ds (2.4) constipation - nothing working

[TheArmadillo]

Ds has got really bad constipation (it gets constipated often but not this bad). HE has been screaming on and off for the last couple of days. His stomach is really swollen.

LActulose is having no effect. Neither is prune or orange juice.

IS there anything I can get to help. He is in so much pain (keeps doubling over and screaming).

IS there anything I can get from pharmacist that might soften or break down the stools? (sorry if tmi)

Lactulose and tummy massage have always worked for me! I think you should talk to your pharmacist.

I once overheard a pharmacist recommend weetabix to somebody and tried this when it happened to ds at the weekend. It worked after a few hours.

My d had chronic constipation for about 2 years. The thing that finally broke the cycle was glycerin suppositories - you insert one up the bottom (not as bad as you might think) and they poo pretty quickly and easily son afterwards. I mean it - they really do work that well where lactulose and senakot and all the rest did not.

The bad news is, I don't think you can get them without a prescription but it might be worth asking.

How old is he?
If of right age you can give him senokot, natural laxative, or something like syrup of figs.

2mg glycerine suppositiroes if laxative won't work.
Have immediate effect.

Can get both over counter.

Lactulose just softend stools doesn't make you go.

Until you can get to chemist try warm baths and tummy massage.strart on his left hand side as you looka thim, work up then across and dowm, following natural bowel / stool route.

Califig is brilliant. From any chemist/tesco etc

Long term give him as much fibre as you can, however too, too much can also block him up.
So oats is better than wheat type breakfasts.
Prunes (dried and also prune juice), fresh oranges and OJ, fruit (avoid bananas and apples though), get him to drink as much water as poss. You could bake him muffins and grind in linseeds to the cooking (use wholemeal flour as well)

he's 2.4.

Thanks for the replies.

Can't have wheat so weetabix is out.

Tummy rubs haven't worked and now he refuses to let me touch it. Warm bath not working.

May see if I can get some senakot.

HE gets constipated regularly (We think he's still intolerent to something that we haven't found) but not usually this bad. He drinks almost non-stop and pratically lives off fruit (makes up over 70% of his total diet) and taking him off wheat/gluten/cows milk helped.

Think the drs would be no use as they think it is normal for a child to constantly have this much pain in his stomach . Apparently there is no point investigating for intolerences cos he's obviously just intolerent to all food .

FIBRE FOODS
BREAKFAST
Breakfast cereals containing whole-wheat or bran
Porridge
Toast made with wholemeal bread

LUNCH / DINNER
Sandwiches made with brown bread
Baked beans on brown bread toast
Baked beans with jacket potato
Chilli with brown rice
Wholewheat pasta

SNACKS
Fruit with skins (e.g. pears, grapes, plums)
Oat bars
Cherry tomotoes
Dried fruits like raisins, apricots

Children's Constipation Remedies
just one 5ml spoonful of Senokot syrup in the morning, for example, can bring effective relief to children aged 6-12 (contains senna. Consult your doctor for children under 6 - always read the label).

For children aged 12 or over, two Senokot tablets taken at night can bring overnight relief (contains senna - consult your doctor for children aged 6-12 - always read the label).

It can be difficult to get a child to eat enough fibre to relieve constipation. If you have tried to change your child's diet but are struggling, Senokot Hi-Fibre is a good way to help maintain a child's regularity. Children 12 and over take one sachet or two level 5ml spoonfuls in the morning and evening. For children 6-12 take 1/2-1 level teaspoon in the morning and evening (Contains ispaghula husk - always read the label).

will go up road now an dsee if they have califig/senocot.

IF it doesn't help and it carries on might take him to dr in a couple of days as he can't carry on like this - he is so miserable (Which is not like my little boy ). Doubt they'll fecking do anything though.

After 5 yrs of constipation in DD we finally made friends with Movicol. If this is a regular problem with you guys then make appt with GP and see if you can this prescribed for you.

Friend to most of the parents on SN's whose children suffer all the time with constipation.

thanks for that teecee - unfortunately ds can't or won't eat any of those foods.

Get some suppositories as well in case you have to take drastic action. If he's in pain I would go down that route as a one off to start the unblocage.

My ds same age is lactose intollerant and i put Biocare Lactase Enzyme drops in his milk - gets rid of the lactose and he now digests it no prob. If i give him "undropped" milk for more than a day he immediately gets constipated. Have got the number if you want it. Think they are about £7.50 for a bottle which lasts 4/6weeks

Bless him. His lack of fibre must be what is causing it then.

