If you don't mind dicussing kids "bowel elimination" issues..

[Blessedfamily]

Apparently, dd5 has constipation issues.

 

We always thought it was great that we could go out shopping and she didn't need to go the bathroom until we got home. I guess kids are supposed to say "Mom, I've got to go" at inoppurtune moments.

 

 

She developed an anal fissure, and I was unaware that it was caused by constipation. Turns out, she's not drinking enough water. We eat whole grain EVERYTHING and the Ped says the more fiber she gets, the more water she should drink.

 

I was wondering if anyone had ideas, not for an emergency, but just for every day. She does go to the potty daily, but it's often large. We are almost on a timer with the giving her water, and it's a struggle.

 

FYI She does not eat much, but is a healthy weight.

[RebeccaS]

My dd has been constipated since birth. It's been awful. Our pediatrician recommended Miralax (sp?) in her water. It's helped with the size/consistency issues. My dd, at 3, could clog a toilet. It's been fun.:glare:

[Ottakee]

Miralax is WONDERFUL. We had to play around with the dose to find the right one but my 13dd has been on it for 6 years or so now.

 

Could she be getting too much fiber/grains? If she has trouble digesting them, it could lead to more problems.

[angela in ohio]

When my dd was younger, she had similar issues. We limited her milk intake to one serving a day, and it cleared up. Eentually, she was able to add more dairy back into her diet as she got older.

[texascamps]

My first ds suffered from constipation, he was in a home childcare. When we moved him to Kindercare where they have a schedule of snacks and fluids, his constipation went away. It was basically every 1.5 hours. I was amazed...I thought we were in for a long term problem.

 

I have a friend who ds has a horrible diet in the first place, but he would hold it for so long because not only was it uncomfortable but he was too busy. Now, he is 7 and he poops in his pants all day. He has lost some of his rectal control and he still gets too busy to poop.

 

So, I think my whole family teeters on constipation issues, but like everything in this house, we are open about the kids bowels, and they know that when the poopies get hard or difficult they are "D-hyderated" and need water....It helped a alot when we got water in the door of our fridge.

 

I don't think scheduling your dd water is a bad thing. We like a low sugar lemonade as well, it seems to hydrate better then straight water.

 

We live in a dry area and if anyone goes to long without fluids, they get the dehydration headaches and constipation.

 

When the dd gets older she can take care of her own watering needs.

[Peek a Boo]

It's helped with the size/consistency issues. My dd, at 3, could clog a toilet. It's been fun.:glare:

 

OMG! This is my #3 kiddo, lol. He clogged the toilet at my dad's house, and my poor stepmother was ASTOUNDED by the size.:lol: i might check out that Miralax. It's not a problem w/ him, and he doesn't complain, and drinks a lot of water and eats lotsa bananas, but still......

 

good luck :)

[Blessedfamily]

Grain could be a problem. She has whole grain cereal, bread, snacks, etc. I actually read an article in a medical journal that said it's good to give kids whole grain, but it can be too much. I can't find it now, and don't really know how to re-work her diet. It kinda goes against your thinking when you hear "fiber, fiber, fiber" everywhere else.

 

She eats like bird. Dh thinks it occurs when she has been eating cheese.

 

There are so many factors I can't figure it out. All I know for certain is that the first occurence was after we had been out of town for a weekend, staying with relatives. She refused to use other people's bathrooms until she just couldn't hold it. By the time we got home, she finally went to do #2 and it got stuck.

 

Now she has gotten over using the bathroom at close relatives' houses and that's not a problem. But she still has constipation issues.

[AnnetteB]

Bananas are constipating. In our experience 2 dried prunes eaten daily = cure. OR increased fluids and juicier whole fruits (plums, grapes, peaches) and decreased grains (crackers and chips were horrible for one of our littles) Prune juice is also helpful, but our kids won't drink it. Thankfully a fissure will heal quickly in most cases. Bag Balm is wonderful to ease that.

[Blessedfamily]

OMG! This is my #3 kiddo, lol. He clogged the toilet at my dad's house, and my poor stepmother was ASTOUNDED by the size.:lol: i might check out that Miralax. It's not a problem w/ him, and he doesn't complain, and drinks a lot of water and eats lotsa bananas, but still......

