fibre. How about putting him on full cream milk for a few weeks?

As long he doesn't seem ill/losing weight etc he should be ok. do a google for more advice (sorry can't do links - yet). But obviously ask your gp/hv if you are concerned

CaptainDippy · 06/01/2006 22:35

Hi there!! My 2 year old has NEVER had a firm stool in her life!! Her nappies are complete GROSS OUT (tmi!!?) - notorious at her nursery - apparentely they have arguments about who is going to change her, poor wee thing!! She has an almost identical diet to your little one, cathyspam and it does worry me too - I am really not to sure, but I thoguht that I would let you know that you are definitely not the only one - Perhaps we should stick together and try some stuff - Suggestions!!!?

jamiesam · 06/01/2006 22:37

Oops, sorry, didn't notice that he's on semi-skimmed milk. Ds's (4 and 2) are still on full fat. No idea if that is relevant to your ds's problem, but Mercy sounds like she knows what she's talking about.....

peckarollover · 06/01/2006 22:42

Another here who has a toddler who has never had a firm poo

gingernut · 06/01/2006 22:46

My ds1's stools are pretty squashy but they always have been. After reading up on toddler diarrhoea we swapped him back from semi-skimmed to full fat milk which seems to have improved matters. I wouldn't worry unless this is a definite sudden change in his stools and he seems unwell. Diet looks OK BTW.

madmarchhare · 06/01/2006 22:48

Always had fairly sloppy poo here too. A change to goats milk made it slighty better.

NotQuiteCockney · 06/01/2006 22:53

They're just like this, I think. My DS1 sometimes, now, at 4, produces firm normal-looking poo.

Thing is, too loose is better than too hard, in terms of comfort, health, etc etc. As long as it's not liquid, I don't worry about it.

polly28 · 06/01/2006 22:53

my ds is 3.4 and he usually has loose stools.

I've tried cutting out his diluted juice and replaced with water.It did improve things ,but ds hardly drank anything and his wee was sooo strong,so now put up with it but dilute his juice a bit more.

It's easier now he's toilet trained

CatBert · 06/01/2006 23:01

Consider the shreddies, banana, best of both style bread, fruit, humzinger, juice (albeit diluted) and beans, and there's quite a lot of fibre there for a small person. They don't need as much fibre as an adult.

Mae1 · 07/01/2006 10:52

cathyspam - when was the last time your child had a "proper" poo. The reason I ask is they may be constipated! My dd1 was like this and it never crossed my mind until I saw the Health Visitor. Apparently what happens is the body build up so much poo in the body - and if the child (or adult!) can't go to the toilet this "overflow" happens - everybody assumes the person has an upset stomach - but it isn't! With my dd1 it was happening 3-4 times a day and at first there wasn't any real discomfort to indicate constipation. If you suspect this may I suggest contacting your health visitor / GP for some medication. Good luck.

hercules · 07/01/2006 11:23

I thought constipation was hard pellets. HAve to say I disagree with your hv.

CaptainDippy · 07/01/2006 11:39

No - what mae1 means is that the hard pellets are SO big and SO hard that they are wedged right "up there" and the yukky sloppy yuk yuk that is coming out is just the "overflow" (the stuff that there is simply no room for.) DD/DS needs to get those hard pellets out!! Am I right mae1????

NotQuiteCockney · 07/01/2006 12:18

I've heard that theory, too, but I think

a) it's pretty rare,
b) the kid has to be pushing out pretty much liquid poo
c) the kid would be in discomfort.

Original poster
cathyspam · 07/01/2006 18:14

thank you guys for all the advice - i think i will maybe try and give him full fat milk and curb the fibre a bit to see what happens - will let you know!

OP posts:
busybusybee · 07/01/2006 18:22

I havent read the whole thread Cathy - but it doesnt sound like too much fibre too me

My ds suffers from lactose intolerance - intolerance to milk sugars - lactose found in cows milk products
This causes nasty loose stools that smell disgusting

Plenty of other causes of course - but lactose intolerance is the conclusion i tend to jump to

Original poster
cathyspam · 07/01/2006 18:25

ooh - hope it's not that! He loves, milk, cheese, yoghurt! I actually wondered if he had a lactose intolerance problem when he was a baby as was very 'sicky' with formula milk but GP said it was reflux.

OP posts:
busybusybee · 07/01/2006 18:35

No need to panic if it is cos soya milk and soya yoghurt are ok once you get used to them - the sweetened variety anyway

As for cheese its very low in lactose and easily digestable

DS loves alpro soya milk and the fruit flavoured yoghurts

madmarchhare · 07/01/2006 19:36

Thats why we swapped to goats milk. We went for goats rather than soya to get the fat content in.

Mae1 · 07/01/2006 22:14

CaptainDippy - you're right! NotQuiteCockney - I used to think it was just my daughter who was constipated and it was quite a stigma for me to be honest! However after 18mths under a consultant and backwards and forwards to clinics I can assure you constipation of this form is not rare. The problem it seems is with our diet and lack of fluids (water mainly). GP's and health visitors are having special training in recognising this problem and providing the correct course of action (long term medication not just a short sharp fix!).

CaptainDippy · 09/01/2006 13:20

Although- following my post about my DD1 having never ever had a nice firm "normal" stool - her stools have been firming up over the past couple of days - no idea why - no change in diet at all - just eating less cos I am being ruthless in an attempt to try and force her to eat "proper" food!!!!!