Cronic Constipation?

I would try anything that helps you, ie apple juice gives me the runs, and helps my 2 year old when he is constipated

A., thank you, thank you, thank you! I am going through exactly the same issue with my 5 year old. he also has Down syndrome so the Docs automatically assume his muscles are not strong enough to push the poop out. However, like you I think it is not so simple. I give Alexander a whole cap full of mirilax everyday and if I miss one does it messes him up for days. This is not normal, even for a child with Downs. I read through all the responses and while Alexander gets LOLTs of water and fiber I know that makes no difference in his case. I plan to go back to the Ped Gastro and explore a couple more options. I will also look more into allergy issues. It could be something really simple that the medical profession over look.

Please keep me posted and I will do the same.
S..
____@____.com

My daughter had major issues with constipation/strange bowel issues her first year, we started at 4 weeks at a GI Specialist, even though they didn't end up helping her, they did every test possible to find that nothing in her GI tract was wrong. From there, I ended up at National Jewish downtown seeing the Pediatric Allergist there. It took 2 visits to realize it was an allergy problem and it was fixed in a week. Just took over 1 year and multiple testing to get there.

A.,

In the 11 years I worked in alternative health I have seen reflux cured 100% on children - most chiropractors know a very simple technique which involves a gentle pulling down of the upper stomach. A good chiropractor will teach you how to do the "massage" type technique and you could have continued nursing. But since that it now past and the issue sounds more like allergies or lack of enzymes, I would suggest seeking out a alternative health doctor, there are many different kinds, I would suggest one that specializes in children - that can offer your daugther the balance she needs for health. Your daughter will most likely require a special very healthy diet - unlike the food options sold for kids. Laxatives are harsh on the body for adults and I can't imagine why your doctor would suggest it for a long term solution for a child.
I wish you all the best!
Nancy

Hi A.! I've heard that if anyone...adult or child...takes a laxative for an extended period of time they become "laxative dependent" and actually can't have a BM without one. I have always found natural remedies to be the best. Here is what one of my herbal books say...
Increase fiber ( breakfast especially...oatmeal, raisins, grapes, pears, apples); massage the lower abdomen may encourage a movement. Avoid fatty foods and red meat products as they can be difficult to digest. She should drink at least 4 glasses of just water a day. Dehydration is a big cause of constipation. Avoid junk food as much as possible ( soda, french fries, excessive sugar, deep fried foods). Molasses or dark Karo syrup (1-2 teaspoon) added to a little water will help loosen things up really well. As far as herbal supplements: Flaxseed oil is very helpful. Some babies are indeed born with poor bowel function. Many immune related illnesses are associated with constipation. I would try some of these remedies and stop the miralax and see what happens. Some children are okay to only have a BM every 2-3 days....its when the stool is hard and difficult to pass that it becomes a problem. Hope this helps....:-)

My two year old has the same problem, and because it hurts to poop, she holds it in on purpose. We don't make it through the days without a laxative either, and I am also unhappy about the situation.

A.,
I am so sorry to hear your frustration. I would suggest keep talking to your doc and explain your valid fear of keeping your child on meds long term. Have you tried more natural foods that work against constipation like apple sauce or plums and prunes. I would agree with you and not want to keep child on meds but rather start tweaking her diet with lots of fruits and fruit juices and see if that helps. Keep telling your doc everything you try though, just incase it turns out to be a medical problem. Hang in there...
S.

Get a second opinion. I don't think it is healthy for anyone to be on laxitives for that long. I think something else is going on that the dr. might not be caughting.

There is natural help, good bacteria from yogurt. Unless lactose intolerant, most people are. There is good bacteria for children and infants at a low cost Acidophillis in powder or pill form. Can get vegan formula from Vitmain Cottage, Sun Flower mart or WHole foods. Maybe even Safeway. Carrots, peas, oat meal, brown rice. 100%Juice, no high fructose corn syrup or sugar. Prune juice and grape are good. Cut back on pork and red meat, they are hard to digest. Juice own juice carrots, celery, cucumbers beet ect. Walmart has affordable juicers. She needs natural enzymes to help digest food. Raw foods are good for digestion. If she is blood type A, wheat is bad for us it sticks like glue=gluten free products will help. You can read eating right for your blood type on web. Most heal food stores have Nutricianist free of charge can help. ____@____.com

My son had problems with constipation as well. The best soultion I found was to put a few drops Karo Sypur in his milk. It is very cheap and just sweetens the milk.

