Update in #39 Problems! Need HIGH FIBER food ideas

[JenneinCA]

My ten year old has had on going constipation problems for a while. This past week he did triple doses of miralax for three days and it seems to have worked. But we need to get as much fiber into him as we reasonably can. I need ideas for fiber heavy foods.

 

So he has braces and can't eat apples or carrots or other things that might break the braces. He is pretty sick of eating refried beans and doesn't like most veggies. And as if this child didn't have enough issues, I am supposed to be watching portion size with him too. So the flaxseed muffins I made are good but not ideal.

 

Help!

[Catwoman]

How about the fiber powders that dissolve in liquids, like Metamucil Clear and Natural?

 

You could mix it in with any beverage, because it isn't grainy and doesn't really have any flavor at all.

 

You could also give him cereals like Raisin Bran. Shredded wheat has a lot of fiber, but it might get caught in his braces.

[justasque]

Blueberries.

[justasque]

Pureed vegetable soups.  High fiber cereals.  Lentils.  Bean dip.  Hummus.

Naked brand "Blue Machine" smoothies. (But not the other flavors; many of them have little to no fiber.  "Blue Machine" has quite a bit.)

We found it was essential to read labels.  Fiber content is not intuitive.

[Tanaqui]

Plenty of foods help relieve constipation. I mean, just off the top of my head: Beets, spinach, nuts,berries of all sorts, most stone fruits, broccoli, pears, kiwis, dates and raisins.

 

And, of course, many foods that aren't braces friendly - like carrots - can be made so by being cooked until soft.

[hornblower]

"Foods rich in fiber include: dates, date sugar, chia seeds, flax seeds, veggie chicken, flaked coconut, dark green leavy vegetables and beans."

http://nutritionfacts.org/topics/fiber/

For lower calorie option of things like bran & flax muffins, check out some vegan recipes as they won't have eggs & you can use low fat plant milk (or low fat dairy if you eat dairy.,..) for the liquid.
Here's one recipe: http://plantfueled.wordpress.com/2012/03/27/recipe-whole-wheat-low-fat-vegan-bran-muffins/

Would he drink a green smoothie? Smoothies of baby spinach w/ blueberries for ex. You can add a bit of flax meal too.

Lentil soup.

Cooked corn. I know they can't have corn on the cob but canned/frozen corn is fine.
 

[anmom]

We use to make muffins using the Fiber One cereal. They were really good and very helpful...if you know what I mean!

[Pronghorn]

If he can take pills, psyllium fiber is good. It must be taken with adequate amounts of water to avoid choking.

[EKS]

Prunes and plums and peaches and nectarines.  And did I mention prunes?

 

Leafy greens--spinach, kale, chard, collards.

 

Could he eat apples and carrots if they are cut up?  My kids did when they had braces.

 

Bran.  Also you can sprinkle ground flaxseed on cereal.

[catz]

Ground flax based fiber is great and less harsh than psyllium.  I mix it into a 50/50 OJ/water mix (or a smoothie) and drink it down. 

 

I would also say if this an ongoing issues, probiotics (taken forever even) could be potentially helpful.  I would be avoiding processed white carbs for sure. 

[JenneinCA]

Thanks for the good ideas. He does like smoothies. I will work on that idea with him. I can put most anything in a smoothie and it still tastes okay.

 

What kind of probiotics would you suggest? I don't have any clue about them.

[redsquirrel]

What about a serving of fiber one cereal? I like it and so do my kids. It has 14 grams of fiber in .5 cup and it is fairly low in calories.

 

He has to have plenty of liquid! You can have lots of fiber in  your diet, but if there isn't lots of liquid in the colon then it won't do much good. The fiber is there to hold the liquid in the colon, that is what makes things move through.

 

He is only 10 and the rule for grams of fiber for a kid is age plus 2, so he only needs 12 grams of fiber a day. That isn't really that much, especially if he is getting enough liquid.

 

And that powder you put in liquid is mostly soluble fiber, great for lowering cholesterol, not so helpful for pooping. What he needs is insoluble fiber and lots of water.

 

[EndOfOrdinary]

We do a lot of casserole and hidden veggies.  You can put a whole lot in chili and no one would know.  Meatloaf is the same way. Spaghetti sauce is a good one too.  My husband does not eat veggies, but I am almost completely vegetarian and so is our son (by his own choice).  So we hide the veggies around here.

