Anyone Out There Have a Constipated Child?.

Probiotics (multi-strain)!!! There are powdered pro-floras that you can mix into her milk or other beverage that don't have a funny taste. Try giving it to her once in the morning and once at night. Then after 2-3 days you should see a result, and can scale back to just once a day.

Flaxseed oil or cod liver oil will also help--she needs Omega-3s.

Fruits that start with P: prunes, pears, peaches...all help move things along.

And finally, increase her fiber and avoid sugars, pickles, salty foods..

good luck!

Hi A.,
I feel for you. My daughter had always had trouble with constipation. I found this recipe http://www.spiffyman.com/recipes-super-flax-muffins.html The flax seed keeps you QUITE regular. In fact I make them in the mini pan and freeze them. One a day is perfect for me usually but if meds block me up I'll eat more.
Good Luck,
D.

My now 12yo was like this when she was small. Thankfully I found Flaxseed Oil! (I prefer Barleans from the healthfood store) She uses it everyday in oatmeal or in a salad as dressing or somehow in her diet (applesauce, etc) and she is never has a problem now. She has the most beautiful hair and nails as a result and her skin just glows....its the Lignans and Omegas that make it so healthy for her.

Do some research on it...I hope this helps. Stay away from mineral oil in the gut as it plasticizes in the intestines and keeps you from absorbing nutrients.

G.~~~

I don't have a constipated child - and it sounds like you are doing what you can to take care of your poor daughter.
How about a new Dr. who will take you seriously? With her symptoms and history, and two Docs still said stomach bug?
If I were you, I would find a new practice where I felt comfortable and where they took my concerns seriously!

I assume that you are giving your daughter lots of high fiber foods and lots to drink? Lots of brown rice, beans, apples - limit bananas and dairy which can be binding...

Good Luck to you and your daughter!
Warmly,
E.

Hi A.,
Reading your story was like reading about my now 11 yr old daughter. She too has always had problems with constipation since she was 2 years old. When she does go, even today, we need the plunger! We also were prescribed miralax, and we used it without success for a short time. I do not like giving my kids medicine, so I stopped after about 2 months on the product. What I can say is that I have found natural ways to help my daughter. I started to cut down on the amount of white flour products she consumes. I kept on her to drink a lot of water through the day, and I increased her fiber naturally with fruits and veggies. Honestly, the days she eats right she does much better....not perfect but a huge improvement. THe days she eats lots of pasta or bread products she ends up paying for it later with a distended belly and cramps and those "baseball" size poops. I do not know if this will work for your child, but those simple changes have helped mine. A nutritionist may be the way to go......our bodies tend to work best with what nature intended for us.
Best of luck to you and if you learn anything that may be of help, please pass it on.
Take Care,
A.

My 3 yr old daughter has had some recent issues with constipation. You could look your daughters food intake & eliminate foods that may be causing it such as too many bananas or cheeses. Also it is very important to keep her hydrated. Water is the best. You should stay away from sodas. We keep a stash of Gerber baby food prunes in the house & my daughter eats them on a regular basis for desert to help keep her regular. You may want to try a nutritionist & see if you can get her on a beter diet that wont cause her as many problems. The laxatives are not a good long tern answer as you know & may cuse additional issues later on for her. Good luck.

B., a SAHM to a great 3 y/o girl

A., I'm sorry I don't really have anything insightful to say just that I feel so badly for your daughter!! My 2 year old has some similar problems but it seems to work itself out with some Kyro, etc. Good luck with your Drs. appts. at Children's at least you're in the best place! Good luck - L.

just a thought...food allergy??? or lack of fiber in her diet...try eliminating dairy for a few weeks and pump up the whole grains

Hi there,
Wow, I feel like I am reading about my own child, word for word. It is so frustrating, isn't it. We have had all the testing done also, and nothing has been found. I don't even bother with the Miralax anymore. We have completely changed her diet - she eats various types of fiber cereal every morning, lots of fruit and veggies, no cheese. On occasion I will let her have cheese because I feel so badly that she wants pizza, etc. But overall, we really try to stick with the foods that are best for the situation and avoid the others. With the diet change we have seen small improvements here and there. The summers always seem to be the worst, with the throwing up and not eating. I really have not gotten any satisfactory answers either from the doctors. Last week, they suggested prune juice and 7up. 1 ounce of prune juice and enough 7up just to take the "oily appearance" out of the prune juice. They said to keep her near a toilet because it will come fast when it does come. You've probably tried that already.
Good luck. I would love to hear any suggestions that you find out. It's so hard to see your little one in pain.
Thanks, J.

