TMI: kids/constipation

[RhondaM.]

Ok...I hate to resort to asking for help for something so personal...but I do not know what to do. This is concerning a 12 yr old ds.

 

Ds has always suffered from constipation...had a fissure as a 3 yr old...I try to get him to eat right...more fiber...he is doing better but I think we are going to have to resort to daily medications for awhile.

 

But at the moment we have a problem...he has been 'holding it' because he knew it was going to hurt. Since at least yesterday or the day before. And now he is in agony. He is so sore he cannot 'go'. He is torn ...and there has been some blood. I know he is hurting.

 

I tried a fleet enema. He consented to this...made himself as modest as could be...he was desperate enough to allow me to help. The solution must have burned or something...I could not even do it.

 

I have no idea how bad off he is...if he is just being a baby...or if this is something too...err...big to pass.

 

He is sitting in the bathroom crying and he is not even ...going. He is just hurting.

 

When he does try to go ( 2-3 times yesterday - 2 x today) it is agony and I can hear him crying out...but in the end he stops it and can't continue.

 

He is tired and I am worried sick.

 

I do not know what to do for him. His dad is out of town until tomorrow night.

 

Is this an ER visit? Doctor visit? Or just something he has to get through?

 

Please forgive my ignorance. I've never had to go through this before with any other kid...and did not know there was a problem until yesterday.

[Camy-7 boybarians 1 lady]

I would take him to the doctor. Also, he sounds like his bowels need "retraining." You may want to rule out other problems first. Also, besides fiber, does he get enough water and exercise to keep the smooth, intestinal muscles moving? Poor guy.

[Zelda]

Try a warm bath, but he might need a doc visit.

 

In the future you might consider putting him on a prebiotic/probiotic. Its worked wonders here. Also milk of magnesia when things are sluggish. :grouphug:

[rafiki]

.

[newbie]

Prune juice.

 

For regular basis, juice plus has papain and bromain , that keeps my dd's regular.

 

If need be miralax, is tasteless and odorless, add to anything, I dont know dosage.

[Mama Bear]

I'd get some into a drink NOW -- even water, as it's absolutely flavorless. I'd also take him in today because this can get ugly fast, esp. if he's in that much pain. ITA that he's likely to need retraining -- Miralax is VERY useful for that.

 

JM personal exp, not qualified to offer up med advice, yadda yadda...

 

:grouphug:

[RhondaM.]

I'd get some into a drink NOW -- even water, as it's absolutely flavorless. I'd also take him in today because this can get ugly fast, esp. if he's in that much pain. ITA that he's likely to need retraining -- Miralax is VERY useful for that.

 

JM personal exp, not qualified to offer up med advice, yadda yadda...

 

:grouphug:

 

Ok...this is Friday...1:30 pm. What should I do? Miralax (someone I know in real life also suggested this) or the doctor? Because the doctor is going to close soon. And then it will mean the ER.

 

Is Miralax going to soften what is already THERE?

What will the doctor do?

How do I know if it is not already 'that ugly'.???

 

Thanks.

[newbie]

miralax, my aunt took my her grandson to er and they just sent him home w/miralax recommendation.

[RhondaM.]

miralax, my aunt took my her grandson to er and they just sent him home w/miralax recommendation.

 

Ok...just spoke with the doctor. They are already closed but he was still there thank goodness.

 

He said meds at this point might even make things worse...mentioned bowel perferation..YIKES!

 

He said hemroid med, warm bath w/ epson salt for inflamation and some kind of lumricant to help things along.

 

He said if there was ab. pain or fevor to take him to the ER.

 

So I guess for now we will try that. maybe if we can get the inflmation down it won't hurt quite so bad.

[Mommyof4ks]

I would try to get him into the doc or the minor emergency clinic today if possible. This really can get ugly. Miralax can help small problems, but if he is in severe pain I would skip that and go to the docs office. He may not be able to pass this in so much pain. The docs may give him something strong for the pain and some stool softener for the issue and certainly something for the fissure (trust me that is VERY painful), but if he has been holding it a long time he may need a clean out from the doc. Some kids are hospitalized if it goes on too long.

