Bowel problems with children 
Mommy
22 y
4,335
My 4.5 year old has been "holding" his poo on and off for over a year now. He would wait anywhere from 3-5 days between bowel movements and then let go with great relief. The pediatrician recommended mineral oil (4 tbsp day) to get him to the point where he can't hold it in, unfortunately, we can't get that much in him, and weren't really diligent giving it to him.
His most recent event culminated after seven days - we ended up taking him in for a suppository - which was a distressing event for all (you could hear his screams all over the hospital). He was put on a prescription laxative (Miralax) since it dissolves easily in juice and is tasteless, and this produced daily bowel movements for about 1.5 weeks. We recently switched to Dr. Schulte’s Formula #3 in an effort to do more than just push things through his intestines. He did well the first two days, but then he began holding it again, so we increased dosage (1/2 tsp morning, 1/2 tsp night), to no avail, so we began giving him the Miralax again in addition to the Dr. Shultzes (2 days now). We give him pear, apricot and prune juices, watermelon, oranges and soups, yet for three days he held on, crying terribly each time he had to go to the bathroom. He has had no energy, lies listlessly on the couch, doesn't want to eat, and really doesn't want to go to the bathroom. When he finally sits down, he cries and tries to jump off - so I keep him there, knowing that if he would just go, he'd be fine. He finally had a partial B.M. today, but he's still uncomfortable.
This has been so stressful and he's not doing any better. We're planning on cutting back to Miralax in the morning, and Dr. Shultzes in the evening - thinking that the Dr. Shultzes is causing the cramping.
Any help on how to get him to not be afraid? How to get him regular?
- Re: Bowel problems with children UserX
22 y
4,191
MoreThis is a reply to # 121,043Well, it seems to be a psychological issue, not physical. Counseling may be the step to take. Good luck and let us know.
- Re: Bowel problems with children Taleisha
21 y
4,127
This is a reply to # 121,044Bob I have a grandson that is 8. He had a shunt put in as a baby (brain) He appear's to have some learning problem's but I am not sure if he really does or it is laziness. He lack's disapline in my eyes also. BUT the biggest problem is his bowel's. he has many accident's. would his shunt, having that done have anything to do with it at all?
Could this be his way of getting attention? What if anything should we try to get him to not wait until he starts to go in his pant's before he goes to the toilet?
I have had many arguements with his mother about disapline. It is obvious to me he control's her a lot. But not me.
thankyou
- Re: Bowel problems with children Taleisha
21 y
4,127
- Re: Bowel problems with children Southern Belle
22 y
4,188
MoreThis is a reply to # 121,043If you could only read his little mind! There is no rhyme or reason as to the actions of a toddler. Most little ones just don't want to take the time to sit on the toilet. They are too busy for such nonsense!
Maybe so much attention has been made over this that he now actually fears the time he has to "sit." I already know you have tried making fun time out of potty time, so there's no way reading a fun book to take his mind off what he is doing will help. I am sure you have tried making a game out of "making a big one" in the potty and rewarding him when he does.
You sound like a very responsible parent and I wish I could offer a simple answer. The only hope you have is that he will just grow out of this stage and move onto another stage that will worry you once again. That's the thing about children. You want them to get out of one stage and then they just go into another stage you want them to grow out of! Good luck and good health! - Hope I'm not offending Agnes or Bob Paint Lady
22 y
4,242
This is a reply to # 121,043I never thought I would be posting a response here since this looks like a forum for them to give answers to. Not us newbies.
My three and a half year old wouldn't potty trian till she went through a herbal parasite program. It's a shot in the dark but maybe that would help your son as well. If he has itching he may be subconsiously holding it in so as not to cause it to itch more.