Hi,
My daughter has the same problem since birth. We ended up going to a specialist and they did tests and said that they couldn't find anything and prescribed Miralax.
The only thing that I can tell you is that you will need to keep her on the Miralax ritually for a while and then gradually reduce it.
Also keep her active, especailly in the winter. Swimming is great because it relaxs the bowels. Also warm baths helped my daughter a lot.
My daughter is almost 11 and still gets constipated though not as severe as when she was younger. She is down to having Miralax once or twice a week and that helps.
Although I do have to give it to her more often in the winter when she is not as active. She had a bout in January and we had to do the suppositoies once. But after that she was fine.
I wish the was a fast cure. All I can tell you is it will get better.

give her RAISINS, every day, always.....wonderful !!!B.

I know how you are feeling. I have a ten year old daughter who went through a bout of constipation. She was on Myralax for over a year. At one point it got so bad I had to bring her to the hospital to have an enema twice in one week. They did x-rays and said that she was severely constipated. This was all while she was taking the Myralax every day twice a day. I couldn't understand how she could get so constipated while she was taking a laxative. She ended up being on two laxatives and having the two enemas. I demanded that we go to a pediatric gastroenterologist. They also did an x-ray. By this time she was cleaned out and he thought she was doing good. We weaned her off the Myralax over a couple month span with a few follow up visits. I'm always worried when she has a stomach ache and I am constantly asking her about her bowel movements. I would listen to your instincts and follow up with whatever doctors you feel necessary. I remember feeling so helpless. My daughter was in so much pain and there wasn't much I could do.

Also my doctor told me about plum juice. It has as much fiber as prune just, but it tastes much better. I give that to my daughter to help.

Good luck with everything. I hope it all clears up for your daughter.

H.

A.,

I am so sorry! It is so awful to watch your child be in pain! My 14-month-old has had constipation issues for quite some time as well. She also has had a lot of respiratory issues, so we had taken her to a pediatric pulmonologist to test for cystic fibrosis and immunodeficiency. I mentioned the constipation, but didn't think they were related. She said that if a child has bad reflux, that will make her constipated and have all kinds of digestive issues like that. It never would have occurred to me! However, she is now on Axid (like a prevacid or a zantac) to help the reflux I didn't know she had. We are told this is going to basically solve everything! We went to Dr. Palazzo out of Yale because our pediatrician said the same things that yours has said (basically, its nothing). Trust your instincts--don't settle until it is solved! GOod luck!

Wow the poor thing. My sis. had a son who is 4 and has been constipated his whole live. She had a problem with blood in his stool. He didn't like the bathroom so he held onto it for days and there would be no moisture. She has been using mineral oil. It doesn't cause harm and it just makes things
"slippery" Good luck

What is she eating? Is she eating plenty of fiber? Fiber One cereal is really good for going to the bathroom but it has aspartame in it which is controversial additive. When I eat it I regularly go, but when I don't I get constipated. When they xrayed her did they see any blockages? It does take a long time for the colon to heal and to go back to normal. In the meantime she is going to have to try to go every day even if she doesn't feel like it because her body isn't giving her the signals to go because her colon has been stretched and it is damaged. This could take a long time to fix. Has she had a colonoscopy to rule out any blockages or problems?

Look at her diet and see what could be making her constipated. You might want to make sure she is getting fiber in her diet but cut out wheat -- there is the yogurts on the market Activia, try giving her one of those a day to see if that will help and work on giving her a glass of Apple Juice - not watered down. Also, is she getting enough water? Try giving her a diet that is almost vegan -- lots of Fruits and Veggies. I feel so bad for you right now, I wish I could talk to you "live" -- she could certainly have Celiac's and that would force you to change her diet dramatically. Also, try the Soy Milk in the purple container -- it's very vanilla and it has fiber in it and it's very healthy. Good Luck and please keep me posted, I don't like the Dr.'s you are dealing with at all!

I have a friend with a baby that might have Hirschsprung's disease, which is a cause of chronic constipation. She just had a rectal biopsy and the results should come back next week.