 

good luck :)

 

Yes! My sister once told me her doctor says a good size stool for an adult is the diameter of a toilet paper roll.

 

I remembering telling her then that dd must be "good to go" because her poops are much bigger than any toilet paper roll.

[teachermom2834]

Miralax literally changed our lives. (I know this has been discussed in the past here and people have not been open to medication for this issue). My poor ds had been constipated for so long that his bowel was stretched leading to a vicious cycle. He would hold it, become constipated, and then end up pooping in his pants when he couldn't hold it anymore. I was at wits end having pooping accidents with a 5 yo who had been trained since age 2. I was frustrated, he was embarassed and losing confidence, not wanting to go places, etc. We tried everything diet/ hydration wise and milk of magnesia (which was just a mess). The daily Miralax normalized things and we kept him on it for a couple years (it can take that long for the bowel to shrink back to normal size). He is now the most regular kid in the house.

 

I never was aware how bad constipation can be and the cycle you can get in. My ped told me that one bout of constipation can stretch the bowel in such a way that it can take 6 months to go back to normal. I had no idea. I can't tell you how grateful I was to have been prescibed Miralax (it's OTC now).

 

Marie

[1bassoon]

We, too had issues -

 

And other than second the Miralax recommendation, I just wanted to share our experience.

 

In our case, my dd's issue was caused by a condition called "lichen sclerosis". It's an auto-immune disorder where the body attacks the tissue around the g*nitalia. If it hadn't been for our pediatrician doing a visual check, we never would have known. She didn't want to go b/c the tissue around her anus was so brittle. . . .

 

The miralax, though, helped get her back on track once the l.s. was cleared up. She is now self-regulating, and about once a month will say, "Mom, I think I need some Miralax."

 

This is probably not your issue, but just throwing it out there.

[MeanestMomInMidwest]

Here's what I do to make sure my kids drink enough water.

I bought each one of them a metal thermos/water cannister. I keep them all filled filled with fresh water. The cannisters are either within easy reach in the fridge door or on the counter, depending on the kid's preference as to cold or room-temp water. They never have to ask to get a drink of water and each cannister is different, so each kid knows which one belongs to which kid. If they come to me and say they're thirsty, I remind them where their water bottles are. The water cannisters have a lid that flips up with a straw that then pops up. I think the metal keeps the water tasting better, and don't have to worry about the chemicals that may be present in plastics.

[Deidre in GA]

ds 15's pediatrician prescribed Miralax for a week to clear up toliet clogging stool that was also contributing to enurisis. that and frequent water have made a big difference.

[Blessedfamily]

I wonder how much water a 5yo is supposed to have daily? I am seriously considering Miralax.

 

Another problem is we were eating lots of fresh fruit and salad during the summer. Now we don't get the fruit.

 

Also, how do they get calcium if you eliminate dairy? Would yogurt be non-constipating?

Edited January 6, 2009 by Blessedfamily

[Laurie]

I wonder how much water a 5yo is supposed to have daily?

 

 

Here's an article all about water from Dr. Sears' website:

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/t045600.asp

[Peek a Boo]

Also, how do they get calcium if you eliminate dairy? Would yogurt be non-constipating?

 

 

here's a good article about calcium sources other than milk: i'm sure there are others out there too....

 

http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/calcium.htm

[stripe]

Dr Sears has some good suggestions.

 

I've found that my kids got constipated when their diets are too low in fat, and don't overdo the fiber.

 

Dried fruit of any sort helps. Mine like cranberries, raisins, and dates, in addition to prunes, which they consider a hot treat. (Yeah, my mom is shocked, too.) Blueberries are great, too, and very nutritious. Mine enjoy a small bowl of fresh or frozen ones. I think sweet potatoes seem to help too, but I haven't paid close attention.

[Blessedfamily]

Dr Sears has some good suggestions.

 

I've found that my kids got constipated when their diets are too low in fat, and don't overdo the fiber.