Try putting about 1 table spoon of Karo syrup in her drinks this should get her regular if it gets her going the other way cut it back it might get to the point she only needs it in one or two drinks a day

First of all, I am not a doctor, nurse, or any sort of authority on the subject :) BUT - I have known people with similar constipation problems, and there are a couple of easy things you could try. A friend had horrible constipation issues when we were kids, and her doctor had her drink warm everything - water, jiuce, etc - nothing above room temp. This, along with Metamucil several times per day did the trick after a couple fo months. Obviously, you don't need the Metamucil as your daughter has something already to take. But have you been advised about the temperature thing? Maybe give it a try. Also, what kind of foods does your daughter eat? Lots of cheese & meats without any fiber (fruit, vegetables, especially leafy greens, nuts)will definitely compound the problem. Can you sneak extra fiber into her diet? Would she eat homemade bran muffins if she helped you make them? Maybe w/ chocolate chips in them? The only other suggestion would be lots of water. Also, my infant was constipated &the doc told us to give her pear or prune juice - both are lower in sugar & high in fiber. That's all I can offer, maybe there are some others out there with more experience :) Good luck!

My niece is the same way. They have just eleminated all dairy from her diet and when she does get some they give her miralax so she won't get constipated. I would try giving soy products and see if she does the same thing on soy products. If she is ok on soy products the co-op in boise has a great selction of soy products and so does fred meyer.
S.

Ask for a referral to a gastro specialist. They can figure it out better. Sometimes you need a specialist to either help you out or resolve the problem. Some people are more sensitive to exposure of eggs when it is directly. I would also have her tested for food allergies all together and not just go off of what she feels like after eating eggs.

Hi A.,

My son has had the same problem! He had reflux too, then the chronic constipation. He is about to turn 5 and has been on Miralax everyday for this long! We can't miss a day either, or it's a big problem. Our doctor has said the same thing,...it's fine and safe for him to take miralax everyday forever. The doc says as he gets older he'll better be able to adjust his diet, like eating a bran muffin everyday, etc. So until then I guess we use the miralax. It's so confusing!
Good luck and I'll let you know if we get any different answers.
C.

Poor baby with lots of tummy bugs. I'll suggest babies magic tea. It will soothe her from all tummy troubles whether it's gas, reflux orconstipation.

Updated

Poor baby with lots of tummy bugs. I'll suggest babies magic tea. It will soothe her from all tummy troubles whether it's gas, reflux or constipation.

My Friend has Cronic Costipation and was taking meds from the Dr's office. But she found out taking Flax Seed or Flax Seed Oil was helping a lot. Try that on her cereals, and if she can eat salads or veggies, put it them also. Try and go natural.

T.

I don't have any personal experience with this, or any medical knowledge. But I do have a friend whose some was having trouble with constipation, and upon getting some testing done, they found that he tested positive for celiac disease. Now, hopefully this isn't the case with your daughter. But if your Dr. is not providing the treatment that you need, I suggest finding some one else...at the very least for a second opinion. Express your concerns, and make it known that you would like to look into this problem further and find out what and where it is stemming from. That's my advice...be an advocate for your daughter.

My daughter had constipation problems from the time she started solid foods, so I learned early on to watch for her sensitivities to certain foods. I found she simply could not eat the following things or she would become constipated by the next day: bananas, milk and yogurt, applesauce, baby food pears, cheese and nuts. I researched each of these foods, and constipation is a normal reaction to them for many people. Take a look at her diet and cut out any foods like the ones I listed -- FYI: we use goat milk with no problems. Google "constipation foods" or something for more ideas of culprits. Then, start giving her a daily probiotic supplement; helps balance the intestinal flora and keep things moving (you could give mega doses safely for a short time to help kick things in gear down there; ask the folks at Vitamin Cottage or Whole Foods for advice on this). Make these changes and give it at least a few days while still using the Miralax. Then slowly start to taper the amount of Miralax -- don't just stop giving it to her. As you taper, watch how her stools change. The process will take time and trial and error on her diet, but you can get there. And still have her checked for possible blockages if you are worried, but you can definitely get her off the Miralax with time and effort. Hang in there!

Hi A.,
I have heard of a similar baby I had as a patient. I am a chiropractor. This little girl also could not have a bm without the help of a laxative. I found out she had a somewhat traumatic birth. Her hips were put out of alignment which caused undue pressure on her spinal cord. The area was the same area whose nerves travel directly to the bowels! As soon as she started chiropractic care, she started improving. It did not take long before she was off all the medication and is a healthy happy baby.

Also, when I started weaning my son, all the formulas constipated him. It turned out he was allergic to the caesin in milk and the corn/corn syrup. He is 1 1/2 now and does not consume any dairy whatsoever.

I hope some of this helps! Good luck!