A.,

I don't have a child with that problem but, I was one. When I was about 3 I was diagnosed with Celiac. I can say that being a celiac was sometimes hard but, mostly it has been great. I get to eat a variety of foods that most people don't. I also feel that being a Celiac keeps me healthier because I need to keep an eye on my diet. Also, eating sweets is more complicated than buying Hohos! I hope that your daughter is ok and stick with your gut instincts about her being ill. If she is a celiac it is not the end of the world. Millions of people do it every day.

W. H.

Hi
I have a son (almost 4) he has had constipation since being an infant although he has always eat healthy. That is our lifestyle. My pediatric explained that children have this problem due to all the "additives" manufactures put in foods. Miralax has been our saving grace.

I wish you luck.

E.

Hi A.,
My daughter has the same problem with constipation, and she is seeing a speiclalist at Mass General, and the doctor told us that it's normal for children to hold their poops for days, because it hurts when they poop. The doctor recommend to take 4ox of George's Aloe Vera water everyday and that will help them poop. You can only order this water online. We have been using it for two months and it's helping the problem. The doctor also recommends when my daughter gets pain in her stomach to take a warm cloth and in a circular motion from right to left and that will help ease the pain.

My daughter was like this when she was a toddler I put her on Matamucil crackers and it helped her out.

Don't put her on any of those over the counter drugs! they will not help and are not good for her!! Go to a good health food/vitamin store (not GNC) and ask about something called "Turkey Rubarb". Get suggestions for the amount she should take being that she is 4 and not 40. In days she should be eliminating normally and be healthier for it. Don't let the strange name throw you off.
Good luck.

Good for you to be persistent!!! There is always a danger of impaction. Try Kondremul, I got it from the pharmacy but they had to special order it. You can get it from the online pharmacy. It is mineral oil that is emulsified, safe non dependent and tastes like marshmallow. Give a tablespoon every night before bed. It keeps stool soft and moving gently. First I'd give a table spoon 2x's a day for a few days.
Also try a chiropractor, it worked for my daughters ear infections, trauma during birth caused cervical spine misalignment, so the nerves to drain ears was impaired, after adjustment no more problems. After 4 adjustments no more ear infections.

Hi A.,

I really feel for you and your child, and can relate as I've had similar problems with mine. This is going to sound very simplistic, and I don't mean to imply that I think this is necessarily the only solution to the problem, but....

Water helps tremendously. Most of us - children, adults, elderly - simply do not drink enough water, and we are all chronically constipated to some extent. Sadly, we are all used to drinking juice, soda and milk, none of which are good at keeping us properly hydrated, and all of which can contribute to constipation. Naturally, during summer the problem is worse, as you are finding with your daughter. Something as simple as drinking water is often overlooked by doctors and parents when faced with a crisis like serious bowel impaction, but in the long run it will help a great deal. It will require a shift in thinking and drinking habits, but I think it is worth it and that you will see results. And hey, it's cheap!

My daughter has had chronic constipation throughout most of her life, and I have found that when I remember to give her a big cup of water, it helps so much. Sometimes she will do a #2 right after finishing the cup! As an example to her, I have disciplined myself to start every day with a big 8 oz glass of water, before I even eat breakfast, and I have become very regular and comfortable as a result. I haven't been able to get my daughter to always do this every morning, but when I do, our days go so much better.

I am sure there are other things that I haven't thought of which the doctors will suggest, but I strongly believe that drinking plenty of water throughout the day - EVERY day - will give your daughter a lot of relief.

Good luck!

Hi Sahm,

Sounds like so much good advice. I have a 5 year old that was even constipated on breast milk. Since visiting the Hopkins clinic and keeping a food log the conclusion was diet. I am very strict about what I feed her as to not bind her up. She must have at least five servings of fruits or vegetables daily. I never snack her with bready items like graham crackers, banana bread or any sugary yogurts. I start her off every day with a multi-grain pancake or waffle (recipes on line that include a great mix of omega 3's and fiber) topped with peanut butter. We were told to always bind our food choices in pairs of equal the amount of protein when giving a starch. The starch should always have a fiber value of higher than a 4. If your child likes cereal try giving her Clifford crunch or fiber one clusters. The Johns Hopkins doctors have a belly clinic. It is the best in the world for celiac and crones disease detection and treatment. My sister has crones. It is a genetic disorder usually skips a generation. She suffered blockages and constipation most of her life prior to her diagnosis. My best friend growing up has celiac. These are easy to live with today because the food choices have multiplied. Good luck.