Take care,
Lisa- Re: Hope I'm not offending Agnes or ... UserX
22 y
4,090
- Re: Hope I'm not offending Agnes or ... UserX
22 y
4,090
- Re: Bowel problems with children CONCERNED
21 y
4,519
MoreThis is a reply to # 121,043mY SON HAS HAD A BOWEL PROBLEM NOW FOR 8 YEARS. IT ALL SEEMED TO BEGIN WHEN HIS BROTHER WAS BORN,HE WAS VERY ANXIOUS WHEN I WAS IN HOSPITAL HAVING HIM. HE HAS HAD TO TAKE SENNA & LACTULOSE FOR MOST OF THE 8 YEARS. ONLY BRIEFLY HAS HE BEEN OK AND GONE WITHOUT MEDICINE. HE HAS BEEN KN OWN TO GO WITHOUT A BM FOR ANYTHING UPTO 21 DAYS!I HAVE HAD TO WATCH HIS DIET MAKING SURE HE EATS ALL THE RIGHT THINGS AND ALSO HIS FLUID INTAKE. HOLIDAYS ARE A NIGHTMARE BECAUSE IT CAUSES FRICTION BETWEEN US DUE TO THE SOILED PANTS AND HIS CLOTHES SMELLING.IT SEEMS A VICIOUS CIRCLE SOMETIMES. MY SON COMPLAINS THAT AT SCHOOL THE TOILET DOORS DONT LOCK SO HE CANT GO FOR FEAR OF SOMEONE WALKING IN, SO THEN HE HOLDS ON. WHEN HE DOES EVENTUALLY GO HE IS FRIGHTENED BECAUSE HE KNOWS IT WILL HURT DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE BM. i WAS TOLD TO MAKE HIM SIT ON THE TOILET AND BLOW UP A BALLOON. THE CONTRACTION MOVEMENT OF BLOWING MADE HIS BM. IT WORKED FOR A SHORT WHILE. HE IS NOW ON GRANULES,WHICH HE TAKES AFTER TEA TIME WITH A PINT OF WATER. tHIS AS YOU CAN IMAGINE IS EASIER SAID THAN DONE.I GET VERY FRUSTRATED AT TIMES AND WONDER IF HE WILL EVER BE NORMAL.
- Re: Bowel problems with children #163315
21 y
4,202
This is a reply to # 121,358Check out WaterOz. I sold their products in my store. Had one customer that swore by Oxygen drops. Her son (19) has Down Syndrome. Been constipated his entire life. She puts the required amount of drops in whatever he is drinking. After a few days his problems began to disappear. Now she won't be without it. WaterOz is in Idaho, can be found on the Web.
- Re: Bowel problems with children frustrated mom
21 y
4,358
This is a reply to # 121,358I wish I had some wonderful advice to give but I don't . I can totally relate to everyone who has wrote in on this problem and most especially with Concerned the dirty underwear the smelly clothes and one of my bigger concerns other than the health aspect is if the kids at school find out and the torment that he will go through, I am right now considering putting him in a pull up to see if that won't help. My son will soon be 12 and we have fought with this problem since he started potty training at 28 months. I can honestly say that I have tried everything rewards, punishment , not making a big deal out of it , having him take responsability for the problem , right down to having him do his own laundry. We have been to family doctors and specialists and nothing has worked, we have talked the subject to death and still no premanent positive results. My son is a GOOD kid and he trys so hard and when we talk about this he tells me that he got into the habit of not going because it took to long and now he can't break it. We have asked him if he would like to go and talk to someone else (not family)to get some help and he says no and he does try , he is getting better but it is far from being cured. Right now he is taking a daily stool softener and required to drink a minimum of an extra 2 liters of water. He also has to try to have a B.M.every morning . So really the reason I choose to write to you is to tell you that you are not alone and as hard as it is you have to keep on them encouraging or nagging as the case my be but I'm sure that they will over come this before they get married ( I hope )
- Re: Bowel problems with children frustrated mom
21 y
4,260
This is a reply to # 121,358I just thought I would up date those who are interested . I finally took my son to a child physcologist two weeks ago . We aren't cured yet but there have been remarkable improvements. He has gone to the bathroom everyday except for one in the last week and today is the second day that he hasn't had an accident. I don't feel like my son has a mental illness but just talking to someone else has seemed to help. Today she had him read a story about a sneeky poo that explained everything in away that a child can understand . Anyway maybe this might help .
