2 Yr Old Poop Problems

I'd request your pedi. do a urine and fecal assessment.

FYI - it might not be the case for your son, but my 4 year old has tried those chewables before and said they made his tummy hurt - which could be the reason for wanting to lay on the couch - cramping.

The reason I suggest labs would be because poop is a great indicator that something is amiss in our body! It could be blood sugar, it could be a misfuntioning organ, it could a number of things.

Hemmoroids can be seen on the outside of the anus. If you don't see anything when you help clean him, then its not a hemmoroid, but could be a polyup or a fissure (which are inside on the walls of the rectum). Is blood evident in the stool? That's usually a sign. Those, depending on the size and severity, can be treated when they flare or removed by a doctor. Again, ask the doctor what he thinks and go from there.

Are there fevers along with these bouts of consitipation? Is there gas with the constipation? Are the stools hard and large or just infrequent?

A great piece of data you could provide to yourself and your doctor would be a food/poop journal. Keep a journal through an entire regular/constipated cycle. You might be able to find there are particular foods/combos. that are causing a reaction.

Probiotics are great! You can get them at health food stores and pharmacies. They help to keep the good bacteria in your stomach and will help keep BMs regular. These can also be sprinkled into yogurt or applesauce.

I agree with another poster that people over-use milk when our kids become toddlers! 2 cups (16 oz) is all a 2 year old needs. A toddler should not be walking around with a sippy of cold milk, but a sippy of water. Milk tricks our tummies into feeling full so we don't eat as well. Also, it does constipate. Whole milk is bad for your cholestrol. Bananas are constipating too - so if he eats them daily that could be a culprit.

In my experience, I get more from my doctor when I show up with some data and a list of questions and requests than if I just walk in and say he's not pooping right. The more info. you can gather ahead of time is very helpful to the doctor (and may even give you the answer and save you a copay!)

My 2 yr old son started having poop problems when he was 1 yr old. He was sometimes constipated and then when he did poop it hurt him really bad. So the doctor told me to put Miralax powder (over the counter stuff and safe for kids and has no long term effects) in his juice or milk each day. We have been putting it in his "non-sugar" juice everyday since and it helped 100%. We give a tiny amout, about 1/4 of a cap ful but you should ask your doctor 1st. It worked for my kid and hopefully it will work for yours.

Oh, I soooo commend you for going the natural route with your baby.

I kinda have the same problem, but I have IBS and (I believe) a hemorrhoid. Laxatives don't work for me. My IBS medicine does, but I don't want to be dependent.

You said that he won't play because he has to go poop when he gets up. Is that all the time, every time he gets up to do something? Or is that the association that he's made? I just want to be clear. Maybe he's not active enough to stimulate movement in his bowel.

I suspect your son is lactose intolerant (or even actually allergic to milk) ask yourself if these bouts occur when he has high amounts of milk items in a day...mac n cheese plus his milk, ice cream, anythign with high milk content in addition to whatever milk you give him each day. Most people who are lactose intolerant suffer diarrhea, however, there are a few (like my daughter) who actually get constipated instead.

Try giving him soy milk for a month and cut back on his dairy intake...You don't have to drop all dairy, just make sure he gets limited amounts of high dairy items...My daughter drinks soy milk and eats like a regular child. But when she has something high in milk content she avoids other dairy to prevent the constipation she knows will happen if she over does it. If she wants to have soem ice cream she avoids other dairy items during the day so she can splurge. It's just a matter of choices and limits.

But first get a feel if this is the problem by switching his milk...

Good Luck...let me know if it work... ;-)

Talk to your doctor first, but we use Miralax daily for my 5yo step daughter and have been since she was about 2. The doctor has said it won't hurt her, and she can and very well might be on it her whole life. When she goes without her medicine, it is heartbreaking to watch her try to go, she screams in pain, so we try hard to be very diligent about it. Its sold over the counter now at Walmart, used to be prescription.

Hi C.,

I am wondering if your son eats bananas and drink a lot of milk! Both can cause constipation if given to much! Try let him dring more water....without any taste or color. Just plain water!!

Hope this will help you,
M. B

Is he drinking a lot of cokes or sugar. May have to change their diet.

He is probably holding his poop! It may seem like he is not doing it, but as I learned first hand from my DD they become very efficient at holding poops without you even noticing it! I finally took my DD to the Dr. and she told me to give her Miralax. That did the trick. It softens the poop to the point where they can't hold it anymore and has to go. Eventually they'll learn that going poopie doesn't hurt and they'll learn to relax and stop holding it. It only took 2 months for my DD to be regular.
Miralax is sold over the counter at the pharmacy. Good luck!