Hi A.,

I'm familiar with that problem, though not so severe. Grain fiber was not the answer, I have recently discovered in that past 5 years. It was the problem. Below is a copy of what I sent to another mother with a child experiencing GI problems. I hope it helps!

An alternate suggestion to the mineral oil suggestion in another post - cod liver oil. You can get it flavored with lemon from Carlson's. It contains essential nutrients as opposed to mineral oil.

I didn't have time to read all of the posts. I had a blood test for celiac disease. It came back negative but I felt much better after removing wheat from my diet. In time I discovered that all grains gave me trouble. It took me three days to feel better after removing wheat. It took a relative of mine 3 months before noticing a change. Seeing how poorly your daughter feels, I'll bet she'll feel the difference sooner than later.

I mostly use ground flaxseed and almonds in place of grains. Check out the recipe website. I now cook almost all of our food from scratch. You need to read labels and know the sources of ingredients. Life isn't impossible on this diet. It is much more enjoyable to feel better too.
Glad to see you are a SAHM too. It helps with the cooking - make too much food when you cook so that you'll have leftovers. You can freeze some things for later.

Another remedy to relieve constipation is milk of magnesia. Magnesium is an important mineral for the body. A diet change may help with the constipation. Hers is pretty bad though so it might not completely get rid of the problem. One of my children still has a problem. Don't know if it's not enough fluid, or fiber, or magnesium in the diet, or maybe it's just the way his digestive tract works. I'm a LOT better though. What a relief!

: ) Maureen

A number of us; me, family, and friends; have found the information found on the below websites to be of great benefit to our health. One doesn't need to be overweight - it will help with that - to find help from this diet. Our problems were gastro-intestinal related. The change in diet also helped with other problems that are not considered by the medical establishment to be diet related. Good luck to you and your child!

Maureen

http://www.cambridge.org/us/books/kiple/introduction1.htm... a number one (1) at the end of introduction, not a lower-case letter L.) The Cambridge World History of Food, Cambridge University (England) website
http://www.ThePaleodiet.com, http://www.PaleoDiet.com, htpp://www.thepaleodiet.com/newsletters
http://www.sofdesign.com/neanderthin/index.html
http://www.geocities.com/AncestralLifestyle
http://www.paleofood.com - recipes and ingredient conversions.

Poor thing!! I would look into food allergies and Hirshprungs Disease. I hope you find the answer!

I agree with Melinda C. I started going to a homeopathic doctor for myself about 7 years ago. Doctors could never helped me with any of my issues, I went to this homeopathic doctor & have referred countless others. He has helped us all with every issue we had. I also took my son because at 6 months old he had under arm BO yes a 6 month old with BO. I knew that was not normal even for a 2 or 5 year old so I brought him in. Turned out his lymph system was not working as it should due to foods like wheat, dairy and others he is "sensitive to". I put him on a strict diet & the BO was gone within a few days. So I believe when the regular western medicine docs cannot find the problem you need to seek further advice. There website is www.maxhealing.com his name is Dr. Mark Mincolla he also has some great associates my son sees Jill and I see Dr. Mincolla. The only problem is they are in Cohasset, MA & I am not sure where you are but sometimes traveling is worth it to find a cure for your child. Good luck!!!!!
Feel free to e-mail me any time if you have questions. I am so sorry about your little girl! I feel so bad.

Okay, you've got some great advice here. I would agree that the first thing to do is look at diet and food sensitivities. Our food supply is terribly contaminated with foods that are no longer digestible. GMOs, too much hybridizing, chemicals, etc make things that were normally staples in the human diet (wheat for instance), intolerable.

Eliminate wheat (and gluten containing foods--see celiac's website), sugar, corn syrup, dairy, nightshade vegetables (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant) and red meat right away. Stay off of them for two weeks. The whole family should get on the game with her for this short term. It will be easier, and Others in your family may have some sensitivity also that will only become obvious when the irritants are gone. Stick to whole foods (the less processed the better, so brown rice instead of white, whole fruit instead of juice). Eat lots of green veggies, fish, organic chicken.