- Re: Bowel problems with children Wendy
21 y
4,249
This is a reply to # 121,358I can completely relate to what you are going through. My son has had problems with his BMs since he was 2. We had a difficult time potty training him, and he has never been "normal" with his BMs. He is now 9 and I keep thinking he will grow out of this, but I wonder if he is causing permanent physical problems or if his problem is psychological. He will hold his BMs forever if I would let him. As it is now, he only has one about once every three weeks! The last few times he has went, I had to give him an emema. I have heard that if you don't use the bowel muscles, they may lose function. I'm scared that this will happen. He also walks around with mess in his underwear and smelly clothes. He is always wiping the "seepage" from his bottom on toilet paper, so all of the bathrooms stink because the trash cans are full of messy paper.I have also tried everything I can think of to get him to go. I have tried rewards, punishment, making him clean his own dirty underwear, and just leaving him alone about it. I can't understand why he would do this to himself and why he won't just go. I'm scared that since he has been like this since he was 2 that he doesn't know how to be normal. I try to make him eat veggies, take granulated fiber, mineral oil, and juices, but he won't eat any of it. We scream at each other over this and we cry together over this. Any suggestions?
- Re: whole family suffers! Sarah
21 y
4,263
This is a reply to # 121,660I can really relate these messages even though my daughter is only two. She has had bowel problems for a few months now and I am starting to wonder if it will stop or not. She has already gone through about six to seven suppositories, a month and a half of giving her mineral oil every day, two weeks of Senekot, four x-rays & 4 day hosptilization which included four enemas and three saline solutions.That seemed to work for the first few days, but we are into next week now and it is all starting over again. She goes a little at a time ( with great effort)several times a day but with her not being trained yet ( not succeeding with these problems going on, she just holds it more) her bum is really raw and sore, so every time we change her diaper, she screams bloody murder!!! Sometimes there is blood. It's just terrible, my husband and I are at our wits end!! If anyone has any suggetions, please let me know..we are really wondering if there is another problem to this and not just her bowels. Her doctor hasn't said anything like this, I just need to hear from someone else who can relate and possibly give some different advise.
- Re: whole family suffers! Hopelanissa
21 y
4,148
This is a reply to # 121,674Hi Sarah,
Just a little tip about the bum being red and very sore...hemroide cream works wonders and will take the sting and reddness out. It works great!
I used it on my girls and granddaughters, when they had diaper rash and I work with quad's and when they have red spots I use it on them also.( and the spots are not even from BM, most of the time).
I know that you will probably think I am a goofy Nana, but it doesn't hurt when you put it on the the rash is gone so fast you will love it. Try not to give suppositories, if you can help it... they become dependent on them...not the child, but the vital organs.
I also grew up with a lot of verbal abuse and please try not to make your child feel bad or that he/she is a bad person because they are having problems with this, they need to feel loved and that no matter what...they are special. This is not a fault of their own and they need to be assured that they are loved more than anything! To shame them will last a life time, and cause them problems later in life also. Love will carry them through a much greater life. The mess they make can be triing and I remember it well, but the love of your child is more important then that old mess.
I wish I could tell you some good news...I know when Nissy stays with me we make no big deal of it and I just clean her up and wash her dirty undies and we go on to enjoy the time we have.
Goodluck to your little one.