 

 

 

Her diet is very low in fat. We drink skim milk and eat lean chicken. (She did drink whole milk when she was younger). And with the little that she eats, her diet must be very low in fat indeed. I have a 13 month old who often eats more than my 5yo at a meal. No kidding. DD5 just doesn't like to stop doing anything to eat. (Although if I put junk on the table, she would gobble that down.)

 

So funny, I kill myself trying to get more and more fiber and less and less fat. Perhaps this is contributing to the problem? I thought that's what you're supposed to do. :confused:

[Stacey in MA]

But, my last DS(now almost 2) had terrible constipation, almost from day 1. He wouldn't have a BM for 9 days in a row. It was horrible....

 

During that early time, he almost never could have an "unassisted" BM. I had to use glycerin suppositories. I was ever so grateful to discover they existed! I was somewhat worried about over-using them, not wanting to take away his body's chance to learn to use those muscles. But the immediate problems were more important to be solved. I always had a "trick up my sleeve" if things were miserable. I don't know if you would do this w/ a 5yo though?? I know that DH's mom remembers having to help DH w/ Fleet Enema's (gross and TMI, I know!) when he was a little kid as well. They are basically liquid glycerin also. I don't know if that is recommended for these older kids now days though....

 

As a more preventative thing, we had to bottle feed him prune juice every day (about 4oz/day), and that worked wonders! It was like a medicine! If he missed it, we would know from his discomfort!

 

This all went on until about 15 months, which is when he started becoming more upright and trying to walk. When the walking kicked in, so did his whole bowl/digestive system! It was wonderful to watch! Within just a couple of days (as he discovered he could walk), the BM issue went away! So with that thought - perhaps being more active would help you DD? Maybe a regular routine walk after breakfast or dinner or something like that? I hear that having the activity at the same time every day helps the body's systems better.

 

Anyway, just some thoughts. Hope something in there might help you! I feel for you...I know how panicked and stressed I was when baby DS was going through that problem. Hang in there!

 

- Stacey in MA

[Jen in PA]

Does she eat olive oil? When my dc seem to be off schedule, I make sure they get a liberal dose of olive oil, and so far I've never been let down. For my kids it's as simple as tossing noodles or roasting potato wedges in the stuff and over-dressing their salads for a day or two. You can even sneak it into spaghetti sauce if she prefers pasta that way.

[Mom0012]

My son had major problems with this when he was little and a glass of OJ with a tablespoon or 2 of prune june in it each morning really helped him a lot.

 

Lisa

[Blessedfamily]

I'm a little shocked right now.

 

My nerves are a little jittery because I just called her down for 5 o'clock drink of water and she threw a major tantrum. Thumping down the stairs screaming, "Why did you stop her from listening to AA Milne! I was listening to my AA Milne! I'm sick of water!!!"

 

I keep telling her this is for her (health) benefit.

 

I'm a little flustered. :crying: I can't remember what I was going to ask, but I'll come back later and post when I can think better.

[Blessedfamily]

Now I remember. What about probiotics? Or the cod liver oil supplements like Nordic Naturals? I don't know much about them, but I'm interested.

Edited January 8, 2009 by Blessedfamily

[Kay in Cal]

We don't have constipation issues here... but my kids also consider prunes (or, "dried plums", to be pc about it) as a great dessert or sweet snack. Bwa ha ha!!!

[muffinmom]

Once after surgery, my colon was still "asleep" and wouldn't move anything through. I decided to eat like half an apple with each meal. Quickly woke up the groggy colon and did the trick.

 

I also second the daily walk--even just 15 minutes would be better than nothing. And the prunes--or "dried plums." I like the "orange essence" ones--quite tasty.

 

ETA: I recommend these as daily habits, not emergency fixes.

Edited January 8, 2009 by muffinmom
ETA: I recommend these as daily habits, not emergency fixes.

[Jenmomof3]

My ds struggled with constipation and we found that apricot nectar worked wonders. It works much better than prune juice in my opinion. Also, I liked that it was a fairly natural alternative and relatively inexpensive. Just a caution that like prune juice you don't want to give too much. We found that just an inch or so in the glass did the trick (we usually then diluted it to fill the glass and get more water in him).