Get some flax and borage oil into her diet, if you can, by mixing it with other foods (I use it in salad dressings). Get ahold of diatomacious earth (food grade) and get her to take it mixed in water or a little juice. This will clear parasites, yeast, and other internal beasties from her system.

Lots of water, water, water. Purified or at least filtered if possible.

This is a detoxifying diet. It is gentle, though sometimes seems radical because the changes can seem enormous to take on. Just try it for two weeks. It will eliminate irritants, clean out the system, and allow the intestines a chance to PROPERLY absorb nutrients.

After the two weeks, reintroduce ONE category at a time, for just two days (bread, nightshade, dairy). Probably best to avoid sugar and corn syrups for the long haul. These are hightly processed foods that should be enjoyed only on a very infrequent basis. You will notice how these foods affect her when you reintroduce them in SMALL QUANTITIES. After you introduce one, take a day or two to let her clear out again without it and see the difference.

I know this is a lot, but it will give you some real answers, and you are in control of it. In the long run, this is cheaper and less time consuming than doctors and crazy medications. Also, if she is celiac or has crohns, you will know it from eliminating the wheat and you will save her intestines from further, sometimes irreparable, damage.

Good luck! I had to do this for myself and it is AMAZING what you can learn about yourself/your child by trying this method.

Best,
S.

i had the same problem with my son (he now 4)he would scream and run back and forth in the house that his bum bum hurts and couldn't poop. his dr's first said try warm bath and rub vaseline on his outside,try prune juice..but nothing worked. they sent him up to nemc tufts floating childrens hospital which he has been going now for about 2 years. first they had him on miralax everyday and exlax (1 chocolate square) everyday. that helpend extremely..now they are trying to lean him off it. he is on benefiber now 2 tsp everyday and the exlax every other day.. and it seem that he does not poop on the days he doesn't take the exlax..so i hope that helps out. the dr did say that every child is different and different laxatives will help certain children..but the treatment he's on now helps out alot.. no more screaming child and his poop is much softer now.

Whenever my son has problems with constipation (not nearly what you describe), we give him "prune bread" - basically we stew the prunes then puree them in a blender and spread on wheat bread like jam.

I am so sorry you are going through this, my child had this problem till she was about 3 yo. My life revolved around poo for about a year and it truly was the most agonizing time of my life. I totally understand and it is so frustrating how everyone down plays it. Seeing my child in so much pain and to the point that she would withhold because she was terrified of the pain pooping caused for her was unbearable. My child's whole character changed from a sweet, easy going toddler to a terrified, sad and anxious toddler. I always knew when she was constipated because her mood would changes drastically. I had tried everything and was at the point you are at right now. I was telling a friend of mine about all the issues we were having and she gave me the best advice that worked and cured my child's constipation. Go to the local drug store or online and get "Fletcher's Natural Kid's Laxative" Root beer flavored. Start by giving your child the recommended dosage 2x a day. This will get things flowing, do this until you are seeing daily BM's for about two weeks to a month. Once she has begun to be regular again begin to wean off of the laxative very slowly. I checked with my doc and he said giving your child this stuff for up to a year would be fine. We used it for about 5 months. I found this to be the best because it is senna based and is mild. I found it to be more of a stool softener that stimulated her body to pass BM's regularly. With this we dropped milk from her diet for a year, strictly water and pear juice. We gave her other sources of calcium and protein through yogurt, soy cheese, bacon, eggs, peanut butter, etc. No more bananas either, we gave her lots of melon, pears, plums, peas, prunes, leafy greens and absolutely no binding foods. Generally, "P" veggies and fruits are high in fiber and help move things along. We also stopped buying white flour products, I buy nothing but whole wheat, or whole grain...pasta, bread, crackers, cereal, etc. After about a month of this very strict eating and the senna based laxative we saw huge results, it was that quick. We slowly weened her off of the laxative, about 5 months and slowly weened her back onto milk, bananas..about a year. This worked for us and we continue to eat lots of fruits, veggies, fiber filled foods to maintain movement. It is a change in lifestyle but well worth the fast results and not to mention the health benefits. She is now 3 and a half and we have not had any issues at all for about 9 months. She goes every day and has no hard BM's. We still maintain the diet and we all feel better. I wish you all the luck in the world, it is tough but don't feel alone, I know I did at one point. Talk about it with people, more have this issue with their kids than I ever realized.

