Constipation/stretched bowel I've got to give lots of lactulose to 3yr old help!

[nicand2]

Hi, My 3 1/2 yr old DS has suffered with lots of constipation which has resulted in overflow and irregular bowels. We've seen the paediatrician today and she has told us to give him 10ml of lactulose 3 times a day. She has told us that for 2 weeks it will be really hard work and towards the end he will have diarrhoea. I was just wodering if anyone elses toddler had experienced this and if so a)how bad does it get? are we talking runny tummy day and night? and b) what are the signs that the lactulose can be reduced as our dr said not to reduce it too soon

Thanks

I think that the lactulose adds water to the poo as it moves through the bowel to make it easier to pass so I would have thought you would see a gradual effect until you get to the stage where each poo is runny but not like a tummy upset. My DD aged 2 was given the same dose as your DS and we were told to stick with it. If the bowel has been stretched it takes quite a long time to go back to normal which is why they suggest not to reduce the medicine too soon. We didn't experience any diarrhoea with the Lactulose, but it didn't seem to work that well for my DD so our GP moved her on to Movicol paediatric which did the trick but in more spectacular fashion than the lactulose !!! See how it goes but don't be afraid to go back to the paediatrician again - I would think if you see little change in the next week I would go back again as it is horrible to see them suffer like this.

My ds was the same age and had the same problem, but he was put onto movicol peadiatric. He's been on it a year now (2 or 1 satchet a day) and has soft poo but not the squits (can't spell dia...diaro...diaharohea )

Hi thanks for those messages, it's good to know that it will be a gentle effect and not so much of a tummy upset effect! At the end of the day the overflow isn't exactly a breeze to sort out so at least this will go some way to eventually solving the problem.

Nicand2 - my dd had impaction and overflow. Lactulose was no use. We needed movicol and the intervention of the "poo nurse" from the local hospital. My dd was 3 at the time (now 5 and A-ok). I agree with Jan - give it a week and then go back if it ain't working. Good luck.

Spub and Jan .. just a thought if you are still around, how do I know if it's working or not I know it sounds stupid of me but we've had so many weeks of irregular poos I'm not sure what's normal anymore is it soft poo or formed poo? thanks

Another vote for Movicol over here - it's fantastic stuff.

Lactulose is rubbish.

He's been taking 5ml of Lactulose fr a month and today and yesterday he has done large, formed but soft poos does this mean the lactulose could be working on this low dose or do I still need to get to the runny stage first? I'm so confused! I spend my whole day thinking about poo! the joys of toddlers!

I would stick with it and see how it goes - I certainly wouldn't let it get to the runny stage - but that is just me.

It may be that his system is working well on the 5ml of lactulose. It could be that you've turned the corner! I have my fingers crossed for you.

We also talk about poo all the time!

Nic,
We had the "Bristol stool chart" on the front of our fridge (mmmm, nice)for several weeks and had to write down which poo type dd had produced and when. That helped the poo nurse to know how well she was responding and to adjust her dosage accordingly. Maybe you should keep a record over the next week or so and then you could show it to your GP and get some reassurance. If you google Bristol stool chart then you'll find a lovely set of poo drawings to use!! Enjoy!

when mine get a bit bunged up I buy liquorice and tons of oranges!