 

My son is on a med that has a tendency to slow down motility, and we have had great sucess with warm prune juice, apple juice, rasinis, fiber pills, flax seed and probiotics (not all at once lol). Fiber pills and probiotics are daily for him with or without issues, and the others are added as issues arise. Let him know how important it is to start treating it as soon as he realizes there is a problem (I know teens can be embarassed about stuff like that).

 

Take care, and hopefully he feels better soon.

[Robin Hood]

This is a problem in our house as well. Dd was prescribed Miralax for 3 months before it was OTC. It took over a week to get it all out and then the rest of the time was for retraining. I always hated using that product because it wasn't natural, but one has to do what one has to do to get to where you have to go. Once you get things moving in the right direction, I have a few suggestions to maintain healthy bowels, especially since his bowels will probably never be quite as healthy as one who does not have this ailment.

 

1. Include flaxmeal in something every day or every other day; ie: hot cereals, home made biscuits, etc. It will force you to cook things from scratch.

2. Metamucil cookies. Dd likes them. They have psylium husks which also aids in elimination.

3. Before sitting down for meals, drink a glass of water. Make a game of it, but it will get at the minimum 3 glasses of water a day down him if you do meals that many times. No sitting or meal until it is drunk. (If I don't do this, I forget to make sure dd gets enough.)

 

I have heard that probiotics are good, but I haven't yet looked into that.

[Remudamom]

Get him into the ER, they'll treat him faster there.

 

When you get him squared away, have him take a stool softener daily. Lots of water everyday. He should pay close attention to this problem and be very aware of when he's going. When he gets constipated he should stop eating til it resolves.

 

Get him one of the fleet enema things that you drink before a procedure. Keep it in case he needs it.

[Remudamom]

Just read your last response. I'd still go to ER now. They can give him something for the pain, and something to help him go.

[dirty ethel rackham]

Don't wait. Take him to the doc today. Don't make him suffer in agony. The miralax may not work fast enough. He may need to be cleaned out and then work on bowel retraining. (I had something similar after my first child was born. It hurt so bad to have a bm over the stitches in the anus that I developed anismus (involuntary contraction of the anal muscle). My doc had me take some milk of magnesia and we upped my stool softener dose among other things.

[RhondaM.]

This is a problem in our house as well. Dd was prescribed Miralax for 3 months before it was OTC. It took over a week to get it all out and then the rest of the time was for retraining. I always hated using that product because it wasn't natural, but one has to do what one has to do to get to where you have to go. Once you get things moving in the right direction, I have a few suggestions to maintain healthy bowels, especially since his bowels will probably never be quite as healthy as one who does not have this ailment.

 

1. Include flaxmeal in something every day or every other day; ie: hot cereals, home made biscuits, etc. It will force you to cook things from scratch.

2. Metamucil cookies. Dd likes them. They have psylium husks which also aids in elimination.

3. Before sitting down for meals, drink a glass of water. Make a game of it, but it will get at the minimum 3 glasses of water a day down him if you do meals that many times. No sitting or meal until it is drunk. (If I don't do this, I forget to make sure dd gets enough.)

 

I have heard that probiotics are good, but I haven't yet looked into that.

 

Thanks so much for your advice. And my thanks go out to everyone who have given me advice for the future. I will be taking note of all the advice and using it!

 

Ok...I went to the store ..and have come home with:

More Epsom salt.

Fleet Suppositories

KY Jelly

Prep. H cream AND Tucks Hemorrhoidal pads.

I got two kinds of hemorrhoid because I wasn't sure what to get.

 

(Every bit of this is for 12 and up btw)

 

So..I'm thinking...have him take a epsom salt bath

followed by a Prep. H. Cream

then try a suppository

Lots of water to drink over the next couple of hours..coat with KY then try again.

I'll save the Tucks for later....hopefully for ..like...after, if needed.

 

Thats my plan. Hopefully it will help.

[RhondaM.]

Don't wait. Take him to the doc today. Don't make him suffer in agony. The miralax may not work fast enough. He may need to be cleaned out and then work on bowel retraining. (I had something similar after my first child was born. It hurt so bad to have a bm over the stitches in the anus that I developed anismus (involuntary contraction of the anal muscle). My doc had me take some milk of magnesia and we upped my stool softener dose among other things.

 

If he does not go soon I will. Tonight or in the morning.

