My DS2 has recently been diagnosed with bowel dismobility and is currently on senna laxative to try and regulate him.
He was born with severe gastro-esophical reflux disease and has always had tummy probs, mainly to do with bloating (his tummy is severely distended and he now also has rib flare from his ribs constantly being pushed out by the bloating). In fact, he often is likened to the ethiopian(sp??) children you see on the news, as his legs and bum are also quite thin. He is currently in sz 1-1 1/2 pants even tho he is 4yr as his bum is so small.....also in size 1 - 1 1/2 shorts, and 9 - 12mth swimming trunks (just to give you an idea of how small he is..)!!
He has (after months of fighting with Dr Black at Poole hospital) finally been referred to Dr Beattie at Southampton, and it was there friday 7th july that they diagnosed said bowel prob.....but they don't as yet knowwhat is causing it.
Thought at the mo are ceoliac disease or maybe crohns???
his symptoms are...
Bloating
severe tummy pain
awful constipation leading to horrific explosions from his bum that will cover himself and clothes and floor and me!!!
mucus in his pooh
very offensive wind (loud too!)
and odd temps too, sometimes 39c, jsut before he has a pooh, along with going clammy.
He has had xrays which show that his bowel is abnormal inside size wise, as tho it has been stretched in parts, along with an abnormal amount of air.
They have put him on senna to try to get him into a regular pattern as opposed to constipation. normal (for a day or two), explosive diarrhoea (sp?) and then normal for another day or two and then back to constipated. And the colour...well.....horrid is not the word[].
Thing is, since being on senna, he is worse....well, in two weeks he has exploded up to 4 x a day, and is now passing lumps of mucus....he has also got a rock hard tummy that feels as tho it is burning.
I don't know what to do???
He is to be on this until 25th sept. He was supposed to be on 10mls a day, but the first few days of that led to awful nights and covering everything (and I do mean everything), so I put it down to 5mls. He is now going like I said 4 x a day, and surely as you can appreciate, the amount of fluid he is losing is a lot (luckily he will drink lots of water) and I am giving lots of home made ice lollies too, made from apple juice...but I still am conserned about amount.
He is also having about 10mils calpol a day too to help with the tummy pain.
friend tonight came round whose son has crohns, and she is horrified at how he is.....says he should be in hospital.
I am now scared and worried that by giving him the senna I am harming him in some way (I have actually not given it him tonight so we all have a break from it, and also in hope that he gts a full nights sleep as he clearly needs it).
What do I do tho???? I don't have a number for the consultant, and I know that they have already double booked me over someone else for the september appointment as the nurse who booked it complain about it to me at the time, and queried ME why. I am at a loss for the next step......I don't want to stop it completely, but then I don't want him this poorly either for the next 2months. He is also due to be starting reception in september, and right now with the fact that he is also soiling himself again I think it unfair on him, let alone the teachers (and can you imagine the trauma should he have an accidant of the type we had today in front of a class of kiddies). He is only jsut four anyway (last wednesday) so I have been reluctant as he will be one of the 'babys' anyhow....and now this.
I don't know.......this is long, so if you have read this long than thankyou lots. I jsut need someone to tell me waht to do......I don't want him in hosptial (apart for anything else I have the other 4 to think about too), but he can't go on like this.....he will start to lose what little weight he has anyway (he is only 28lb now).
HELP......(please)