Anyone want to talk 'Small Constipated Boys'

[maretta]

Hi

My ds who is 2y7m has been permanently constipated pretty much since the day he was born. He gets so uncomfortable before he goes and can strain for days.

He's been taking Movicol for a while and I think it's great but it is so difficult to keep the dose right. It's making it very dfficult to potty train.

I don't think his problem is diet related. He got constipated when he was breastfed. He gets constipated when he's eaten well all week. He gets constipated when he's eaten badly all week.

When I speak to doctors, there attitude is always - 'don't worry, he'll grow out of it.'

Can anyone reassure me that this is the case or would you suggest I persue it further.

Thanks

dunno but would be interested in answers.

Ds is 3.6 and has been on movicol since June. We are trying to wean him off but he just ends up getting constipated again. He's also been constipated for most of his life.

His diet is poor, but consists mostly of fruit and veg with the occassional bit of toast/rice cakes thrown in. He also drinks like a fish and does lots of physical exercise. His constipation went unrecognised/treated by drs for a good 18 months - 2 years and this has led to a refusal to eat most foods.

He refuses point blank to consider potty training, and I have always put it off thinking we'd start when he came of the movicol (was supposed to be for 6 months). But we're going to have to start soon.

I hope to god he grows out of it as it is a real pain (for him and for us).

Dd had this, at its worst when she was about 3. Had to resort to suppositories in the end. I know how distressing it is.

She DID grow out of it. I'm convinced hers was caused by not drinking enough fluids.
Now age 12 she occasionally has the same problem, and STILL doesnt drink enough, but it's easily rectified by Milk of Magnesia

My ds was like this - I found Milupa helped. The doctor told me he's grow out of it too - they said he probably had an immature gut and he's grow into it.

He did - but not til he was about 3.5.

Sometimes I think ds should drink more water but he drinks as much as my other ds and he's never had a problem. Makes me think there must be something else going on.

i FIND THAT MY LO (4YRS) NEEDS 2 SACHETS OF MOVICOL
sorry caps lock...
to keep him ok. I occasionally go down to 1 or none but it just gets worse again. I'd try keeping at the same dose for like 4 days or so to see if it helps, if it's still sore and straining up the dose by a sachet for a few days and so on until you see a good sized soft stool and then stick to that amount- unless you see watery poo or something else unsavoury!

Things like pineapples are ment to be good for constipation so maybe up his intake of foods like that.

Thanks for the replies.
Is there anyone else out there.
M

My DD (2 1/2) often gets constipated - I found docs attitude of "don't worry she'll grow out of it" very unhelpful so now give her diluted prune juice every day - seems to work. Not sure what its doing to her teeth though

Liquid Paraffin did the trick on my small boy - who is now almost 17. he used to 'go' on Thursdays only. We tried diet, lactulose etc., I think what works for one doesn't work for another. And it seems as common a problem as bedwetting! It is stressful, good luck with sorting it. (Ds still closets himself in the en suite, with the bedroom door closed for ages, I leave newspapers in there for him!)

liquorice, prunes, melon, oranges, orange juice...use all the tricks in the book!

also is he drinking enough water?

Constipation has been an issue for both my boys. Ds1 from 18 months. Ds2 from 6 months.

Both were resolved by a trip to the osteopath to get their pelvic floors worked on!

Drugs didn't have any affect on ds1, so finally turned to osteopath as an act of desperation. (It had started to affect how he was during the day - clingy, unhappy...) Worked after second session.

With ds2 it worked straight after the first time she pelvic floored him (he had a few other areas that needed tweaking first).

wow thats really interesting Yomellamohelly!...amazing how the body responds and works!