# Severe Constipation in a 22 month old! Pl Help :(



## gokiamma (Feb 11, 2004)

Dear mommies,

It has been a long time since I posted. I need your advice once again. My 22 month old DS is severly constipated. A little bit of his history..

Since he turned 18 months he has very regularly gone potty once every 5 days!. The first few times we got very worried but his Ped assured us that as long as he is not straining while passing BM he is fine. And on his potty day (which would be every 5th day) he would go 5 times - so we thought in a way he made up for the other 4 days. His stools would be a little hard but more of the soft side. He would continue to eat enough fruits (apples, oranges, bananas, water melon). He also drinks abour 20 oz of Whole milk and about 10 oz of water each day. We have always preferred to give him fresh fruits instead of juice. We assumed that his body constituency was diff from other kids but still not bad.. Till now..

But now since the last 2 weeks his potty problem has taken a turn for the worse. Not only does he go just once in 5 days but also his potty is extremely tight and he does it just once. He struggles (it is a real struggle) for as much 2-3 hours before passing BM. My heart breaks to see him sooo uncomfortable.







. As per the Peds Advice we have increased his fibre intake (takes whole wheat instead of rice for dinner- have further increased his water intake- give him mineral oil). His diapers are always full ( in 3 hours). But aghast he **** struggles with his potty and his potty seems he has very little water in his body. This past friday (today is Monday) he struggled for a good 1 hour and it was once again very hard. I am thinking of taking him to a specialist for the water/fibre thing is not helping him at all

Pl share your stories if you have had a similar experience. We force him to drink prune juice-I think he gets enough fibre and water.

Really grateful
Deepa


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## Felicitymom (Jul 28, 2004)

HI there... sorry your little one is having so much trouble... My first guess would be food allergy. I don't think it matters much whether you have a history or not. Some folks get diahrea with food allergy, others get constipated. One most likely source is wheat and or gluten. I would do an elimination diet starting now!!!! Although don't be fooled if the constipation keeps up for as much as a few weeks. Some food passes quickly from the body, others (especially if there is an intolerance) can take several weeks.

Will post more later... gotta go.
Nancy


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## SleeplessMommy (Jul 16, 2005)

You have my sympathy!

1) Ask you pediatrician again about diet. I was told to decrease dairy products. (and decrease rice and banannas) Replacing cow milk with soy milk is easy and your kid won't know the difference.

2) For a while we used Karo syrup (corn syrup), about a 1/2 teaspoon a day. This is "gentler" than mineral oil, though not as effective.

3) Apple juice can help induce BM in a toddler. If he gets juice, go for apple! Its tasty, a toddler will drink it right up.

Note: once you start apple juice, corn syrup, etc. you need to be *really* careful with tooth brushing. All this sugar can cause cavities, as my son's dentist will tell you. Be sure to brush before naps or bedtime.

very best regards,
sleeplessmommy


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## SleeplessMommy (Jul 16, 2005)

This web site, DrSears dot com, has a good article about constipation and what you can do.

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/t081100.asp

Namaste,
sleeplessmommy


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## *andiflipping* (Oct 24, 2005)

My son has a similiar problem and I found adding Flax seed oil to his breakfast, drink , or whatever I can mix it in with has helped him immensly...It is healthier than mineral oil to...Also..not the greatest but apple cider seemed to help this past week....


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## Jasmyn's Mum (May 24, 2004)

Hi. Sorry your little guy is having such a hard time. My guess would be a food allergy (probably dairy). Elimination is a good idea. Eliminate one thing at a time every 3-4 weeks. Also, adding essential fats is a good idea with some probiotics. Hope that helps.


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## Pookietooth (Jul 1, 2002)

It does sound like an allergy, or a digestive disturbance. Is he still nursing? Could you try cutting out the cow's milk and increasing other liquids (soups, water)? See http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info for more information about digestive problems.


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## ThinkBlu (Oct 17, 2005)

Pear juice, dried aprocots, pured prunes all help.


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## moma justice (Aug 16, 2003)

take dc to a chiropractor! we have had huge success with reg chiro care!
call one who takes children and specializes in preventative/wellness care


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## Bjortandcompany (Oct 9, 2005)

Sorry to hear about him. Have you ever tried Acidolphis tablets? You can find them at either the health food store or a pharmacy. The are the good bacteria that is in yogurt. It really helps to move their stuff out faster. Try crushing one up and giving it to him. I give it to my kids all the time. It is great for their intestinal tracks. When my daughter had the rotovirus (horrible experience) we gave her a tablet and the diarrhea stopped immediately and she was more solid after that from then on. When you lose the good bacteria in your intestines it takes a while to get it back and that can mess up their little systems.

Good Luck.

Bjortandcompany


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## gokiamma (Feb 11, 2004)

Thanks for all the replies. These last two weeks, we have tried to give him a lot of water, fruits, and fibrous foods. The only thing I have not done is replace his full Fat milk with Soya milk. He has also taken a few spoons of Mineral Oil and Prune Juice. Yet, yesterday when he did his potty (after 5 days) it was hard and he had to strain. I am taking him to the Ped again tomorrow - this time I plan to get recommendations for a specialist. Will keep you guys posted.

We do have acidophilous but I have not tried that out for constipation.

appreciate your advice.
deepa


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## VeganSculptor (Apr 20, 2004)

I would try to eliminate dairy products, especially cheese. Cheese is like glue and will stick in the intestines. Try putting flax in his food. It sounds like he has some major blockages in his intestines and the foods he is eating are not making it out.

You could get some Herbal Fiberblend. It is safe for toddlers. If he is only going every few days I would be very concerned. Humans should normally go 3 times a day. http://www.aim4health.com/fiberblend.htm


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