Dr. J. Drake
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We've been fighting cronic constipation with my 3 yr daughter since she was 7 months. She's been on Miralax for just over a year now. About 6 months ago we had an ultrasound and xray done. Both showed that her intestines were crammed full. She's been on a pretty heavy dosage of Miralax since then to try and get her cleaned out. But a recent xray showed she still has blockages. The blockages keep the pooh from exiting normally and her intestine has stretched. The pooh then slides around the backup so you think everything is ok because pooh is coming out. At the end of the month we are going back for a revisit. If things aren't better, which I dont' think they will be, our next step is a gastronologist.

Through everything though, our doctor has been wonderful. Always taking our complaints seriously and working towards a solution. If your doctor doesn't think this is serious or isn't willing to fix the situation it may be time to get a new doctor. I think Miralax has been great but it's not a cure and not something I want her on for the rest of her life.

Every child is different. Not every child needs to have a bowel movement every day, and that can be perfectly normal.

That being said, you do need to stick to your guns. Sometimes doctors are hesitant to rely on "mommy instinct" since it's not scientific. But if you feel there really could be something wrong, insist that the doctors do everything they can to find out what it is!

Hi A.,

My doctor recommended to try one tablespoon of light Karo syrup in her formula. My daughter is 3 months old. The doctor also suggested giving her 2 oz of pear juice instead of the Karo syrup. I'm not sure what doses to give a 3 year old, but I would start there to make sure she doesn't have an allergic reaction and gradually give her more if she needs it.

I use a product called OsteoMegaCare which is a calcium/magnesium supplement w/ omega 3's and 6's as well. It's GREAT for any type of constipation (due to the magnesium) and great just for overall calcium and omega oil supplementation as well. I've used this product religiously for years and love it... I also give it to my daughter (she's 3) and she loves it (it's a liquid and comes in chocolate and vanilla flavors so it tastes great which is great for kids).

Here's a link to the website if you want to investigate it further... just click on products and go to OsteoMegaCare... at the bottom of the page after you read the general description you can click on Product Data Sheet to get lots of technical data as well. And let me know if you have any questions. www.LifeForceSuccess.com

Also, there's a business opportunity as well if you'd like to create some great residual income. This product line is incredible and the comp plan ROCKS!!!! Learn more here: http://www.momsempoweringmoms.com/residualincome.html

Hope this helps!

-A.

A., first congratulations on seeking out some different options. It is great that you are pursuing more information instead of continuing with treatment that seems wrong to you. I would strongly recommend that you consider visiting with a naturopathic/homeopathic doctor. Perhaps you are not willing to leave her regular doctor permanently, but at least consider talking to someone who has a different perspective from traditional western medicine.

It's awesome that you have pushed to get further tests from her regular doctor. Unfortunately, you now know from experience that the doctor is disposed to treat the symptoms instead of the root of the problem, that he/she does not believe that there is an underlying problem, and that he/she believes that medicine is the best option. No matter how much testing you insist on, the doctor simply may not know what to look for. As a result, he/she may miss signs that would set off red flags for another doctor who has experience treating the ROOT of a problem rathe than the symptoms.

I know from experience that it's a little scary when you step out of the traditional fields of medicine. You can expect opposition from your daughter's doctory, your friends, and maybe even your family. However, you are the only advocate your children have. If you don't seek out the best treatment for them, who will? Please consider that (at least in this situation) your daughter's regular doctor does not have the answers she needs, and please consider consulting with a wholistic care provider.

Best,
S. L

My little brothers had a similar early child hood problem. My mom took them to a GI specialist at some point and discovered that they had something called Mega-collon. That's about as much as I know about it but maybe that can get you started in a direction towards diagnosis. Oh and about the Miralax, my little brother was on it while it was still only avail. with a perscription, and continued to take it for several years. he took it each morning in a glass of chocolate milk. I am pretty sure he's over it at this point (He's 15 yrs old) but every now and then I'll see the miralax out again. just ask more questions to your doctor, and other doctors for that matter to get second opinions.

Hello, A.,
I'm an old Granma with twin grandbabies. My Mom had seven kids way back when...when she or any of us were constipated, she would mix a tablespoon or so of old fashioned dark molasses in a milk. It tastes like a treat, and it seems to help. A natural laxative, as it were. You might try just a teaspoon to start, eh, to help her get accustomed to the taste?
You're a good Mom, I can tell...keep believing in yourself
Roxie in Denver

My son is on miralax at the moment and it has been tough... We are in the process of shrinking his colon... it takes time. I hate the solution, the doctor says it could be awhile... he just turned four and was on exlax (adult strength) for six months and we started the miralax about 3 months ago. The doctor says that I should keep him on it until he con poop in the potty--- regularly and then start decreasing the dose, if he doesn't have a bowl movement within 24 hour of no miralax, he is given the miralax again (for now).