I would call a pediatric gastroenterologist. There's a few in Boston.. I have IBS and it sounds more like Chrohns or some other digestive issue to me. she shouldn't be throwing up if she's constipated... call asap, they usually have a wait list.. good luck..

Even if she tests negative for celiac, I would do a trial of a gluten and dairy free diet - I tested gluten intolerant (as opposed to full-blown celiac) and have been SO much better since going off the gluten. I had horrible constipation as a child that no one could explain.
Often people who have gluten intolerance have so messed up their guts that dairy is hard to process too, but if given up for a time, the gut can heal and the dairy can be added back. It's a good idea to give her lots of probiotics as well, the good bacteria helps rebuild her gut and digestion.

my 3 years old daughter has the exact same problem she hasnt had a bowel movement in 2 week i wish i could find a answer drs have done exactly the same things for us with no outcome Please Help Us Too

Hi A.,
One of my nieces had a similar problem when she was an infant into toddler-hood. Every time she pooped she would cry it hurt so much. What finally helped her were some powdered herbs from a Tibetan doctor that she took twice a day with honey. After 6 weeks she was completely better. Have you looked into Tibetan or Chinese medicine, or some other alternative to allopathic medicine?
Good luck; I hope you're able to resolve this soon.
M.

Also have had similar problems. Believe your gut when you say there is something wrong, as this has been almost since birth. And although she is being tested for some things, I suggest you research food allergies on your own and insist that they find a cause: this is not normal, and is causing her considerable pain and distress. Also, now that this is traumatic for her (as it was for us), in addition to physical causes for constipation, she will likely "hold on" to the poop due to fear of the pain, even though she could go. Especially if you are stressed about it: it needs to be less of a "big deal" for her, and a better experience so she can relax around it and you get a true picture of her pooping if there were no previous issues. I would also look to a naturopath and/or pediatric chiropractor to see if there's anything structural: we had to eliminate some foods and dairy, add tons of probiotics and green foods, and get regular bowel massages for about three months before we got back on track to even pooping twice a week. Also lots of breathing and relaxation exercises, and warm/hot baths & tummy rubs with oils to make pottying a more pleasant experience. it turns out there were food issues plus some previous use of antibiotics "killed" the good bacteria balance in his intestine. Good luck!

My son has constipation issues but no where like you describe. My first gut reaction is get yourself a new pediatrician... sounds like they totally didn't want to even acknowledge you. The poor little thing! Glad you got into Children's and got some better information and testing. Hopefully you will find something out. I used mineral oil with my son (I know some mothers here have written that it is a petroleum product and isn't good to use but my pediatrician recommended it, my mother used it when I was a kid and I have no lasting effects and it worked, but don't try anything until the doctors at children's give you your results and you can work with them to develop a treatment plan for your little one. I will hope and pray for the best for you both! hang in there.

Hello - i was going to suggest testing her for celiac, which you have done so good job. Try keeping a log of everything she eats and how much she drinks. Record her bowl movements as well and see if a pattern starts to develop. Be aware of foods with artificial colors, flavors and preservatives - she might be sensitive to something in her diet that is causing this to happen. Most of all, you need to be your child's advocate - if you don't agree with the doctor, get another. Good luck.

Hi A.,
I had a friend whose daughter had very similar problems as your daughter. Turned out that she had a physical deformity of her anus so that she was literally not feeling when she had to go, causing her to become severely constipated. It took a long time for them to figure out what was going on and she found out by taking her to University of Iowa Hospital and they did extensive testing. This was in Illinois/Iowa though so I am not sure what would be the equivalent in our area. Probably the Boston Children's Hospital? I really don't know. But if they did a rectal I would think it would have turned up. In the meantime, I agree that you should look into her diet and definitely look into Chrohn's - is there a blood test for that or is it just a symptomatic diagnosis like IBS? Just brainstorming. Anyway - good luck... I can't imagine dealing with that on a day to day basis - my son is constipated now due to being on new meds for something unrelated and he is refusing to allow any of the natural remedies. It's getting very difficult to deal with, but nothing like what you are going through.

Deja vous! My son had an operation when he was 2 months old...ever since then he's been constipated...we would try kayro syrup, prune juice, etc...it would work once or twice then he'd stop up again...the only thing that helps (with our Dr's recommendation) is a teaspoon of miralax. He gets it every night....and he's not even 2 yet...ask your Dr about trying that! good luck!