[Ottakee]

Once you get over this crisis, I would add in the Miralax daily to help retrain his bowels. One of my girls has been on it for 7 years or so now (she is on Rx meds that cause problems). You can figure out the dose with some trial and error. We found that 1/2 dose every day is just right for her.

 

I would also examine his diet, etc. to see if that might be a problem.

[RhondaM.]

Just read your last response. I'd still go to ER now. They can give him something for the pain, and something to help him go.

 

He does not need something to help him go. He is physically forcing himself NOT to go because it hurts.

 

Something for the pain would be nice...but except for something local I don't see how they could even help him there.

 

I asked the doctor what they would do if I took him in to the ER. He told me that they'd probably x-ray him to make sure of ...err...the size of it all. Make sure there was no other problem going on.And that they would use their finger to help it out.

 

This is truly going to be the last resort. He does NOT want this to happen.

[RhondaM.]

Once you get over this crisis, I would add in the Miralax daily to help retrain his bowels. One of my girls has been on it for 7 years or so now (she is on Rx meds that cause problems). You can figure out the dose with some trial and error. We found that 1/2 dose every day is just right for her.

 

I would also examine his diet, etc. to see if that might be a problem.

 

I certainly will. Thanks.

[hornblower]

I would suggest an olive oil enema.

8 oz olive oil

1.5 quarts water

warm gently to 103; shake it up well

 

you can reuse your fleet bottle

 

lie him down on bed or, better yet, on a floor near the bathroom. Don't be squeamish, try to act impersonally like a nurse or dr. would - kind but no big deal. There's modesty and then there's the medical world....

 

This should not sting or hurt but warn him it will feel weird. Have lots of paper towels ready. Try to get him to wait as long as he can before going so it has time to penetrate the stool & soften. With a child, you'll probably only need 1/2 of this recipe....

 

It will probably still hurt. :sad:

 

You could make disposable ice packs by filling sandwich baggies with ice & have him hold them in the area to provide a bit of numbing. Have a big garbage pail ready, paper towels ready & try to look totally unconcerned about the mess etc. I think your support will really help him.

 

Tell him to relax as much as possible. If the stool is passing when it's not softened, it will be like coaching a woman through childbirth - breathe & push & try to relax.

 

If it has softened, it will go fast.

 

He will leak oil for hours later so a soft cloth in the undies is a good idea. Rest. Water. Sitz bath.

 

 

This comes up with post partum women a fair bit & I've worked with moms who said the first bm post baby was worse than delivering the infant! So it's now in my repertoire when I'm counselling moms in the early days.

[Kimber]

This is a common problem. I have two children that suffer from this. I took one at the age of 3 to a children's hospital because of it.

 

We learned from the doctor that kids of all ages have this problem and when it goes on for too long, their colons become stretched out and they begin to suffer from being impacted. Once the colons are impacted, the feces behind the impacted material tends to leak out around it, making it seem like the children have diarrhea. Obviously, this doesn't happen to everyone.

 

They put my child on Milk of Magnesia as a 3 yo. I suggest you do the same thing. The magnesium will loosen the stools and help him go.

 

Personally, I think the problem is a magnesium deficiency or an enzyme deficiency. I'm not sure which one. I help my kids by giving them either digestive enzymes or a magnesium supplement on a regular basis. But Milk of Magnesia should help within hours.

 

And once the child is able to go, you have to keep giving him the magnesium until the colon diameter reduces back to normal. Being constipated has more than likely caused it widen and weaken. So you continue the magnesium until the diameter of the stools shrink. (This is what the doctor told us.)

 

Before I took my 3 yo to the doctor, I noticed that by reducing milk consumption, the constipation was less severe. This seems to support that in our case the problem was a magnesium deficiency because the calcium intake needs to be balanced out by magnesium. Reducing the calcium had a similar effect to increasing the magnesium. But I think increasing the mag is healthier.

 

Milk of magnesium is what the doctors recommend, but it has preservatives in it. I'd give it to him now, but look for something you may want to use long term as a regular dietary supplement. Magnesium is just one of those things that some people don't have enough of.

