another constipation thread

[planet]

Ds2 had some very bad constipation four days ago. It hurt him quite a lot. So, he decided he wasn't going to poop anymore. :thud: Actually, he announced to me in a very angry voice that when he turned 5 he would poop again. He turned 3 last month. So yesterday he screamed and held it and screamed and held it...all day. I tried everything in my arsenal. Finally against his will he pooped a tiny bit in his pants. I cleaned him up, he insisted he still wouldn't poop and we went through it all again. He fell asleep and promptly pooped in his underpants. *sigh*

Today we start the same battle again. I try bribing with everything I know he loves. I explain. I tell him I love him and that I'll stay with him on the potty. Nothing. I even offerred to try a diaper. Emphatic NO from the little guy. He says he just isn't going to poop. Finally this evening he starts to poop his pants again against all of his will and effort. I get him to the potty and go drill seargent on him and...he stays and finishes pooping.

So my question is...what now? I have him drinking lots of fluids to make sure pooping isn't painful. I am dreading going through this again tomorrow. We had to stay home all day because I didn't want him traumatized by having his accident in public. He is a stubborn kid and it is part of his personality to do self harm for the sake of his stubborness. I am open to any and all suggestions....

[v-girl]

Does he get much fiber? If not, I would try some high fiber cereals and other high fiber foods.

Is he old enough for milk of magnesium? That really helped me after my last c-section. Or Senakot (sp?). We used to give that to our 9 year old when she was a toddler due to constant constipation.

I'm so sorry he's going through such a rough time. I know how hard it is on them at that age. My 9 year old still has problems with constipation. She tells us when it gets bad and I give her some M of M.

[madeintaiwan]

Gerber pear sauce really did the trick for DD. I gave her one package a day and a glass of pear juice.

I don't really have any advice since my gal is alot younger. However,I looked on Amazon for some books about poo for you. (Although you probably need more immediate solutions).

http://www.amazon.com/Hurts-When-Poop-C ... 187&sr=1-8

http://www.amazon.com/Everyone-Poops-My ... 0916291456

When I was pregnant and couldn't go #2 someone told me to eat alot of raisins....

[Gwendolyn]

From daycare experience...you just have to keep talking to him and make sure he gets lots of fiber and water. Reassure him it doesn't always hurt and explain in the most simple terms possible why it hurt that one time. Tell him there are things we can do...like drink lots of water. Ask him to tell you about it. Ask if he is scared it will always be difficult or if it still hurts, etc...Once he starts having less difficult poops he will come around. You might try having him clean out his own underwear. You might also try going on as usual so that it becomes a non-issue and he can go back to normal...with the caveat that you know your son. Sometimes the staying at home can add to the drama and sustain the behavior, but if you think it would be worse to go on and risk the accident in public, then go with that. 3-year olds and poop are a strange combo. Good luck!!

I went through constipation hell with DD2. She is now 3 yo and doing fine. I'm talking even ER visits with x-rays...

Is he withholding b/c it's painful or traumatic for him? That's what it sounds like to me. I say just give it time. I know that's not the miracle fix to this, but I'm not so sure this is something you can fix if he's withholding of his own will. Of course, you can switch to lowfat milk and give him raw fruit...but both of my girls had an issue with this and it was something they had to figure out on their own.

I gave DD1 MOM on my ped's rec and I think it perhaps made the situation worse b/c she could no longer control her BMs, which was more traumatic for her.

However hard it may be, I say stand back and let him work this out.

I am surely not an expert and I don't know the specifics of your situation, so I hope I've helped somewhat...I just realize how frustrating this can be.

[planet]

Whew!!! It may be over. Thanks for the suggestions. We're a whole foods family for the most part, but I will try pears and focus on keeping his stools soft for a while so we don't lapse. The 'everybody poops' book gave me the inspiration to talk about poop and describe it as waste/leftover food that we don't want, hoping that we weren't dealing with a perception that it was a part he didn't want to let go of or something like that. Anyways. who knows why, maybe it was telling him he couldn't have a fruit roll until he pooped... but he went, so for at least today we won't have the holding and screaming cycle.

Thanks for your tips.

[v-girl]

I'm so glad for you! And for him!

[mommax3]

I am late responding, but lots of raw carrots and raisins should keep things moving. My boys have never struggled with this to the extent that you are describing, but they have had friends that have. We are very matter-of-fact about saying (at the table )"Eat your carrots (or raisins or whatever) because they help you go poop." So now that my kids are older, they will automatically ask for certain foods when they feel like they are getting a little backed up.

Hope things continue to go well!

Sally

I've also been dealing with this with ds. It's a challenge when he eats what he wants rather than what he should be eating. I guess my only advice is *it will all work out in the end*