My sons is 3yrs old and has been having problems with constipation for bout 6 months..The first time I took him to the doc he walked in gave him a presc. for laxatives and walked out..well that didnt work..so today i took him to a new doctor an peditrician and she did a X-ray of him..the upper part of his body is FULL of stuff..she wrote him a prescription for laxatives and told me to do enemas on him..i have done that b4 and it didnt help him out none..he eats very healthy..loves fruit and vegetable and does not drink no soda..so i dont know whats goin on...so someone please help me out...
2007-05-23 08:29:28 · 19 answers · asked by hayleencodymom 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Cancer
He has been constipated for a week now and this has been goin on for bout 6 months or longer..Sometimes he will go sometimes he wont go..i have tried EVERYTHING that is why I have tooken him to the doc for it and they want to keep writing him a prescr. for laxatives..I just dont get it..He is 3yrs old this shouldnt be happening..
2007-05-23 08:45:41 · update #1
I forgot to say what they found in the X-Ray..From his chest to his pelvic area was covered in this foggy looking stuff..As I said b4 he does drink plenty of water...
2007-05-23 14:02:13 · update #2
My 5 year old Son Jake has also suffered from really bad constipation since birth so I know exactly what you're going through. He's still bad with it now and it makes him really ill at times.
We've had years of countless hospital visits and doctors appointments. Here's some info i've picked up along the way..............................
The problem with prolonged constipation is the bowel becomes overstretched and can take months to repair. The doctor explained it to me as being like inflating a balloon and then deflating it, the size becomes distorted. To help it get back to normal size the bowel needs to be constantly empty which means a daily dose of laxatives. Laxatives need to be given on a daily basis for at least 6 months to enable the bowel to shrink back to normal size. If bowel remains overstretched and oversized it'll keep overfilling and backing-up and when bowel is backed-up the poo becomes compacted and too large to push out.
I really do sympathise with your Son. My Son has been sick as a dog at times from this. Although he's nowhere near cured at least he's better now than he was a few years ago.
2007-05-25 05:09:26 · answer #1 · answered by erika 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
At 3 yrs old, the options are limited. It sounds like the x-ray didn't find an obstruction. Miralax (a bulk-forming laxative) is probably the way to go. Glycerin suppositories and enemas might also work. Is he uncomfortable? I wouldn't bother with a specialist unless your child is in extreme discomfort. They will likely be prescribing the same laxatives you are getting from the pediatrician.
2007-05-23 12:31:26 · answer #2 · answered by Harmony 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I have had quite a bit of experience with my son from this. I would suggest you have him see a pediatric surgeon or a pediatric GI doctor as soon as you can. I can't believe they did not seem too concerned over this. I would think that they would want to be sure he does not have an obstruction. If this is a constant problem, he may have motility issues. I hope this gets resolved for you both soon. Not to scare you, but if he starts throwing up and he is still constipated, take him to the emergency room immediately!!
2007-05-23 08:38:07 · answer #3 · answered by Holly 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Try a homemade enema. My old-fashioned pediatrician told me how to do this. My daughter got backed up when she was 4 months old, so I know it is fairly safe. Take some baby bath and pour it into warm water. Take a blue-bulb nasal sucker and fill it with the water. Have somebody hold him still while you insert the aspirater (nose sucker) into his anus about 1/2 inch. Then gently squirt the soapy water into him. Be prepared to duck if he is really backed up. His bowels may be close to impaction. Many children deal with constipation, but it usually works itself out as they get older. Avoid cheese, peanut butter, and other foods that are known constipates. Also, if something constipates you, don't give it to him. And don't try the old Karo syrup remedy. It can contain bacteria and other substances that small stomachs can't deal with.
2007-05-23 08:34:11 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Do you give your son any children's vitamins? If you do, keep in mind that many of these vitamins contain quite a bit of iron. Kid's vitamins might contain between 9 and 12 mg. of iron, as I recall. Iron can be very constipating. If you are giving him a vitamin contianing iron, you many want to consider removing that from his daily regimine for awhile and see if that makes a difference. Another thing that can be somewhat constipating is grape juice, because it also contains iron. If the stool is darker than normal, you could suspect iron coming from somewhere in the dietary intake, or a reason for more tests. Stool should be normal brown color, and not too dark. Do check your vitamins if you give him any. Omit it for awhile and see what happens.
2007-05-26 14:38:29 · answer #5 · answered by PR 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If nothing is coming out of him; it will have to be taken out by a medical person. If he never passes anything he will get blocked up, if he hasn't done so by now. Has anyone checked him rectally to see if he is impacted? After about 5 days that could happen.
How many days has it been since he had a bowel movement? If none of the above has happened; call somebody. Go to the ER if you get no results. The ER is expensive.
2007-05-23 08:39:56 · answer #6 · answered by Barbra 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had a similar problem and was diagnosed with IBS. I tried laxatives, enemas, fiber supplements, just about everything- nothing worked. Then I became a vegetarian two years ago, haven't had a problem since, I'm regular and healthy.
2007-05-23 09:58:33 · answer #7 · answered by Tessa 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You'd better find a BETTER doctor/specialist fast! This sort of condition is along the lines of what helped contribute to the deaths of Elvis, and one of the Gibb brothers, among many other countless thousand 'ordinary' people everyday. I know your son is only 3 (and I feel for the little guy, believe me) but he is being slowly poisoned by this condition-I wish you speedy good fortune in this situation, and please report back here to us when he's O.K.!
2007-05-23 08:35:35 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Were any of the people you consulted a pediatric gastroenterologist? Find a specialist, even if it means traveling a distance!
Here's a site that will help you locate someone near you (assuming you are in the USA)
http://www.naspghan.org/aspModules/PublicLocateDoctor/PublicLocateDoctor.asp
2007-05-23 08:32:27 · answer #9 · answered by HearKat 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Have you tried fiber-enriched foods?
I remember having "back-up" problems recently. Then one day, I ate a few slices if some German Dark Wheat bread with butter...
All I can say is: the chute got as clean as a whistle!
2007-05-23 08:33:05 · answer #10 · answered by Blazen Elite 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