 

A good book by a medical doctor and nutritionist on children and all kinds of ailments is Super Immunity for Kids. I was reading this book when we took our 3 yo to the doctor. The author had recommended the same treatment that the doctor did. We've been blessed with no major incidents since then, but we do have to stay on top of things to prevent our kids from becoming constipated.

[RhondaM.]

We learned from the doctor that kids of all ages have this problem and when it goes on for too long, their colons become stretched out and they begin to suffer from being impacted.

 

 

 

I can easily see how this could happen...and has probably happened with this kid.

 

I will now be micro managing his diet. I will NOT let this happen again!

 

You mentioned milk of magnesia (sp?) . Is this a laxative, then?

The doctor said that at the moment a laxative may do more harm than good. But I will certainly look into it in the future.

 

Thanks.

[Ria]

Rhonda, there's a certain amount of trauma that your ds has gone through/is going through which, no doubt, is making this problem worse. I think, as others have suggested, that daily fiber (he's 12...he can either swallow a fiber tablet or drink Metamucil), drinking a certain amount of water (avoid juice...too much juice actually contributes to constipation) and perhaps a stool softener for a while would be a good plan AFTER this current crisis is passed.

 

If he's still in agony in a few hours I'd go to the ER. Impacted bowel is serious. Perforated bowel can be life-threatening. I almost died from peritonitis from a perforated small intestine.

 

Ria

[Kimber]

I think Ria is correct. I'd call his doctor and see what he or she says about the milk of magnesia and giving it some time. If they suggest taking him in, I'd take him in.

 

My child used to cry at 3 yo with bowel movements. Warm baths helped, but the milk of magnesia was the beginning of the solution. We were able to solve our problem before a doctor's intervention became necessary. I'd check with the doctor and see if he suggests more time, in which case milk of magnesia may be something he'd agree with, or if he'd prefer immediate action.

 

Good Luck!

[lighthouseacademy]

As one poster mentioned- milk is notorious to for causing constipation. I too would probably do an enema, but keep in mind that if an enema is used every time to have a bowel movement, the peristaltic action is further reduced and the bowel becomes more lazy. Enemas should only be used in emergent situations, which this seems to be. You need to rebuild the muscle tone. Avoid offending foods like sugar, white flour, eggs (both of these act like glue in the intestines), and dairy, as well as limiting meat consumption, especially red meat, because they take several days to break down and be excreted which can further add to the problem and any other foods which seem to trigger constipation. Ideally, in adults, proper bowel movements occur 2-3 times per day (you eat 2-3 times per day you should excrete 2-3 times per day too) and should not be well formed.

[LauraGB]

When dd had this problem years ago, the dr suggested Miralax - it worked. I believe it is over the counter now.

 

*I* occasionally have had this problem :blushing:. Earlier this year, I began having horrible back pain and side pain, serious bloating and all around sluggishness. It didn't occur to me that it was a constipation issue because I was daily regular. So I went to a general surgeon, he took an xray - holy cow! It was shockingly disturbing! He said to try Milk of Mag daily for about a week and see how things went. Well, they did. Very nicely, in fact :D. Two thumbs up for M.O.M. Its safe - not a "drug" (I'm a pharmaphobe and was completely freaked about about even that much!).

 

Right now, since he's so uncomfortable, personally, I wouldn't increase the poor kid's fiber until he starts moving something. It sounds like he needs softening, not necessarily bulking, which can cause the stool to be more dry. I suggest MOM or Miralax, a good quality, high-dosage acidopholus and A LOT of water, along w/regular appts to the commode to just sit there.

[Guest janainaz]

I also suggest Miralax. My ds8 has this problem, only it's not complete emptying of his bowels. I won't go into detail other than, he needs lot of TP! He's actually had other problems due to this constipation and I took him in for xrays and his entire colon was backed up, causing problems in his urethra. At one point, he was urinating little drops of blood. I was freaking out, to say the least. He does eat fiber, but here in the desert, you can't get enough water and it seems that he already has a bit of an issue. I also believe he's got issues with hard cheeses. So, I limit the cheese - I axed it from his diet for a long time.

 

Miralax works very well, it's tasteless (you can mix it with OJ or put it in a high fiber smoothie). It is what his urologist recommended. Get him a big water bottle and make him drink it by days end and limit certain foods.

 

You poor ds :( How sad for him (and for you). He'll be ok.