I do hope I made some sense..(smile)
God Bless,
Nana Debbie
- Re: whole family suffers! cindyb
21 y
4,099
This is a reply to # 121,674I can truly relate to all of you. My daughter is 3 and this has been going on now for about6-8 months. We have been through the enemas ( at least 8-10 that we have had to give ourselves and was a nightmare in itself), suspositories, lactulose, lanosysl, senekot (which was another nightmare), etc. We now have an appointment to see a therapist and see if that will help. My biggest fear is that there is something else going on with her bowels, intestines, etc. She will hold her bms' for ever if I let her. We will sit on the toilet and read, sing. tell silly stories and she has her feet on the bench. We give high fives if she succeeds or throw a pretend party if she succeeds. Lately there has been less and less successes/ She will sit there for about 10-15 seconds and then jump off saying all done when in fact she is dying to go. She will sit on the living room floor and rock back and forth and try to make it pass. My husband and I are very worreid about her. Her doctor has suggested Milax but living in Canada it is not available. I suspect we may have to make a trip to the US to see what we can get to help. She is one of those children who can tell if something has been addded to her juice or food so hopefully this milax and therapist can help cause we are extremely frustrated and not sure what else to do. We sure do not want her to go to school or grow up with this issue.
- Re: whole family suffers! Hopelanissa
21 y
4,148
- Re: whole family suffers! Sarah
21 y
4,263
- Re: Bowel problems with children julie
21 y
4,729
This is a reply to # 121,358i have been reading about all of you whos children have bowel problems.i think i can help.my 7 year old son has also had this problem.it started with toilet training,he was always constipated and scared to go because it would hurt.he was still in diapers and pull ups until he was 5.after this he wouldn't go for up to two weeks at a time and would also soil himself alot.i understand all your frustration.i took him to a pediatritian and child mental health and found out a name for it {encopresis}.theres lots of info on the internet.it is basically an inability to pass bowel movements caused by cronic constapation.the bowel gets a big pouch from streching and everything gets trapped .the child has no urge to go and theres lots of leakage.i had a very hard time getting my son to take the meds and sit on the toilet but have fianally got a routine going and he is going everday and the best thing is his underpants are nearly always clean.be patient{iknow it hard}as this can take a long time to correct but a least know you'll know whats wrong. it always helps to put a name to a problem.i hope this helps. good luck.
- Re: Bowel problems with children Megpies
21 y
4,314
This is a reply to # 121,693My son is 8 and has had problems for the past 2.5 years with pooping on the potty. We have been to gastro. doctors who said there is nothing physically wrong with him and he has gone to numerous psychologists (which have not helped). He constantly goes in his underwear and when I tell him to sit on the toilet and try he refuses and we end up screaming at each other. I don't know what to do!! He is going in his underwear and then its going thru his shorts and I know that has to be embarassing. We do enemas and he will go right after that, but thats the last time he sits on the toilet. If someone could please help me I would appreciate it soooooo much!!!
- Re: Bowel problems with children shanon
21 y
4,384
This is a reply to # 121,693My son has encopresis (soiling) which began with constipation last summer. He has been on miralax for 7 months now, and doing quite well (only an occasional accident). Every time we go to wean him from the miralax, his soiling accidents increase. On the miralax, his stools are on the firm side and I question whether he will ever be able to get off of the miralax without becoming constipated again. Anybody out there have any experience with miralax and weaning without resultant constipation? Thanks!!
- Re: Bowel problems with children Megpies
21 y
4,314
- Re: Bowel problems with children willowgizmo
21 y
4,245
This is a reply to # 121,358My son has the same problem. He is nearly 10 and has been like this since he came out of nappies. He has been in hospital several times and he has gone 6 weeks without passing a stool (just having seepage). At first he seemed to have the urge, but over the years this has now gone. I only know when he really needs to go because he will become listless and just sit on the sofa all day and he is normally a very active boy. He is now at the stage where he will lie to me and tell me that he has been to the toilet but it sank behind the ubend, or that he has been at school, grans, dads etc. It's really frustrating. The only time I have ever hit my son is when I couldn't get him to poo and I was so scared of him having to go through an enamae again. I don't know if this will ever end, and I have lost all faith in the doctors. I give him his laxative, but if I get the dosage slightly wrong or he is off colour, either nothing happens or he has to miss school as he is on the toilet all day.
