Constipation

[Maria]

My 4 year old son is constantly constipated.  I have tried everything that I could think of to help him.  Apples, apple juice, laxatives for kids and even fiber supplement.  No luck.  What else should I be doing?

[supersmurf]

A related discussion, 4 yr old is holding is poop. was started.

[Gina]

My daughter is four years old, she always had a problem with pushing on the potty, up until the age of four, she would always ask for a diaper when she had to poop.  She was doing excellent for a while,then started school.  We notice that she would hold her poop for anywhere from five to seven days. We tried mineral oil, change of diet and then resorted to enemas.  She hated the enema's.  Till this day we calucate a couple of days where she didnt go, and tell her that she has poopy in her belly and that she has to get rid of it.  Also with that we have to break out the hinny medicine. She hates it so much that she walks over to the toilet and goes. Almost on demand. Go figure.

[Kyle's Mom]

Try oat bran tablets.  I cut them into pieces and my 6 yr old takes 1/2 tablet daily.  I got them from Vitaminshoppe.com.

My son is a picky eater and refuses to eat the peels of fruits.  I've also tried juices, apples, etc. but with no success either.  Metamucil cookies help a little, but the oat bran tablets really is the only thing that has worked.

[[email protected]]

Dear Maria,

I have been through this problem with my son too.  He started this at about 4 years old.  He was at the point where he was holding it in because he was afraid to have a bowel movement (it used to hurt really bad).  I was so fearful that he would get sick that I did not even care if he went in is pants as long as it came out.  I would use citricel and as a last resort pediatric glycerin suppositories.  

Well that did the job but it would always catch up again.  Finally when he was about 4 1/2 we tried something else suggested by our new pediatrician.  The product was over the counter and was called Kondremul. I mixed it every night with chocolate syrup and increased dosages as prescribed by my pediatrician.  He also explained to me that I had to retrain his bowels by making him sit on the toilet after breakfast, lunch and dinner. (Once he had a bowel movement I did not have to make him sit for the rest of the day. I also had to talk to my son to help him realize that it would not hurt anymore.  Then he suggested to drink plenty of fluids, especially water.  The weather was getting warm and he said if he was dehydrated it would lead to constipation.  He also suggested to increase his fiber content and add as much fruits and vegetablees as possible.  He eats frosted mini-wheats every day - I swear this helps him so much.
My son also complained that it hurt when it came out.  The docter found a tiny crack of skin and this was the source of the pain.  I had to apply ointment and give him a sits bath 3 times a day.  This all happened in May 2000.  He was having easy bowel movements almost instantly.  He was retrained in less than a week.  He only used the medicine for a week.  The best is that this problem has never come back.  He goes faithfully everyday with no resistance.  

I hope this helps - good luck!

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Dear Maria,

Since yours is a question about a medical condition, I have to defer on it. This Forum addresses matters about child behavior. However, it is true that most instances of constipation are related to diet and can be helped by adjustments in that area. It is important to consult with your child's pediatrician, both about treatment of the constipation itself and about dietary adjustments.