Advice on Movicol for a poo-witholding toddler?

[Poopatrol1979]

Hi. Any advice on Movicol for a poo-witholding toddler?

Mine has just turned 3.5, potty trained in July and went from a once a day boy to every few days (and only in a nappy).

Thanks to an illness and being freaked out by doing a poo in the potty at nursery he’s now decided he doesn’t want to poo anymore, at all.

We had a week of nothing until I used a suppository, which made him hysterical. The doctor’s now prescribed Movicol paediatric. Yesterday he had one sachet and today (on drs suggestion) we’re on two. He’s gone to bed and so far nothing.

He was very upset and teary all day, and has told me clearly that he doesn’t want to do a poo and is scared. He’s holding it in.

Dr says his tummy is soft and not painful, so no impaction. Never had any soiling. And when the suppository worked it was a large but not huge poo. So I’m hoping we’re catching it early and can get him to a stage where he thinks poos are normal and isn’t scared anymore.

How long on Movicol do you think it will take for him to poo? Will the medicine eventually force him to go whether he wants to or not?

Any support in this hugely appreciated. I feel like I’m on a very stressful poo watch.

(And we’re doing all the fibre, water drinking etc)

One child’s sachet of Movicol is a very low dose and is unlikely to make your son go for a poo any quicker if he has become accustomed to holding it in. Movicol is not a stimulant laxative but instead adds water to the bowel keeping the poo soft. A regular toilet routine might help to encourage the poos - so ensure he sits on the toilet or potty 20 minutes after each meal when bowel is more likely to open. Given that he’s nervous of the toilet, give him praise for the sitting rather than producing a poo. If he’s still holding for up to a week on that low dose of movicol then you may need to get advice from your gp on doing a clear out (high dose of movicol to empty bowel completely) and then drop down to a lower maintenance dose with possibly adding a stimulant laxative to help ‘push’ the poos out. NICE guidelines on treating constipation give the full guidance on how to approach this if your GP is unaware of how to do this (many are).

It’s a v low dose and I would say you want to keep him soft. I’d up the dose personally. It’s completly inert and you can’t overdose on it ... constipation should be treated early and aggressively

Movicol worked for us. So did a side line in bribery. One chocolate coin for each poo.

However 5 yrs later we still have issues. I think some Children are more prone than others, it helps to get a good routine as early as possible. Constipation is awful.

We found apple juice to help keep regular as well as the movicol, because you need to drink with movicol otherwise it won’t work.