[Truscifi]

Stone fruits in general, plums and apricots in particular, have worked for us. Especially dried apricots, which ds prefers over prunes. Also you can make some really high fiber green smoothies. That and beans are the go to foods here.

[mlktwins]

Lots of water.....

[xixstar]

Also consider if something is causing the issue more than lack of fiber. Any issues with dairy or other foods?

 

Fruits high in water content will help both with fiber and staying hydrated too, in case he drinks little.

[JenneinCA]

He is eating mini wheats for breakfast now. And the actual fiber numbers he is eating are pretty high. He is getting that 14 grams easily. It is just that in order for him to be not constipated it needs to consistently higher than that. His system needs more fiber than it should. My goal is not really to get off the miralax at this point. It is to prevent constipation while he is on the miralax.

 

I think he needs to drink more water. I will work on that and see about the smoothies and possibly the probiotics.

[stripe]

Sweet potatoes. Oatmeal. I put a lot of veges in spaghetti sauce including zucchini, carrots, and eggplant.

 

Lots of water. Adequate fat.

[JenneinCA]

We're not totally out of the woods, but constipation is significantly less of a problem now than it used to be. We do push the water more and now we dilute the juice drinks with water.

 

The issue is he got constipated pretty significantly while on a full dose of miralax. I am hoping that we can avoid that happening again. That is why I am looking into what I can do to help in addition to the meds.

 

I don't know if there are other food issues.... I really hope not. This child loves food especially cheese. He isn't eating as much as he did before because he is eating cereal for breakfast now. I am trying to adjust lunch next...

[mlktwins]

I think he needs to drink more water. I will work on that and see about the smoothies and possibly the probiotics.

He does need the water to move all that fiber through. Otherwise it is like the consistency of toothpaste in his intestines.

[stripe]

OP, I just thought of another idea... a juicer? My parents had one a long time ago and used to do half and half with apple and carrot juice. I didn't like straight carrot juice but a mixture was okay.

I thought juicers remove the fiber? Better to use a blender, wouldn't it?

 

I had braces and ate apples and carrots, but had to cut apples into slices. Attempting to take a big bite resulted in the braces getting covered with food, but not any particular danger to the hardware itself.

[justasque]

Consider the possibility of lactose intolerance.  Removing dairy might help.

When we were in this boat, I tried not only to maximize fiber, but to minimize anything that didn't contain fiber.  Kind of another way to look at the same issue, which I found helpful.  
 

[gardenmom5]

celery.  it can be an ingredient in something - and cooked.

 

oatmeal, granola - you can even make oatmeal cookies (with raisens)

 

prunes - or fresh Italian plums.

 

increase his magnesium intake too.

[MaeFlowers]

Apple juice is a laxative. I can't remember what kind (my dr had a name for it), but it will help. When ds had problems, his dr recommended corn although with braces that might not work.

I have to have quite a bit of fiber myself. I eat shredded wheat daily but I find popcorn can also be helpful. He might also like fiber one bars. SOme of them are really good.

[Laura Corin]

Apples work if cut into small cubes to be chewed by the molars.  Brown rice, brown pasta, brown bread, etc. would add more fibre.  My whole family likes dahl (indian lentils).  How about split pea soup?

 

L

[redsquirrel]

The issue is he got constipated pretty significantly while on a full dose of miralax. I am hoping that we can avoid that happening again. That is why I am looking into what I can do to help in addition to the meds.

 

I don't know if there are other food issues.... I really hope not. This child loves food especially cheese. He isn't eating as much as he did before because he is eating cereal for breakfast now. I am trying to adjust lunch next...

 

Cheese is binding, it causes constipation. It is totally possible to not be able to eat cheese but not be lactose intolerant. I have had several friends with kids who simply could not eat cheese in any quantity without ending up on Mirilax. Most grew out of it, but one kid grew up to be quite lactose intolerant. 

 

 

I thought juicers remove the fiber? Better to use a blender, wouldn't it?

 

I had braces and ate apples and carrots, but had to cut apples into slices. Attempting to take a big bite resulted in the braces getting covered with food, but not any particular danger to the hardware itself.