- Re: Bowel problems with children #26055
20 y
4,470
This is a reply to # 121,763Just want to send a message of encouragement to you...and all whose children are dealing with soiling, messy underwear, encopresis. My child had encopresis for more than four years. Sometimes it was a slight problem, but usually it was a very big deal.
It was so exhausting physicially and emotionally for me as a mother.
My child turns 13 soon. The soiling has just about ended. Sometimes there are smudge marks or smudges of poop, but basically the encopresis is gone.
I had read online that many kids are able to get rid of soiling or encopresis when they hit the teen years. Mine did. Something about leaving grade school and being among older kids helped.
- Re: Bowel problems with children #26055
20 y
4,470
- Re: Bowel problems with children #163315
21 y
4,202
- Re: Bowel problems with children female_mcgiva
21 y
4,224
This is a reply to # 121,043I read your letter with great interest. My daughter is doing the same as your boy. She holds on to her's as well. When she does go she screams and carrys on for ages. I would be really interested in hearing how you get on. I have not taken my daughter to the doctor yet as I was sure she was just being lazy. Now that I have read your letter I am sure that there is something else to it and not just being lazy. Please let me know how you get on. Thanks Heather
- Re: Bowel problems with children karen
21 y
5,007
This is a reply to # 121,666Thank you for all your comments! Just knowing that my daughter is not the only one out there! We have worked on this bowel problem for months now. She is 7 years old and constantly holds it in. She would go only 1x a week if it weren't for the Miralax (powdered laxative) she takes daily. She is soiling up to 4 panties a day at that! That infuriates all of us. She even hides the panties, which we're working on...My husband believes that she's the only one out there that does this, so I intend to show him these emails. When will this end is my question?
Thank you for all your comments!
-Karen- Re: Bowel problems with children #161927
21 y
4,235
This is a reply to # 121,678You do not know how happy I am to find this site. My son is classic signs and symptoms described. He is 10 and part of the hide the pants crowd, and worse. He has ADD, and the therapist explained that this happens in a small percent of ADD children. It is so hard. WE don't punish him, but to be sitting at dinner and smell him just makes me sick. He has stopped hiding his pants, but we make him wash them. I can't believe his friends at school can't smell him sometimes. He does go a few times a week, but will hold it if he is out playing and does not want to stop. Worse is at night I have put the depend liners in his pants for all our sake. I am still worried that he has no embarrassement over this. He is a very sweet and loving child, but this issue makes us crazy. Not that I am happy that your children have similar issues, but I am happy not to be alone in this. My hubby and I have racked our brains trying to help him, and the frustration for all of us seems to get worse as he ages.
- Re: Bowel problems with children #161927
21 y
4,119
This is a reply to # 121,678You do not know how happy I am to find this site. My son is classic signs and symptoms described. He is 10 and part of the hide the pants crowd, and worse. He has ADD, and the therapist explained that this happens in a small percent of ADD children. It is so hard. WE don't punish him, but to be sitting at dinner and smell him just makes me sick. He has stopped hiding his pants, but we make him wash them. I can't believe his friends at school can't smell him sometimes. He does go a few times a week, but will hold it if he is out playing and does not want to stop. Worse is at night I have put the depend liners in his pants for all our sake. I am still worried that he has no embarrassement over this. He is a very sweet and loving child, but this issue makes us crazy. Not that I am happy that your children have similar issues, but I am happy not to be alone in this. My hubby and I have racked our brains trying to help him, and the frustration for all of us seems to get worse as he ages.
- Re: Bowel problems with children #161927
21 y
4,235
- Re: Bowel problems with children
- Re: Bowel problems with children Hopelanissa
21 y
4,129
This is a reply to # 121,043Hi,
I my name is Debbie, and I am a grandmother (Nana), with a 3 year old Granddaughter that has real big and hard bowel movements and like you, have tried everything we can think of to help her.