Poor little thing

There are different types of laxatives which include:

Bulk-forming agents. For example, bran, ispaghula husk, methylcellulose and sterculia. These make the stools softer but bulkier, and gives the bowel more to 'work on'.
Stool softeners. These work by 'wetting' and softening the stools. For example, docusate sodium (which also has a weak stimulant action too).
Osmotic laxatives. For example, lactulose and polyethylene glycol (trade name Movicol). These work by retaining fluid in the large bowel by osmosis (so less fluid is absorbed into the bloodstream from the large bowel).
Stimulant laxatives. For example, senna or docusate. These act on the muscle in the wall of the bowel to 'squeeze' harder than usual.
A doctor will normally advise on which laxatives to use. However, it is quite common for a child to need two different types of laxatives for several months if one does not work alone. For example, an osmotic laxative plus a stimulant laxative. In time, the dose is gradually reduced and stopped. It is important to keep on with the treatment for as long as the doctor advises. Chronic constipation commonly recurs if treatment is stopped too soon.

I take a tsp barley grass (powder) in my orange juice every morning, works wonders. Says from age 5, but I'd give it a go. It's 100% pure, and interestingly just discovered it's much cheaper here than in NZ!

(soz don't know how to do links)

www.energiseforlife.com/item--Lifestream-Barley-Grass-Leaf-Powder--GR0001.html?gclid=CKOvtIr-04oCFQ2HlAodzzYZdA

If he's really bad he might take a few days to pass a stool.

He's old enough to take senna :

a stimulant laxative such as senna syrup may be effective if there is evidence of minor faecal retention (2-6 yrs 2.5-5ml od, over 6 years 5-10ml od). Note that the use of a stimulant laxative may increase faecal overflow in the case of faecal impaction

AGree with TeeCee - you need to get him prescribed Movicol - my dd suffered from this for a long time (still does occasionally) It took a paed appointment and a Movicol prescription to fix her. I found with dd taht even although she was suffering greatly she would not "go" as she was scared it would hurt - with Movicol they don't get any choice! Note though taht it isn't an "easy" fix - it takes several sachets over several days to get things going - and you need to keep it up for a while.. (as well as maintaining a good diet of course)

I know he can;t eat many thing I listed but other things here, hopefully something on the soluble fibre list that he can eat.

a) Insoluble fibre

Brown Rice
Bran
Strawberries
Nuts
Wholemeal bread

b) Soluble fibre

Oats
Peas
Lentils
Fruits and vegetables
Brown or granary bread

thanks for those

It is probably his diet that is causing it, but bad diet = constipation = refusal to eat, so worse diet = more constipation and so on

Just gonna go out to the shop and see if they have any senna. THanks. Hopefully it will help.

It's hard though, if he can't/won't eat high fibre foods then what can you do and as you say it becomes a vicioius circle.

I think you need to get that Movicol stuff

For our ds 2 visits to the osteopath in quick succession did the trick. He suffered horribly for 3 months and it really changed who he was for a while. We went to the osteopath in desperation since none of the drugs seemed to work and he was so bunged up he wouldn't do any exercise or eat fruit/fibre or drink any juices (because he realised it all made him feel worse).
Now he suffers a bout only every few months at which point we will visit the osteopath to get him moving again. When he does have a bout of constipation I feel it's because the memory of all that pain is still in him and he'll hold onto it even though his poo is quite soft (sorry if TMI) nowadays.

I think a trip back to the drs is required to stop it happening repeatedly. Its been a few months - maybe they have a new one

THanks for your help.

SOrry if not coming accross as very grateful I am just stressed and v. tired.

I don't blame you, I've cried my eyes out and also spent days looking grey and worried and withdrawn over it.
Reports from school came back 'X is distressed as is constipated' childminders asaying 'she;s in pain she still hasn't been'. I felt like I was being a bad mother, that somehow I was doing something wrong and causing it. I wasn't and I knew that really but it was horrid. Doctors just kept prescribing lactulose which just made me angry and they'd say does she eat weatabix? She was cronically constipated due to having down's syndrome I'd tried everything. I finally, this year go prescribed Movicola nd at last she is going more than once a week, which is the most she ever used to go.

I had tied diets, baths, massage, the cranial osteopath, laxatives, cutting things out of her diet, cooking speaking foods, spent a fortune in health food shops.

Finally i bow at the feet of my hero - Movicol

Get him an enema for dc from the pharmacy. It'll give him immediate relief from constipation. Insert gently and take your time.

Once he's free, think about the diet/exercise again. It is an ongoing problem with dd (6) too.

2mg gycerine suppositories, and some vaseline.