constipated child?

Question

my daughter (age 3) gets constipated constantly. i've tried pedialyte, castor oil, and powerade. none of them works, please help!

our doc suggested powerade

Answer 1

Hi, if you find that regardless of the amount of medicine you give her she still can't go, and the doc's ok about everything, she may have what mine had - a hurty poo and then she holds her poo in - it looks like she's straining, but she's actually struggling to hold it in. And of course the longer she holds it in the bigger it gets and the more hurty it becomes - she's even had an anal split from her poo being too big (which REALLY hurts). My consultant's solution was to overmedicate her until the poo is like toothpaste, plus a disgusting (tastes like rotting seaweed) medicine called movicol for when we're really desparate which releases water into the impacted stool to make it softer - but if this is the problem you've got a long road ahead of sleepless nights and no social life. Until she can be convinced to poo every day, it's a vicious circle. Also get professional advice about the amount of fibre - my daughter lives on fruit and veg; when I discussed giving her wholewheat everything the doc said to be careful as at that age they can't get enough nutrients from a high fibre diet. Also the wrong kind of fibre bulks out the stool - which you really don't need! She's been off the daily medication now for six months with only one episode of 'blocking up' but it has lasted overall two and a half years. Two glasses of water before bed has really helped (don't force it, genlty with ice cubes to make it special - offer as alternative to really yukky medicine, maybe just one glass if yours is three? Mine's now six). You have my sympathies - it breaks your heart when they are like that, and criticism about their diet which you know to be perfectly healthy is not good for your morale as it seems like everyone's blaming you for your little one's discomfort, when in fact you would cut your arm off for her! Keep a diet diary so you can prove to the docs about her diet.
Keep patient and good luck.

Answer 2

My daughter also had this problem since infancy -- luckily she seems to be moving past it (no pun intended.)

But these are the things which help:

1. Limit white breads/starches such as white rice, crackers etc. Keep everything whole grain.

2. Milk and Cheeses can also cause constipation -- natural yogurts with the live probiotics are better.

3. Make sure she eats plenty of leafy vegetables. 3 year olds tend to like salads. So see if she does too.

4. Prunes are great, as are grapes.

5. Whole natural berry juices -- but not apple.

6. Lots and lots of water. I keep little cups by the sinks in our house so she can help herself to a drink and encourage her to drink often -- truthfully, I think this has been the most helpful thing.

7. For babies -- 2 teaspoons of karo light corn syrup in water is always recommended, I see no reason why it couldn't help a child.

8. If she is really backed up and needs some assistance on the other end, they sell suppositories that will help to loosen any compacted stool.

I hope this is helpful, I know how awful it is to watch them suffer through this.

Answer 3

Is she getting a lot to drink during the day? Sometimes dehydration can cause constipation. If she is drinking enough, then maybe she needs to be tested for food allergies. I just mentioned this on another question, but constipation is a symptom of Celiac Disease. It is a wheat and gluten allergy and over time the intestines are damaged causing constipation and or diahrrea. When it comes out is it extremely smelly? That is also a sign. You can start with getting her blood tested and you should also get the food allergy tests. Either way, I would find a doctor who is interested in helping you in making sure there is nothing wrong.

Answer 4

Check her diet...she might be missing the right amount of fiber...talk to the doc about a good diet and see it if helps.

Now....when you already have a constipated child in front of you then worrying about what they ate earleir doesn't help I know.... Try those suppository type glycerine things. They sell them for infants and for children. It's a tube of glycerine and it has this orange top on it. You take of the top, slide the tube in their little behinds to a certain point and then you squeeze the bulb at the end of the tube. You should see results in about an hour if not less. They sell it in the baby meds at your drugstore or check the aisle that has the stuff for grown ups constipation.

My kids would have that happen from time to time and whle they weren't thrilled about the tube in their but they were thrilled to not take that yucky stuff by mouth and then wait, and wait, and wait. This was quick, easy, painless and drug free.

Answer 5

If a pediatrician suggested powerade for my3 year old I'd find another pediatrician...what about prune juice? Apple juice? Grape Juice? Not to mention feeding the child raisins, dates and prunes. Full fiber cereals, if it keeps up INSIST that the doctor do some diagnostic testing.

Answer 6

Hi there, I've had the same problem with my son since he was a baby, he's nearly 7 now and I've been backwards and forwards to the hosptal and all I get told to do is give him more fibre.

He has had a medicine - lactutose which softens the stool which helps.

However, I've started making homemade soups, smoothies and freshly squeezed juice and that had worked wonders.

What may be happening with your child now, because of the pain, she may be holding it in now and her bowells may be getting so full and the stool hard so she can't push it out.
And now your child has got into a habit of not wanting to go.
The other advice about drinking lots of water is very important to keep the stool moist for it to pass easily.

Cut out sweets, crisps and chocolate out of the diet - i've noticed my son is worse when people 'treat' my son with goodies and it changes the consistancy of his stool and he can't pass it.

Good luck

Answer 7

You should really contact a doctor very soon. In young growing children the intestines sometimes get knotted or tied to each other the way they loop back and forth in the body. (a major intestine knot/block can be fatal.) It may not be a major block but if this is happening to her a lot, the doctor would be your best choice to rule out anything serious as well as make suggestions to help keep the problem from happening again.

Good luck with everything,

May Our Creator watch over you and your family.

Answer 8

I'm sorry to hear about your baby......I've never heard of a baby drinking powerade....LOL. ...Foods that are high in fiber will help with constipation. Get on the internet and use google search (or any other search engine of your choice) and type in "foods for constipation". See where it leads you to. I hope everything works out fine for you and your child.

Answer 9

My granddaughter was constipated alot (she's going to be 3 in March) and her pediatrician recommended Mira lax- it use to only be available by prescription but now you can buy it over the counter, it really really helped my granddaughter! So go to the store and buy some of that and follow the directions!

Answer 10

Someone once gave me advice on this a couple of months back with my 4 year old son. Try giving them a little bit more butter\margarine than you usually would, like on their toast or in their mashed potato etc. Worked a treat with my son. Apparently there is something in it that helps. Or, you can get laxatives for children.