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Post by Monique on Apr 14, 2005 18:50:41 GMT -5
I cant seem to get past page 1 on this board to see past questions. Anyways, i know this is a common one but anyone have any good ideas on solving constipation. Jameson is 4 1/2 and has had this all his life. GI's say he does not have hirschsprungs, or celiac or anything clinically wrong with him. He has been on Miralax, lactulose, docusate, and now milk of magnesia which doesn t seem to be working anymore. I am at my wits end! He has been hospitalized 3 times for impaction. Don't say diet, he has plenty of oatmeal (3x a day) and applesauce and drinks lots of juice and is active. I think for some reason his body just cannot break down the solids the way its supposed to. The GI's are no HELP!! I'll take any and all advice. This is a serious condition to us and one that is constantly stressing me out. I dont want him to keep going through pain and hospitilizations. Thanks all for you help! Monique
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Post by sharen on Apr 14, 2005 19:27:13 GMT -5
Hi Monique I hope this helps . Jordan had diarrihea really bad , we could not figure out what was wrong , the doctors ran all kinds of test, they all turned out to be negative. Jordan only drank Juice nothing else , so I took him off the Juice completley and the diarrihea stopped in about a week , he started normal bowl movements. In place of the Juice I was giving him chocolate milk. then he started getting constipated , so I had to start giving him some juice to even it out. So I thought maybe if you gave Jameson Juice and nothing else maybe it would help. I did give Jordan 3 yogurts a day for the calicum supplement. Maybe if the juice works , you could figure out how to put milk in his diet , without him getting constipated. Jordan did drink alot of juice in a day. I think you have to try all different things, and that really makes it hard. Good Luck Sharen
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Post by Jodi on Apr 14, 2005 19:49:30 GMT -5
Monique-
We did have some trouble with constipation and although I'm not sure it will help, I will share what we did.
Our little guy usta have knots in his tummy his first year. He would try to push, but he was so weak (VERY low muscle tone) that he just struggled so much. We tried juice, mineral oil (clear/tasteless) in his juice, and children's Synocot (sp?) as a last resort. He did eventually get it out, but it was so heartbreaking to see him struggle.
The thing is that I knew he knew he had to go - which is a great sign. He had the sensation, just not the strength. I know someone had posted about not being sure if the child can tell he/she had to go. So I'm just wondering about if it has anything to do with muscle tone/sensation???
I hope you can get some answers that help.
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Post by PaigesMom on Apr 14, 2005 19:54:07 GMT -5
OMG, Monique, we have to talk. I just posted a thread on this, you should read it, except I dont know how to post the link.
HELP ME, someone who is computer literate, lol.
Really, my daughter is over the top with constipation. She does not have bowel movements on her own, always with the aid of enemas every 10 days. She's been impacted and tubed with GoLitely in the hospital several times. She has been on Mirilax (is on it now, 2 whole capfuls a day), Senekot, Lactulose, Fletchers, Milk of Magnesia, Mineral Oil enemas and regular Fleets.
We should compare notes. Really, PM me.
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Post by kristin on Apr 15, 2005 7:59:29 GMT -5
Cole also suffers from constipation, and although it doesn't sound nearly as bad as two of you, it is torture to watch him try to get the waste out.
We have had quite a bit of luck with deep abdominal massage. The caution is that you need to make sure that you get a skilled/trained person to show you how it is done. A gal from our Community Center Board (Part C services) is certified in infant massage, and also is a Developmental Play Specialist. She comes to our home once a month, to train me how to massage different parts of Cole's body, because he too, has the low end of muscle tone, and YES! I think that has everything to do with constipation!
I could try to explain the techniques here, but I am afraid I wouldn't do it justice, and the stomach is a really sensitive area, and you can do some damage if you do it incorrectly. The strokes are VERY deep, and very manipulative -- you can actually see and feel the air bubbles and fecal matter moving towards the lower colon and then he able to pass it, if not within 30 minutes or so, at least in 12 hrs. He has not had "that look" (of torture) in his eyes since we started doing the massage, and as a safe guard, we have him on small doses of miralax every other day. The anticipated outcome is that you are "teaching his abdominal muscles to respond to the fecal matter so that they respond spontaneously." The massage gal also told us that we should see dramatic improvement in less than 6 mos. , but you had to do the massage once or twice a day RELIGIOUSLY.
