Constipation in a two year old
I am having a problem with my two year old that I know is common in children. I have called two different doctors repeatedly and they keep telling me not to worry - My two year old son has been constipated for almost a month. The ONLY time he will go to the bathroom is when he has had Senecot - and usually it takes a few doses. He is eating a very healthy diet - in fact, he loves fruit AND vegetables ( a little unusual, I know) - he is quicker to eat the veggies on his plate than anything else. He has always been very regular - at least once a day - all of a sudden it changed, and as far as we can all tell, nothing has changed drastically in his life to bring any change on. The doctors keep telling me not to worry - I have tried more natural ways to help him - I don't want to use Senecot too much. I have tried prune juice, but he doesn't want it - who does? I was told to try pears, but they aren't affecting him at all. He sometimes walks around the house, holding his but and saying "poo poo", but there is never anything in his diaper - if anything, just a small stain. Is there anything else, besides mineral oil, that I can give my son to help him get regular again? Am I right to be very concerned about him?
Answers:
I hope your son is staying away from bananas and other fruits/veggies that cause constipation. Does the constipation bother him? If not, I wouldn't worry. Make sure he drinks plenty of water too.
Also I use childrens suppositories (or 1/3 of an adult version) on my kids if it seems to bother them (don't use them too often).
I used to have a college roommate who only went 1x per month. She said it started when she was about 10 years old and that it didn't bother her at all and the docs said not to worry. Otherwise she was fine.
I hope your son is ok.
Answers:
Hi,
Make sure he gets plenty of liquids, especially water, and if he eats bread or crackers it may be a good idea to cut back on those, anything made with white flour is constipating. Also try a tummy massage, gently rub his tummy and maybe put a warm washcloth on it, this sometimes can loosen things up.
Hope this helps.
Answers:
You can put about a tablespoon of karo syrup in his milk to help with this. Also you mention eating the veggies on his plate but is he eating enough fresh veggies and fruit. Senekot is a laxative so I would try to stay away from this. Also when you mention constipation do you mean his stools are hard and dry? Constipation pretty much refers to hard dry stools and not the frequency. If he hasn't had a decent BM by the third day I would use a childrens glycerin suppository. Also include prune juice or prunes in his daily diet.
Answers:
My child had (still does) the same problem. It can sometimes start from a painful bowel movement and they start holding back (could be the "poo-poo" definition). We have been struggling with this for years now. The pediatric gastro doc had us first try Milk of Magnesia twice a day and a regular time for him to sit on the potty every day. But by the time we got referred to the gastro, our son's colon had "vaulted" - expanded in places where the stool was collecting. Then it was like placque build-up in an artery. More and more would collect and harden until only a little could get by, and usually it was liquidy because that's all that could make it past. We ended up having to be put on Miralax which gave him major diarhea, but the doc and all the info I could find said that constipation is dangerous - it can be toxic and hold and deliver poisons from the waste into your system. We have recently had a break-through. It seems that because we all eat "health food" - whole grains, organic produce, nuts, lean non-red meats, soy, no sugar, etc., that we were contributing to the constipation. The fibre was too high and dry for him to tolerate. I now give him softer foods. Moist pancakes for breakfast with regular syrup. I added individual packed peaches in light syrup for his lunches to add a little more sugar, which helps to move the bowels, believe it or not. And Nestle's Quik to mix and put the MOM in. It took about 2 weeks, but he is having softer movements and does not complain about pain any more. He never said it hurt when he was little, he was 6 before he told us that. However, if you don't get this straightened out, the colon will vault and he will lose control of his bowels and have soiling accidents at an age that will embarrass him. Please talk to your pediatrician and ask for a referral to a gastro doc. You will be glad you did. Best of luck to you!!!
Answers:
I hope your son is staying away from bananas and other fruits/veggies that cause constipation. Does the constipation bother him? If not, I wouldn't worry. Make sure he drinks plenty of water too.
Also I use childrens suppositories (or 1/3 of an adult version) on my kids if it seems to bother them (don't use them too often).
I used to have a college roommate who only went 1x per month. She said it started when she was about 10 years old and that it didn't bother her at all and the docs said not to worry. Otherwise she was fine.
I hope your son is ok.
Answers:
Hi,
Make sure he gets plenty of liquids, especially water, and if he eats bread or crackers it may be a good idea to cut back on those, anything made with white flour is constipating. Also try a tummy massage, gently rub his tummy and maybe put a warm washcloth on it, this sometimes can loosen things up.
Hope this helps.
Answers:
You can put about a tablespoon of karo syrup in his milk to help with this. Also you mention eating the veggies on his plate but is he eating enough fresh veggies and fruit. Senekot is a laxative so I would try to stay away from this. Also when you mention constipation do you mean his stools are hard and dry? Constipation pretty much refers to hard dry stools and not the frequency. If he hasn't had a decent BM by the third day I would use a childrens glycerin suppository. Also include prune juice or prunes in his daily diet.
Answers:
My child had (still does) the same problem. It can sometimes start from a painful bowel movement and they start holding back (could be the "poo-poo" definition). We have been struggling with this for years now. The pediatric gastro doc had us first try Milk of Magnesia twice a day and a regular time for him to sit on the potty every day. But by the time we got referred to the gastro, our son's colon had "vaulted" - expanded in places where the stool was collecting. Then it was like placque build-up in an artery. More and more would collect and harden until only a little could get by, and usually it was liquidy because that's all that could make it past. We ended up having to be put on Miralax which gave him major diarhea, but the doc and all the info I could find said that constipation is dangerous - it can be toxic and hold and deliver poisons from the waste into your system. We have recently had a break-through. It seems that because we all eat "health food" - whole grains, organic produce, nuts, lean non-red meats, soy, no sugar, etc., that we were contributing to the constipation. The fibre was too high and dry for him to tolerate. I now give him softer foods. Moist pancakes for breakfast with regular syrup. I added individual packed peaches in light syrup for his lunches to add a little more sugar, which helps to move the bowels, believe it or not. And Nestle's Quik to mix and put the MOM in. It took about 2 weeks, but he is having softer movements and does not complain about pain any more. He never said it hurt when he was little, he was 6 before he told us that. However, if you don't get this straightened out, the colon will vault and he will lose control of his bowels and have soiling accidents at an age that will embarrass him. Please talk to your pediatrician and ask for a referral to a gastro doc. You will be glad you did. Best of luck to you!!!