Re: Epsom Salt Warning

While I am a strong believer in Epsom Salt for fast relief of constipation, they are not good to use when there is a large impaction in the lower part of the colon. The Epsom Salt works by drawing water into the bowel to flush out the excess magnesium. When there is a large hardened mass of fecal material in the rectum, it will probably not absorb enough water to be adequately softened to come out easily. Meanwhile the upper part of the colon is filled with liquid stool straining to get out. This can cause intense pain and bloating.

If enemas are not enough to soften the impaction, I suggest you take the child to a doctor or ER where the hardened mass can be safely broken up and removed. In a child there is too much danger of a tear or other damage to the anal area to make this a do it your self procedure. If you can feel the mass in her abdomen, then this sounds like it is quite large and hard. Please get her professional help as soon as possible. After she is cleaned out, you can take the excellent advice to prevent the constipation from going this far again.