2 weeks w/o a bowel movement in a 4 yr old...?

Question

my 4 year old daughter has some issue w/ bowel movements. always has, as a baby i'm talking baby baby we thought she was constipated and she's been seen by many doctor's who have put her on many different medications.
nothing really seems to help enough to make her go. we have given her 2 enima's 30 min's apart *dr's orders* and nothing!!!!!!! now you tell me what 3 year old (at the time) can do that!
she holds it in she'll cross her leg's and tighten up so bad she shakes and her face becomes blood red, and tears in her eyes.
this past month she went 2 almost 2.5 weeks w/o a single movement. holding it and us making her sit on the potty but she'll tighten up and wont let go. we've bribed her w/ toy's, ton's of praise when she does. lot's on encouragement and even some punishments if she hold it and we catch her (she hides). I'm at my whit's end. it's defintly psychological has to be I dont know why though. well she has always had bowel issues but i dont know what to do. any ideas

she take's miralax everyday to soften and stimulate her.
yes it's so big and hard when she finally does pass them i know it has to hurt. i've never in my life seen such big stools! you wouldnt believe it if i told you. let's just say i dont know how on earth she passes them!
and enema's or anything involving us sticking anything in her rear is impossible we'd never get her cheecks apart. she tighten's up with all her might

Answer 1

I feel for you. I went through the same thing with my daughter when she was 3/4 years old. She had a few painful bowel movements and then began holding them. We went to several docs and even had a lower GI done on her (Horrible!!). We were looking for evidence of Herschsprungs disease (When a section of the intestines or colon dies and stool can't get past that section). She did not have this disease so we took her to a pediatric gastroenterologist. He put her on a medicine called Miralax. It is a stool softener. She was on this for about a year. He told me that since she was holding her poo she had stretched the rectal wall muscles and did not have as much sensation to know when she needed to poo anymore. The longest she went was nine days. But the average was 4 to 5 and I would have to give her an enema or suppository. I even had to deimpact her twice (doc showed me how). This medicine helped her bowel movements become soft so they weren't painful. Eventually she became unafraid to go to the potty and we were able to wean her off the Miralax and she has been normal for almost three years now. If you can swing it, a pediatric gastroenterolgist was the most helpful and you try and see one. I know it is scary and frustrating at the same time. good luck and I hope you are able to get it solved.

Answer 2

Fear of pain results in stool retention which worsens the situation. What can happen is a vicious cycle with a psychological element. You say you don't know why it's psychological yet you state that she's had bowel elimination difficulty since infancy. She's had 4 years to develop a psychological problem with this. It sounds like it's all she's ever known.

What are a typical day's meals for her? Her diet may be contributing to this. Does she drink a lot of water or fruit juice? MiraLax is a laxative for short-term treatment of ocasional constipation. Docusate sodium (Colace) is a stool softener and you can buy it OTC. Ask her doctor about using it on a routine, long-term basis.

You may also want to see a Pediatric Gastroenterologist and a Child Psychologist. This needs to be resolved for her sake as well as yours.

Answer 3

white grape juice, grape juice, prune juice, one or all of these she should be taking daily., along with plenty of water, and exercise, she is old enough now that she can reason and understand and you need to talk to her about the fact that holding it only makes it bigger and hurt worse. my daughter had the same problem, and the best thing that worked for us was lactulose, given by prescription. give it to her when she looks like she needs to go sit her on the toilet and have her touch her toes. should just fall out. the problem is that it is going to take a while to get hte problem fixed properly becuase she has stretched out her colon by holding it. the colon has to get back into shape so it may take some time for her to get properly shaped bowel movements that will not hurt her. in the mean time take a look at her diet and explain to her the things that will make it hurt and that she can't eat those and the things that will help to make it not hurt so bad, such as sunflower kernels they are good. she should have a 1/4 cup per day. bananas on the other hand will cause constipation as will cheeses. tomatos are good to help, because they are acidic, and will increase peristalsis, the movement of the bowels, i hope some of this helps, i know how hard it can be to watch your baby girl go through this

Answer 4

I believe she is holding it because of the pain, Get rid of the pain and i think the problem will go away I would increase her bran,And not let up, she could also have some sort of health problem that has not been seen yet you never no whats going on in side till you get the right test she hurting on the inside because of the lg poops who No's what that is doing to her poor baby.

Answer 5

This is a serious issue-not to be taken lightly. Everyone must go to the bathroom-it is not healthy to hold it. I would try a new doctor. My daughter had some problems going also. We gave her Milk of Magnesia-but if your using a enema that should work. Maybe even take her to a psychologist. Good luck!

Answer 6

It must hurt her to go, which is why she's holding it in. I would see if there is a mild laxative or stool softener that would help her go easier.
Also think about her diet-is she eating anything that would cause constipation?

Answer 7

I'm wondering if her stools are so hard they cause her pain? A stool softener might help if she's holding it in because its too painful for her.

Answer 8

hello...i feel for u.....some kids will do that, but at an earlier age.i bet thats why she hold it because she knows its going to hurt when it comes out....try prun juice warmed up and if she wont drink that try prunapple warmed up....... but i think you need to talk to a pediatrician and see what they think, tell him/her what u just told us. maybe she has a blockage ..i feel so bad for your little girl......thats a long time to not go. and it could cause some kind of an infection...good luck

Answer 9

She is, quite literally, anal retentive. I have a nephew with the disorder. People who are anal retentive fear having bowel movements. They think they are losing a part of themselves and it scares them. She needs psychiatric help.

Here's some more info:

http://www.aboutkidsgi.org/FecalRetention.html

Answer 10

Try to stimulate her bum with a q-tip and vasoline...might work
or, have her drink lots and lots of water.