Childs stomach troubles...

[Slcb]

Hi all

I'm wondering if anyone can help, my 6 yr old son has never had what you'd call normal toilet habits, since born he's only went once a week, always hard rabbit droppings when he does, I can usually tell when he's due to go because he passes extremely smelly wind for 2 days leading up to it. Iv asked several doctors but none seem to pay attention, anyway hes now developed an extremely smelly sweet breath that you can smell as soon as he's entered a room, his oral hygiene is great (I still brush his teeth) dentist can't find any cause from his mouth. When he was about 2 he at least once a week woke at night with a headache, extremely sore tummy with vomiting...this happened every Monday night into a Tuesday but changed after 10 weeks to a Friday night into Saturday, gradually winding down now to once to every couple of months now...docs and hospital always said viral (shock horror!!) with one doctor getting angry at me suggesting stomach migraines!! I have 3 other children and none have ever caught this "viral infection" and his symptoms are the exact same Everytime!! They have settled now but his toilet habits and smelly breath are worrying me!! Any suggestions??

[Jfmmommy]

My daughter has similar issue with rabbit droppings and now that toilet training in progress she holds it.  Doctor put her on a half capful of miralax to soften her stools. working like a champ. back to the doctors today to check on her status. Have a blessed day

[jemma116]

The first thing to watch with bowel problems like this is to make sure that your son is getting enough roughage foods and fluids.

Cut out or cut down on sugary foods and fizzy drinks.  Offer more fruit and vegetables.  Rather than giving him sugar laden cereals try him on porridge, wheetabix, shredded wheat.  These are low in sugar and you can add any soft fruit that he likes to the cereal and honey to the porridge.  Change from white to wholemeal bread.  Add more fibre into meals.  If he likes soup, you can add barley, lentils chickpeas.  Baked beans are full of fibre, just get the lower sugar and salt variety.

Make sure that he is drinking plenty of fluids.  If he is not drinking enough that can make him constipated.  Offer water rather than fizzy and sugar drinks.  Fruit juices not from concentrates may help (don't give too much)and especially if he will drink the one with bits in - the whole fruit is better if he will eat them.  Go easy on the squashes and the fruit juices as these can soften the enamel on teeth and cause tooth decay and can cause diarrhea if too much is drunk.  

Keep a written diary of everything the he eats and drinks and see if there is anything that may be making him constipated.  Chocolate can constipate some people.  

Observe him to see if he fidgets.  Some children have a habit of holding on and not going to the toilet when they should.  This then hardens the stools making it painful to go.  

If your son still continues to have constipated "rabbit droppings", after changing his diet and getting him to drink more, you will need to take him back to the doctor again.  Go to a different doctor in your surgery rather than the one that was not very helpful.  The doctor is able to prescribe stool softeners and these need to be monitored.