Constipation/Popping Issues

We have an ongoing issue with constipation with our daughter. For some reason, she "holds" her poop and won't go for many days (it has been a week plus at times). She clenches, tightens her fists, and shakes. She goes somewhere out of the way and doesn't want to be touched or talked to. She gets a particular look on her face and I know she's clenching. Rather than have regular bowel movements, she just has little leaks (or skid marks as we call them) in her diaper. This can lead to irriation and diaper rash. It's an ugly cycle.

After one particularly bad episode, I asked the doctor what to do. They told me to give her Miralax until she started going and then keep up with it on whatever regular doseage will keep her pooping regularly. We did that for a while, but I really hate to just keep her on medicine and not have any other solution to help her out.

We are in the beginning stages of potty training and I know this is going to be an issue. Without regular bowel movements, I have no idea how to get her to poop on the potty. That said, twice in the past when she's had these clenching episodes, we've put her on the potty and she's pooped. I have no idea if she had a bad experience with pooping and is scared, if it hurts her, if she doesn't like being dirty. She just avoids pooping and then it gets hard and painful to push out.

I've read about using mineral oil as a "natural" alternative to a laxative. I've also read that some kids get this way from dairy and have contemplated trying her on Soy milk for a while. She's not a huge milk drinker, but who knows...maybe that's because it doesn't make her feel good. Her diet is probably pretty typical of most toddlers. She is a good eater and, unlike my son, enjoys most fruits and veggies.

Just wondering if anyone has had any similar experiences or has any advice?

Thanks so much,

Jessica

 

My DD does the same thing...trouble with constipation and holds her poop. After months of battling, we gave in and put her on Miralax. BTW~ Miralax is more of a stool softner and not a laxative. So, it doesn't make you go. It just softens the stool to allow you to pass it easier on your own.

I was hesitant to start her on medicene, too. I declined and fought our ped. about it for awhile. He finally convinced me that no amount of dietary manipulation is going to help. Especially, when they get to the point of holding it. Once you can get them going regularly, then they realize hey it doesn't hurt to go and will often stop holding it. I figure once they start eating better, (she lives on bread, potatoes, and cheese)the constipation issues will gradually get better too. AND...it is! She is starting to eat more fruits and veggies. Unfortunately the one fruit she LOVES (bannanas) constipates here. :unknw: So, for now we give her Miralax about 2 times a week.

 

One of mine does this to a milder extent. I am very careful about what she eats - she still gets babyfood pears almost every day to help her poop every 2-3 days (I market it as "apple sauce pears") luckily she still likes to eat this a lot. She eats lots of cheese too, which doesn't help. Have you tried all bran crackers with the cheese? My pedi told me when she was younger that it was ok to give her benefiber for kids, so I did that for a while and now we hardly ever need it (like you, I used it sparingly because I didn't want her on "medicine" long term). She is pee-trained, but not poop trained (her sister is trained both, as of age 2 1/2.) I decided not to make a big deal out of her pooping in a pull-up - she asks for a pull up or I offer her one when I see her doing the clenching/trying to poop while standing thing. I figure that at some point she will feel comfortable enough to poop in the potty too. Good luck, I hope mine will grow out of it, but I am trying to just let her do her own thing at this point. I hope she will eventually sit down to poop - every time I tried to have her sit during PT, she held it in and just peed instead, which was obviously not good with her constipation issues.

 

We had problems with jazz bad. She had a stretched anal vault(?) this was cause huge bloody stools. They put her on miralax for a week then advised no cheese, an apple with skin a day, lots of water, less juice and plenty of fiber. I've since let her go back to having cheese once a week. We haven had constipation since!

In your case I would scale back the cheese and press water, Flavored with juice if needed but no more than the 4 oz a day. Then make sure to present her with apple at least twice a day with other fun veggies like carrots and califlower (jazz is also the Better eater of the 2 not sure why he constipation.) The pedi also suggested fiber one bars as hey have almost all the fiber a toddler needs for the day. Mine like the fudge fiber pop tarts. Make sure when giving or feeding fiber they have lots of water because too much fiber without water can cause constipation too.

Jazz goes to a gi in dec to make sure nothing is physically wrong since she is a preemie. I'm going to check and make sure they brink this is needed though since she is a totally different child now that she isn't constipated any more.

 

My son has a bowel disease called Hirschsprung's, so we are too familiar with constipation issues. Miralax is sometimes needed for a long period of time. Other things you can do are to increase fiber intake and fluids. Push water and juices. We also used to have to give him a laxative chocolate square. I believe it was half of a half adult square, but check with your ped on the correct dosage.

We were on miralax for years. They also have several other products on the market now, like fiber chews for kids by the brand pedialax. They are gummy chews and are sold at Targe, Wal-mart, walgreens, etc. If you still have concerns, I would take her to a pediatric gastroenterologist. But most kids have issues with the poop etc., when toilet training.