I know exactly what you are feeling -- it is totally unacceptable to watch a child with this bad of constipation. And even when they aren't trying to move their bowels, you can imagine how bad they are feeling in the interim...
If you are not able to find someone who knows the techniques for this massage, please let me know via this board or email, and I will get you the phone number of the gal we use, and she can find someone to help. (We are in Colorado.)
Best of luck; I really feel for you.
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Post by Monique on Apr 15, 2005 20:41:26 GMT -5
Thanks all, we have tried the massage when he was a baby until 1 1/2 and didnt help much.
All he drinks is apple juice and has 3 yogurts a day! no help there.
I spoke to his GI. We are going to do another rectal biopsy for hirschsprungs. We did one for him when he was 8 weeks old and they said he didnt have it. But i think maybe they misdiagnosed.
Paige, I will message you and we can compare notes. Sounds like you are doing everything we are (or were becuase we have stopped trying to do enemas as a regular thing because he is getting to old to handle and this is not a good long term solution but i know the feeling of doing what you have to to get it out).
So , back to two capfuls of miralax a day per the GI. I hope it works.
Monique
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Post by ashleysmom on Apr 16, 2005 12:45:27 GMT -5
Ashley had the same problem from almost burth until 1 1/2. I found her cure from another website. i was told to giver her Gerber Pair juice all day for 2 days NO milk or cheeses/bannans ect.. No apple juices that makes it worse. The gerber pair juice did the trick. her drinking diet is 1 cup of milk a day 2 4oz cups of Gerber pair juice and water all day. Do NOt try a sub. I did and it did not work. Only the baby Gerber pair juice.
Now go try it and let me know if it works.LOL Good luck.
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Post by gavinsmom on Apr 17, 2005 20:19:57 GMT -5
OMG.. I am so glad to see this topic up and talked about.. I have been worring my self sick with what to do. My son is 8 and has had this problem since he was only a few months old. He has also all the tests and there all negative, also been on and is on all the miralax ect ect.. NOTHING HELPS! I also give him enemas every 4-5 days to get the huge golf size balls of poopy out! I dont know what to do.. He is always holding and pressing on his tummy with pain in his face. If anyone has any advice please email me directly: pimptress_tiffini@yahoo.com. THANKS ! Tiffini
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Post by Kristen on Apr 18, 2005 10:20:30 GMT -5
Carter has had some issues, but I thought applesauce caused constipation? Fruit with pits like peaches helps keep it moving. Hmmm...you all know I am a big fan on papaya - runs right through! We have had C on a teaspoon (thought you coudl do a tablespoon+) of benefiber 1x a day to unfreak him out about pooping. The doctor said one painful poop for any kid could cause constipation since it is mainly a control issue aslong as they were stooling fine beofre (he was) so it coudl be toher things if it wasn' there from birth.
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Post by momoftwo on Apr 29, 2005 4:56:58 GMT -5
Nicholas goes through bouts of constipation...I've very carefully monitored his diet..no binding foods...dairy, oatmeal, etc...Apples are a great source of fiber...so anything like apple juice, sauce, etc...is awesome for HIM anyways?!?! We eat yougart and applesauce once a day...and a good amt of liquids..anything really to keep things "moving." If he hasn't released by a 3rd day (which isn't THAT uncommon...we've gone 5 before) I start with Milk of Magnesia then enemas. I'm told that probably when he starts walking, which is hopefully soon ;D, that things should get better. We'll see!!!
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Post by MomtoAlyse on May 6, 2005 9:19:30 GMT -5
I have also read that applesauce is constipating, not apple juice but the sauce, I think that may be true in Alyse's case anyway, also milk products like yogurt.
We use flax seed. I have not had any problems with Alyse becoming consitipated once we started the flax seed. If she misses a couple of days she will become constipated again. We use about 2 Tablespoons slightly ground (in a coffee mill) and sprinkle it over her cereal or sometimes yogurt in the morning, just adds a nutty crunch to what ever she is eating. You can also use it in cookies, or pancakes, where ever you might use a whole grain flour.
We initially tried the flax seed oil in drinks but she didn't like the taste of it.
I can find flax seed in all the grocery stores here, it is often by the trail mix type of stuff, or sometimes by the whole grain flours.
Hope this helps,
Dani & Alyse 3
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