I am also a massage therapist and have tried reflexology on her and that helps sometimes. We have also tried giving her a tsp. of olive oil to try to soften it for her. How is your son doing, with his bowel problems now? Have you found any help?
When my Granddaughter's mother was little, she also had very big movements...but it didn't seam to bother her. But Nissy, just hates to go, because it seams to cause her pain, so she ends up going in her pants and we hate to scold her for it when we know that it hurts her so much to go.
Please write back to me if you have found any help.
I would appreciate it very much.
And good luck to your darling little boy.
Thank you, Nana Debbie- Re: Bowel problems with children father-of-6/Paul
21 y
4,216
This is a reply to # 121,717My 2nd born son is now 14 yrs.old. After struggling with bowel problems for the first 12 years,he's now doing just great! Like most of the people who have written, for some reason he started holding back his BM at an early age(2-3).The doctors and medications were only a temp fix,sad to say.His primary problem was holding.With the holding came very large stoles and much pain.We simply dealt with the issue.We would constantly encourage him to go,remind him of the consquences of not going,express our displeasure with the stink,make him wash his hands often,and explained to him the teasing from other kids/people he was going to receive.Without sounding cruel,mean,or insensitive, have a since of humor. We kind of made lite/jokes of it.With 5 other children in the house it was almost impossible not to.Honestly I think it helped us all through it.He's at the age now where eating properly and smelling good for the girls is important.Obviously that's got to be a big help!Long story short...HE'S GREAT! Now it's number 6's turn...He started HOLDING the first day of kindergarden :( .
- Re: Bowel problems with children DistraughtDad
21 y
4,260
This is a reply to # 121,756My wife an dI have been dealing with this for the past 2 1/2 years. Our daughter (now 9) began holding in her BM's. She would soil her pants and stay home from school with tummy aches and headaches. We have been through the Mineral Oil (works wonders when mixed with Heshey's chocholate syrup), Miralax, ER Visits, Dr visits, suppositories (Screamer from hell), etc
She eventually gets the "Big painful" one out and then she is fine for months.
We are having this issue again and just fount this discussion thread. Thanks I thought it was just us.
I have read the messeges (most of the) to my daughter. She went in and tried going. Finding out she was not hte only one this is happening to helped her for now. I am hoping we can get her lined out. Thanks for the comments. - Re: Bowel problems with children #11336
21 y
4,325
This is a reply to # 121,756We have been suffering with this problem for about a year and a half. Our son began holding his bowel movements soon after toilet training. I have recently discovered what this is. I believe he has Encopresis and there is a great web site at www.aboutencopresis.com. We are now seeing Dr's about the situation and hopefully it will be solved soon. Good luck to all with this problem.
- Re: Bowel problems with children DistraughtDad
21 y
4,260
- Re: Bowel problems with children father-of-6/Paul
21 y
4,216
- Re: Bowel problems with children hcoutino
21 y
4,064
This is a reply to # 121,043Dear Mommy,
I know that you wrote this message a long time ago but my daughter and I are dealing with this same problem with my granddaughter. The doctor says it is because she lives here with us. She holds it for at least 5 days.
Today I refused to clean her today and she screamed for 30 min. She finally ran to ther bathroom and went more than an adult.I have worked with children all my life and never seen or heard of this before. I have been giving her Advocare products for children and it helps her. She is very stubborn. I need help too.- Re: Bowel problems with children Lapis
21 y
4,076
This is a reply to # 121,760I see this more as an emotional/spiritual situation. Try posting your concerns to Andreas Moritz in his forum. Be open to his reply if you choose to do so.
- Re: Bowel problems with children Lapis
21 y
4,076
- Re: Bowel problems with children UserX
22 y
4,191
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