 

Also: blueberries are GREAT! You can buy a big bag frozen and they are a stimulant and have tons of great antioxidants, too.

[RhondaM.]

Success!!! I did as planned: epsom salt bath, prep. H, suppository w/ KY...and...wow!

It wasn't nearly as painful for him as he thought it was going to be..Thank God!

 

Ok....so...now to keep him going daily ...which he will want to resist because he is sore...but I am taking all your advice and will start changing his diet as of today!

 

Thanks so much for all your advice!

[Parrothead]

I'm so happy he was able to go. I didn't have anything to add to the conversation, but I was worried about him.

 

I'm glad there was a happy ending.

[Ottakee]

I would check the diet---esp. for dairy as that is constipating to many kids and then start the Miralax. It really IS a miracle laxative. The only thing I have found NOT to mix it with though is milk as it seems to make it "curdle"--not in a sour way but rather texture. I actually use koolaid or even a bit of pop which makes mine much more likely to want to drink their "bubble medicine" as it is known here---it will cause a carbonated beverage to fizz more, hence the name.

 

If you read up on chronic constipation or even encopresis you will learn this may take months to overcome. The miralax though is very safe to use long term if needed.

[RhondaM.]

I'm so happy he was able to go. I didn't have anything to add to the conversation, but I was worried about him.

 

I'm glad there was a happy ending.

 

Ack! Pun intended? LOL

I was worried about him too.

Glad its over now though.

[Parrothead]

Ack! Pun intended? LOL

I was worried about him too.

Glad its over now though.

There has to be something to smile about in a crisis. :lol:

[LauraGB]

Success!!! I did as planned: epsom salt bath, prep. H, suppository w/ KY...and...wow!

It wasn't nearly as painful for him as he thought it was going to be..Thank God!

 

Ok....so...now to keep him going daily ...which he will want to resist because he is sore...but I am taking all your advice and will start changing his diet as of today!

 

Thanks so much for all your advice!

 

:hurray:

 

(Good to know, too, what else works!)

[RhondaM.]

There has to be something to smile about in a crisis. :lol:

 

I agree and you are soooo punny! :D

[Mandamom]

I would check the diet---esp. for dairy as that is constipating to many kids and then start the Miralax. It really IS a miracle laxative. The only thing I have found NOT to mix it with though is milk as it seems to make it "curdle"--not in a sour way but rather texture. I actually use koolaid or even a bit of pop which makes mine much more likely to want to drink their "bubble medicine" as it is known here---it will cause a carbonated beverage to fizz more, hence the name.

 

If you read up on chronic constipation or even encopresis you will learn this may take months to overcome. The miralax though is very safe to use long term if needed.

 

We used Miralax for two of my children after some constipation issues and it helped a lot.

 

I also discovered that dairy was a major culprit in house for constipation issues. We have since significantly reduced our dairy consumption.

 

We are also probiotic users and they help a lot, too. We get them from vitacost.com and get great prices and quick shipping.

 

Good luck getting through this.

[Mommyof4ks]

Glad to hear that things are 'going' better now! Hopefully that is the end of this issue and a few changes will help keep him feeling better.

[kRenee]

A natural product that has worked for us is Vitamin C. Lots of it. Give it a few days to start working then take it every day. I give my 12 year old 1000mg in a capsule. I don't think tablets work very well at all- use capsules or powdered.

[stripe]

Another vote for Miralax and for blueberries!

 

Also: blueberries are GREAT! You can buy a big bag frozen and they are a stimulant and have tons of great antioxidants, too.

 

Another thing I learned is that in kids, it may not be the fiber that's the issue. Increasing fats helped my kids a lot too.

 

Dr Sears has some good tips on constipation, I think. I just read the book "It Hurts When I Poop" to my kids, who are much younger than yours, but I wanted to toss out the book title for anyone looking for a picture book on this sensitive topic.

[swellmomma]

My ds5 has chronic consitipation, has had it since he was 4months old. We have tried everything, and nothing keeps him regular. I have not tried the miralax yet. We just started probiotics last week and he finally went today, but he is not done, I can feel the masses of bm in his bowels. I think I will stop by the drug store tomorrow while we are out and pick some miralax up.