 

Juicers do remove the fiber, at least the lion's share of it. I would offer smoothies with ground flax or chia seeds (a tablespoon in a full pint of smoothie is enough)

 

Taking a big bite of carrots or raw apples or very crusty bread etc is a no-no for my son with braces. He will pop a bracket right off. He has figured out how to bite carrots with his back teeth, but he won't bit into a whole apple. Our ortho had a kid who kept popping brackets with doritos, so we were warned about that sort of food as well.

[NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too]

My cheese-lover had terrible constipation when he was younger. He cut back cheese and milk and drinks loadsof water and hasn't had problems in years. He doesn't like most vegetables but will eat salads as long as they are covered in dressing.

 

He is also more active than he was when he had constipation, so that may have helped.

 

If I had to do it over, I'd have put him on Miralax at the first sign -- whatever dose worked.

 

BTW, shredded wheat has 5 grams of fiber compared to Fiber One which has 14+ grams. I need more fiber than the average person, so I always eat Fiber One with ground flaxseed for an extra 2 grams per tablespoon.

[JenneinCA]

Today was good. He had All Bran Buds for breakfast, 13g of fiber per .33 cup. He had two servings and that is already a lot of fiber for today. He is trying some mini quiche things for lunch made with spinach and a chocolate flaxseed muffin, so good fiber there too. I am planning on making some super whole wheat bread this afternoon and he can have that during the week.

[Perry]

Quest protein bars are magic. :-)

http://www.questnutrition.com/protein-bars/choc-chip-cookie-dough/?type=box

17 grams/fiber per bar. 

[stripe]

You might want to see if you can get ahold of It's no accident : breakthrough solutions to your child's wetting, constipation, UTIs, and other potty problems by Hodges

[Bootsie]

Pears are good.  Canned pumpkin can be added to many baked goods.  Pancakes made with whole wheat flour, pumpkin, and some wheat germ make them a more nutritious option.

[JenneinCA]

Quest protein bars are magic. :-)

http://www.questnutrition.com/protein-bars/choc-chip-cookie-dough/?type=box

17 grams/fiber per bar.

I will look into these. He loves eating bars of any kind. These would be better than most.

[JenneinCA]

You might want to see if you can get ahold of It's no accident : breakthrough solutions to your child's wetting, constipation, UTIs, and other potty problems by Hodges

Amazon has this for the kindle. It is on my to read list. Thank you.

[JenneinCA]

Update...

 

He has been on a single donee of the miralax since Friday and hasn't had any trouble with poop in places it doesn't belong. He is eating tons of fiber and drinking as much water as I can get him to drink. All bran buds for breakfast, spinach/egg/bacon and flax meal muffin for lunch, and meat with veggies for dinner. It looked good.

 

Until tonight....

Today he said his poop was hard to get out and looked like little rocks. I am concerned that his body is trying to get constipated again. I do have email in to his doctor, but I think he needs more miralax than the single dose he is getting. Is this possible?

[Space station]

Sounds like not enough water to go with all that fiber. The two need to work together.

 

That said, gluten is the culprit that binds up my youngest.

[T'smom]

My 7 yo has been having probs like this. The doc put him on a clean-out dose of miralax a few days ago- 6 capfuls into 36 ounces of Gatorade. And two dulcolax tabs. He said after he gets cleaned out we can "get all mad scientist" with the amount we give him. And to keep him on it for at least a few weeks, so I can't imagine it would hurt to increase the amount a bit. We don't usually have Gatorade in the house, but he's much more willing to drink that than water. Right now, all I care about is getting enough fluid in him- I don't care if it is Gatorade.

[Bootsie]

Are you sure that he needs the extra fiber?  More fiber can make constipation worse for some children.  I have a child with slow motility issues; in that case, high fiber would make things worse.

[catz]

I would commit to probiotics morning and night for 4 weeks.  I have IBS and those make a huge difference for me.  I use these for my dd. 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Natures-Plus-Acidophikidz-chewable-tablets/dp/B000LD3I8W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410836177&sr=8-1&keywords=children%27s+probiotics

 

Doing a no dairy and no gluten trial may help while you're trying to get the gut healthy.  And I was actually able to reintroduce those into my diet.  Water and exercise are important too. 

