Constipated 8 year old. What can I give her?

[feedmenow]

My dd got up this morning and immediately went and sat on the loo. She is the kind of person who likes to take her time so I didn't rush her, but after a while it started to become a bit of an issue. Despite my telling her that getting off the loo and moving around would be much more benficial than sitting there straining, she was having none of it.

2.5 hrs one I have managed to get her to have a dose of hi-fibre senokot and have got her off the loo a few times, only for her to insist something is happening and that she has to get back on.

She says that not only does her anus hurt (I have actually just convinced her to let me put somesudocrem on to help sooth)but her stomach hurts and, from her description, inside her back passage hurts. I don't want to give her anythingpain relief wise that might clog her up more.

What I could do with is

a) info on whether calpol or nurofen would help

b) advice on something she can eat and/or drink that would take quick effect.

Any help very much appreciated please!!

Prune juice is good. Eat some too if she can or some figs. Have a warm bath to relax her and make her comfortable.

If it's really bad the doctor can give Lactulose (sp) which works fast.

Fresh orange juice and raisins worked for DS. Also massaging her lower back and tummy may also help her.

I have tried apricots in the house. Do you think they will have a similar effect to prunes?

Will try the warm bath idea too, as well as a tummy rub.

That should have said dried apricots, not tried apricots!!

Apricots are good and so are prunes. They taste better than they look

Apricots should be fine yes.

Oh sorry I am wee bit slow today. Hope she feels better soon.

My mum used to give us hot orange juice and it really works!

Not sure with apricots. Maybe. But prunes are the thing. Sunsweet do prune juice in bottles and it's quite nice and sweet to drink.

Poor dd. It's horrible. I hope she feels better soon.

My dd had this recently. Because she'd never been bunged up before, she didn't know what was wrong and it took a day or two for me to work out what the problem was.

Thank you all for the advice! I have to admit, I feel a little guilty that I have "allowed" it to get to this, but I guess it is just nature and it happens to the best of us!

Have checked cupboards and can manage warm o/juice and apricots, so will see how I get on with these!

Don't feel bad, but having said that, I felt the same!

I give dc lots and lots of fruit and veg, but sometimes it just happens. It never occurred to me that dd had constipation when she said her tummy hurt.

I kept giving pain killers (which may not have helped) and thinking she had a bug. Two days off school too. It finally dawned on me what was going on and it was an out of hours trip to the doctor which confirmed the problem

How is she feeling now?

Thanks for asking Paula. The severe constipation changed yesterday afternoon to a case of her having rather loose bowels instead, poor love!

But TBH, despite my ongoing best intentions, she never listens to me about how important it is to keep up your fluid intake, and to eat plenty of fruit and veg. Well, after yesterday and all the pain she was in I think she may finally have cottoned on!! But we'll see how long that lasts......

Glad to hear that she is feeling better