 

I hope you ds gets some relief soon. I have learned that for ds when I notice him starting to ooze I put a pull up on him. SOmetimes he will use that to go at first, because his tummy starts cramping and he likes to curl up over a pillow, and then he seems to be able to use the toilet for the next few times. (He tends to have several HUGE bms over the course of a couple days then doesn't go for 10-14 days)

[Ottakee]

The miralax would be great--it does take a few days to work and you have to play with the dose. At first we used the full dose, now we use 1/2 dose.

 

I wonder though if you have checked his diet for food intolerances since this has been a problem since he was about 4 months old--the age when you generally start feeding them some solids.

[Tammyla]

:grouphug: Little late here, but glad it's resolved for now. I'll second the fiber. milk of magnesium, and even yogurt. They now have the one with fiber in it. I just sprinkle acidophilus over the stuff I make to boost it. It's great for the digestive system and immune system.

 

Bless his heart. Colace is also a good stool softener and available without a prescription. Cutting down milk helped out here too. Disclaimer, I'm not a doctor just a mom with a kids.

 

Sending you a hug too.:grouphug:

[kalanamak]

 

Thanks so much for all your advice!

 

Have you tried non-dairy diet? That works for some, and is safe, cheap. If that works and he wants to eat dairy, combine it with a prune chaser. I find a couple of cucks do well, too (orally, folks, orally).

 

Bran, apples, and if it comes to that, there is no shame in some miralax, the rolls royce of lubricants and not a stimulant to get the bowel addicted to. Also, a bit of private time with a book after the biggest meal of the day and you can train the bowel. My son has had good luck with "have a seat and see if your bowels will cooperate" if we are going to be in the car a long while. I ask him after breakfast (a big meal).

[stripe]

Miralax has a $2 off coupon on their website, btw. It's supposed to be a nondigestible sugar or something that holds in water, so it ensures that the bowel movement is not very dry. Too much, though, does cause diarrhea. I would advised to start small (the dr was pretty vague about the dose; I ended up using my kitchen scale to do about 1/4 adult dose) and increase slightly if dc did not have a bowel movement the next day. Decrease if it got too loose.

 

(ETA: The ped told me that I should count on giving this daily for several MONTHS in order to provide enough of a physical relief for the child as to neutralize the emotional avoidance of the toilet that leads to "holding it in" or other behaviors from FEAR.)

 

The magnesium tip was really useful; I will try this out. But I also think kids (well my kids anyway!) can sometimes get into a too-low fat diet with just fruits and bread and other starches, and making sure they had fat -- Dr Sears recommends flax oil but even more flax seed, but I also have been known to add a bit of oil just on top of their foods, encourage them to put butter on toast, etc. I am emphasizing this again just in case. Avocados are great if your child likes them.

Edited November 22, 2008 by stripe

[Tree House Academy]

My friend had a younger child who was the same way. I would take him to the doctor. Sounds like he is impacted and needs help. Then, you will probably want to rule out any possible causes of this severe constipation and then get him on something that helps him go.

 

Also, diet plays an important role in bowel habits. Add more fiber or a supplement if he is a picky eater. My kids are and we have to add fiber or they have a hard time going too.

 

Bless his heart. I pray this resolves for him soon. But it does sound like impaction and he probably needs to see a doctor to help get that out.

[Mom0012]

I haven't read the other replies and have no advice about the immediate problem your son is having, but my son has gone through this. When he did, I gave him a glass of OJ in the morning with a tablespoon or two of prune juice in it. He liked the taste and it kept him regular. I think regularity is the key to avoiding the problem your son is having now.

 

There is also an over the counter "miracle" drug called Miralax that is supposed to work wonders for constipation, but you need to take a daily and it is usually recommended to take it for an extended period of time (like months) in order to get things back on track.

 

Lisa

[cin]

DD7 is like this. Has been since the day we got her, at 12 mos old. We use prune juice. Daily. And check it--Believe it or not they have different amounts of fiber in them. She drinks 2 oz every day. (It's cheaper than miralax and some of the other things).

 

I remember having to help her go, as a baby. NOT pleasant, but you do what you have to do. ya' know!!?? It didnt' help that she had to have the formula WITH Iron. But when you're malnoursihed....again, you do what you have to do!!