URGENT HELP! Poo problem.

[JJ]

My nearly 3 yo son has been trying to do a poo for about 25 minutes. He keeps straining and is a fair amount of pain. He can't walk and is lying on the floor and very uncomfortable. He can manage to get a drop or two of diarrhea out if he tries extremely hard. Sorry to be graphic, but I can see the poo up there, but he just can't get it out.

What do I do?

Prune juice? Buy some senna, like senokot? I have found in the past, with mine (getting graphic here) that wiping the bum with something cool like a wipe, also helps them push it out.

You may need to get him something to regulate his gut, so he doesn't get constipated in future. Mind you, ds2 won't soften his stools despite everything. Am thinking of dynamite next.

you could try putting a little vaseline just inside and around the anus, to lubricate it a bit. Cycling the legs sometimes works if he'll let you. He'll probably manage it in the end but it'll hurt I expect, and you may have problems after this since he'll remember it hurt (so he may get into the habit of holding it in and then he'll get more constipated). So you must relieve the constipation asap (with lots of fluids, fruit etc. and I'd use lactulose too if necessary, just to get him going again).

HTH

Message withdrawn

I've wiped his bottom and it's just not coming. He's now in a warm bath -- shows how desperate we are!

Have you had the experience of diarrhea coming around the poop blockage?

Thank you! My husband is putting the vaseline on now.

thank you... poor little guy

He has Mg supplements also for constipation. I'll start on those again. (I'm in the bathroom with him btw)

you might find this thread useful

www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=138&threadid=34401&stamp=040831134532

The diarrhoea is very common - there is a blockage and some more liquid faeces can leak out around it. But there is very likely a hard, dry stool in there which is causing the problem.

diarrhoea coming round the side of the poo is just because he is straining trying to pass the hard poo.
The hard poo has probably been building up for a while and the straining is more recent poo coming around it...if that makes sense.
I don't have any advice from experience, but i reckon he needs an enema if he can't pass it after the bath etc.
good luck

Do I need to go to the hospital for that? (That's our out of hours doctor... grrr.)

Can you call anyone there JJ?

Thanks MtS!

Lou, unfortunately not. I'll head out to a late night pharmacy soon and ask.

My husband is flubus, so if I leave, he might be on.

Once this blockage is sorted, make sure he starts on something to keep him softened. Good luck, poor thing. Ds2 bleeds when he goes, has done since birth almost, so I feel for your littlun..

Thanks all. Just got back from the pharmacy with enemas to find that he pooped a couple of minutes ago.

I'll get him on his mg! And make sure he eats his oatmeal every morning.

Lou, do you want the enemas? I'm guessing you've tried all that...

Oh good, glad to hear that he managed it in the end. Poor little man!

Thanks JJ, but I am seeing the paed on friday anyway, so she will sort him out I hope.

glad that your ds's situation has erm resolved. so will you be putting the enemas on the swap thread then

Thanks again. Thanks for having excellent suggestions. It really is easier when people suggest things. Sorry for being so overreactive, I mean, worse things happen to us and everyone. It's just that usually I can do something about it. It was horrible seeing him there in pain, just whimpering.

Plus, I was having one of my "I hate Switzerland" and #*&$@ Swiss healthcare moments.

Anyway, I'll keep hold of the enemas (two different types!), but if anyone every needs 'em, let me know.