My 2yr daughter is constipated often too. Some of the suggestions we got from a nutritionist are black strap molasses, more water intake, avoid apple juice, give her the yogurt Yoplait Digestive Health. These are the things I am using that are helping. I hope they help your daughter too.

H.

My 4 year old has had the same problem on & off thru out her life. What has worked the best for me... flax seeds. You can get them at Whole Foods or a health store. I soak the seeds (a few tablespoons) in a cup of water overnight in the fridge. Thru out the day I add some of the water to her juice (doesn't taste good w/milk!). It's safe & healthy. My ped. thought it was a good idea.
Good luck!

Hi A.. I do not have a constipated child but have dealt with constipation with various people thru the years. First and foremost I think you should have more testing done to see if there's any kind of blockage up higher than a digital exam can find. if that does not uncover anything and her bowels are totally clear then I'd like to suggest your daughter drinking lots and lots of water, also eating natural fiber foods like apples,veg., shredded wheat cereal etc. rather than continual artificial laxatives. they're a tough habit to break for the body. you might also try a dab of vaseline on her bum in case she's very dry. a little digital stimulation might help. massage her abdomen in a clockwise direction. and also relaxation of the muscles is a great help. my son when he was younger had a tough time sometimes and would be red in the face pushing which i knew wasn't a good thing, so i suggested he sing rather than push and it worked like a charm. got him to relax, kept him busy for the time he needed to be sitting there so he stayed relaxed and didn't get upset. good luck!

Dear A.,

My heart goes out to you and your little girl. I suffered from constipation as a child,and it turned out I had celiac disease. I wasn't diagnosed until I was in my early 20's. It's good you are having testing done. In the absence of any formal diagnosis, it can help to make sure your little girl is eating lots of fresh fruits and veggies,and drinking lots of water every day. Also, in her case, it can't hurt to try mixing 100% fruit juice with water- if she doesn't love fruit and veggies.It can help to avoid bananas and cheese,also all overly processed and fried foods, and dairy products- except for yogart. Also too much pasta bread,or too many crackers can make things worse. Try several high fiber cereals to find one your girl likes. You can add flax seeds ( grind them in a coffee grinder) to almost anything. Also, try dried fruits - especially prunes,raisins, and apricots.Wishing you luck-( you got lots of good advice from everyone here),and let us know how it's going. L. S.

I too have a son with chronic constipation. Not as bad as yours though.

Before I forget, what is a SAHM?

Anyway, I have reduced the amount of milk products he is using. I am giving him Hemp milk. It has 4 grams of protein, and rice milk or almond milk has only 2 grams. hemp milk though is at least 2 times more expensive. This seems to be helping him, but I don't know how much. My separated spouse doesn't feel the need to coordinate care. But my son does seem better with less dairy.

Another thing is that our chiropractor works on his tummy, which is very tight. After those massages, he will come home and have a BM very quickly. But then the BM is so 'wide' his words, that it hurts. So i put Tucks on the area that hurts afterword.

I used to use whole organic raw milk for a year and that really helped too. So i try to limit dairy and hope to get off the miralax soon.

Good luck, and let me know if you learn anything new you can pass on. thanks Jaye

My 15 month old gets constipated easily but Im sure its due to the fact that he can't have dairy or soy so he drinks rice milk and he also has celiac so I mix milled flaxseed into his foods through out the day and hasn't had a problem going since we started doing this.

Take your daughter to a chiropractor... I have treated dozens of kids with constipation and it will go away if she gets adjusted. The problem is that the nerves going to her colon are blocked... that is why all of the tests show up negative... only an x-ray of her spine will show this interference. Call around and find someone who treats kids. She doesn't have a bug, or celiac or thyroid problems... and there is nothing that you are doing wrong. No more laxative though... they will weaken her colon even more.

Good Luck,
Allie

wow...That is just awful. My daughter has constipation issues and has been on Miralax continually for about 2 years. She has a milk protein allergy and that is what makes her constipated. I feel your pain...I have had to literally assist in getting the pooh out with my little one. Its heartbreaking.
It sounds like your dr doesnt take it all very seiously. Get a referral to a pediatric gastroenterologist. They are specialists and witll be on the ball in getting your kid better.