 

HTH,

[littlebug42]

My daughter has had these issues periodically and I use PlumSmart juice. She won't drink it straight but I mix a couple of ounces in with orange juice and she drinks it. This has helped with the periodic issues we have now. Her major problems have however gotten better by re-introducing some fat into her diet. She is also very small for her age although her height to weight ratio is appropriate.

[frogpond1]

starting at this age or earlier. We have found that magnesium is the only really easy thing to use. The Miralax wasn't his favorite. I break open a magnesium capsule and sprinkle it on some jelly and he is back going again. If he gets clogged then I do this. He has very severe problems too and it caused bedwetting and all sorts of things.

[Cherrie]

first years ago my ds had his problem because he would not use a toilet any where but home. It got so bad in grade 2 he had to take two months off school and be on laxatives to give his system a break.

We recently went through a long bout with dgs for months we would get backed up once so bad the doctor but him in hospital to get cleaned out. It was so sad to watch the screaming was unbearable. After months of trying different things for him we found he can not eat bananas and he loves them not even a few bites. He is fine now as long as he had prunes once or twice a week.

[Blessedfamily]

Just thought I'd update. DD had a virus and didn't eat much for two days and got really bound up.

 

I followed several of your suggestions- Miralax, prunes, prune juice. She's doing so much better and actually asked me to thank you. :001_smile:

[ChristusG]

I havent read all the replies......but we have used Miralax regularly since my oldest DD was 18 months old. She's now 4.5 years old. We used to have to use it daily (but only half of the recommended dose). Then we moved to only a few times a week. Now she's been off of it for a few months. If I see that she begins having problems again, we'll go back to a few doses a week.

 

The doctor told us that it was fine to be on long-term (and believe me, I asked several different times). I used to feel so bad for DD. My little girl literally screaming out in pain and grunting because she could not go. It was horrible. There was nothing I could do. We used suppositories often. And I could not get her to eat a fiber filled diet for anything. She's still not a big eater but I guess her body is changing and adjusting so her bowels are better now.

 

But yeah, Miralax really helped us out. We started using it when it was prescription but now it is over the counter.

[ChristusG]

I'm sorry, I didnt realize this was an old thread that you were updating LOL! I'm glad that your DD is feeling much better!

[ekarl2]

My daughter has had these issues periodically and I use PlumSmart juice. She won't drink it straight but I mix a couple of ounces in with orange juice and she drinks it. This has helped with the periodic issues we have now. Her major problems have however gotten better by re-introducing some fat into her diet. She is also very small for her age although her height to weight ratio is appropriate.

 

I second Plum Smart. It's like magic!

[Storm Bay]

Apparently, dd5 has constipation issues.

 

We always thought it was great that we could go out shopping and she didn't need to go the bathroom until we got home. I guess kids are supposed to say "Mom, I've got to go" at inoppurtune moments.

 

 

She developed an anal fissure, and I was unaware that it was caused by constipation. Turns out, she's not drinking enough water. We eat whole grain EVERYTHING and the Ped says the more fiber she gets, the more water she should drink.

 

I was wondering if anyone had ideas, not for an emergency, but just for every day. She does go to the potty daily, but it's often large. We are almost on a timer with the giving her water, and it's a struggle. We were whole grains everything, too.

 

FYI She does not eat much, but is a healthy weight.

 

Water is very important. I had a dd with this issue, and in the end going both gluten and dairy free was even more important in our case (not always.) Just eliminating one of the two made no difference.

[Blessedfamily]

I'm sorry, I didnt realize this was an old thread that you were updating LOL! I'm glad that your DD is feeling much better!

 

She er.. asked me to make a thank you post to "the well-trained mind board" and put in a smiley sitting on the pot. :001_huh:

[hornblower]

It hasn't been mentioned yet that constipation can be a symptom of celiac disease so keep that in the back of your mind. Going gluten free for a trial could be an idea.

 

I found with little kids & water & healthy snacks, I got no flack if I just brought it to them, wherever they were, with no comment and just plonked it beside them. So if they're reading in their rooms or playing on the floor in the lr, I would just slide a plate & glass nearby and leave it. Almost always the contents disappeared......