 

I have IBS and did use miralax when we were trying to figure this out, but it actually irritated my gut over the long haul.  I'm not saying just stop by any stretch or to keep in touch with your doctor.  Anything you try should be gradual increase or decrease.  A more holistic practitioner may be helpful.

[Tanaqui]

Fiber works in conjunction with plenty of liquids (water or occasionally juice, NOT milk) and exercise. If you up the fiber but don't up the liquid, then it can have a constipating effect. Lots of people don't know that.

[beaners]

You don't need to answer this, but did you mention a medical cause beyond frequent constipation? I have two children who are both on a capful daily miralax, but have medical reasons. Neither could go otherwise, no matter how much fiber you add. He isn't getting too much fiber, is he? I've heard it having the opposite effect, but I don't know how much that would take. I know people who need more than a capful, but it *does* seem like a lot without some type of medical necessity.

 

(Edit: Haha, I guess while I was typing others thought the fiber might be a problem too!)

[Orthodox6]

Nobody has mentioned exercise. Add fiber and water, for definite. But move that body enough, and those intestines will move for you in return.

 

Correction: someone who posted at 10:03, same as I did, also mentioned exercise!

[JenneinCA]

Thanks for the advice. I am trying to get as much water into him as possible.

 

He did get some exercise today. More than usual actually. Maybe that shook something loose.

 

I am not certain he needs the extra fiber. That was one of the ideas from his doctor. I suppose it is possible that he has gotten too much fiber in the past few days, but I don't know. I will look into the probiotics.

[JenneinCA]

You don't need to answer this, but did you mention a medical cause beyond frequent constipation? I have two children who are both on a capful daily miralax, but have medical reasons. Neither could go otherwise, no matter how much fiber you add. He isn't getting too much fiber, is he? I've heard it having the opposite effect, but I don't know how much that would take. I know people who need more than a capful, but it *does* seem like a lot without some type of medical necessity.

 

(Edit: Haha, I guess while I was typing others thought the fiber might be a problem too!)

 

We don't have any other diagnosis other than the constipation. The next step was going to the gastro doc.

[beaners]

We don't have any other diagnosis other than the constipation. The next step was going to the gastro doc.

 

I think that is a good idea. It sounds like there is definitely some background cause, even if it is tricky to tease out like an intolerance. Needing that much help for that length of time makes it sound like there is something at the root of it. I hope you guys can find an answer! For long term use Miralax is about as safe as a med can get, but it would still stink to be on it forever without knowing why. Hopefully there is a better way to fix the problem!

[Bootsie]

In addition to the fiber, sorbitol in some fruits can help relieve constipation.  Also, for some people, apple juice or other juices that ferment are helpful.  It looked like your list had lots of grains and veggies for fiber, some fruit might help.

[JenneinCA]

In addition to the fiber, sorbitol in some fruits can help relieve constipation. Also, for some people, apple juice or other juices that ferment are helpful. It looked like your list had lots of grains and veggies for fiber, some fruit might help.

That sounds good. Maybe a smoothie would work... Unless more fiber is wrong and then I am going totally the wrong way. Ugh, this is hard.

[mom2samlibby]

I personally would be looking for a way to wean my child off miralax. I don't feel that it is safe for long term use. There are some suggestions for help with constipation at the bottom of this article. http://www.gutsense.org/gutsense/the-role-of-miralax-laxative-in-autism-dementia-alzheimer.html

[Laura Corin]

Is he drinking enough liquids?  The poop needs to be able to draw on liquids to be soft, so keeping the water level up is very important.

 

L

[redsquirrel]

Yes, the very definition of constipation is lack of water in the stool. It is totally possible to have a bm every couple days and not be constipated, as long as it is soft and passes easily.

 

The veggies you are encouraging will also help with that. Wet food bring a lot of water into the digestion process. But that roughage absorbs it, that is its job as fiber. It absorbs the water, adding bulk to the stool.

 

I am sorry you are dealing with this. It is so stressful! I remember a friend saying she never thought poop could so completely take over her life. :thumbdown:

[JenneinCA]

I am sorry you are dealing with this. It is so stressful! I remember a friend saying she never thought poop could so completely take over her life. :thumbdown:

This is so true. I thought I was done dealing with poop issue when I bought my last box of diapers. This has been a rude awakening that my job isn't done yet.