My nephew was on miralax for two years at the age of 5 and does fine now. It is a long term soulution in our eyes, but really it is not that long term.

I really wish I had more for you, but I am in the same boat... and feel at a loss with it also. I just know we need daily bowel movements...

Good luck, write me if you have any questions or comments
L.

Oh my gosh, we are going through the same thing! I was able to nurse my daughter for a year, but as soon as we switched to milk she became constipated, and really badly too. My daughter just turned 4 last week, and we are still doing the Miralax once a day. I have tried to wean her off of it, but she becomes so constipated so fast, and it is just too painful for her. A couple of suggestions that have helped us, even if it hasn't cured her. She does not eat bananas at all, and we limit her dairy intake. No chocolate, very little cheese. We switched her to "veggie" cheese which she doesn't seem to mind.

I would love to be able to take her off the Miralax...I also worry that there is something "wrong" with her, but haven't been able to follow up yet. Good luck!

I am a nurse and my professional opinion is that you strongly get to the bottom of this. Chronic constipation is NOT normal!! The latest research suggest that many children if not allergic are sensative to gluten (found in wheat products). Many physicians will treat the symptoms (with laxatives) and not the causes. On a personal note...I have a neice who is almost 5 years old and is now starting to gain weight once an allergy was discovered. She too had chronic constipation until she was about 4 years old.

I worry about you daughter becoming dependent on the laxative. Chronic use of laxatives leads to dependency. What this means is that your child will not be able to have a bowel movement at all with out the laxative. Laxatives are intended for short term use, not long term.

I recommend that your daughter be tested for allergies. If you are interested on the latest research on gluten email me @ ____@____.com and I will see what I can find for you. Good luck. Remember, you are your daughters advocate! Be her voice.

Has anyone talked to you about Hirschsprung's Disease? It is a disease of the colon where the nerve cells stop at a point during development of the colon in utero so they are not present to "move" the bowel. My son was diagnosed at birth but I have heard of mild cases not being diagnosed until toddlerhood when toileting issues become more prevalent. You might also want to ask about a motility issue. It sounds like at a minimum you should get a referral to a pediatric gastroenterologist so you can ask questions.

This is going to be tough love.You know if you keep doing what your doing and getting the same results then you've got to stop and go a different route. You need to stop taking her to the doc and do your own research......like on the internet and such. Take your babies health into your own hands and I will explain what I mean. My baby had the same problem but the difference between you and me is that I am also am believer in holistic medicine and it seems to work better than traditional medicine on a baby. Enfamil and Similac(and this is from extensive research and studies)are how do I say this...........bad(cheap and overprocessed) for your baby and CAN cause problems. I don't want to cause any conflict with mothers who use the stuff and have good results. This information is just for the babies who have the problems. Also FYI if your baby is eating grains like oats, barley, rice,white flour etc. Please take her off of them because these are the main culprit of constipation, plus the formula. Take her off the grains at least for a while. Then in a month or so try to reintroduce them but only BROWN RICE and make sure it's a high quality ORGANIC brown rice. This makes a huge difference, believe me.
Then go to the website www.NaturesOne.com and order the ORGANIC SOY baby formula. This company caters to the needs of babies and makes an amazing very superior formula that is such a perfect formula that nothing else compares. The way they process it leaves the formula in it's natural state. No by-products in it and no chemical substances like the kind at the grocery store.Trust me. I had it tested by 3 bio computers and the formula is fantastic for babies. My holistic physician was amazed at how strong it tested on my babies body for he has looked a long time for a formula that would help his patients babies digestive problems. YEP, this is the formula. It has to be the soy one. Believe me. It's amazing stuff. Also if she is eating food, give her organic baby food from the health food store and make it peaches and pears.These loosen the stools.Also, try to give her water between feedings through a bottle or sippy cup. I also squeeze an omega 3 fatty acid(fish oil supplement) into my babies mouth twice a day. This helps her go if she's constipated which doesn't happen anymore since I started this regimen above. It's great and it works if you follow everything I stated to do. Good luck and please feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions. I also have a treatment plan for eczema that works if anyone is interested. Everything is trial and error but practice makes perfect and through trial I have learned as a first time mother so much and I know I can help other mothers.

Have you tried taking her to a chiropractor? They can do wonders with problems like this. I agree with you that MixaLax is not a long term solution... it is actually not allowing her own system to work the way it should... and the problem with anything like that is that the body will adjust and then she will need more and more to be able to go. You need to find the root of the problem. I would take her to a chiropractor because they will help you to try to find the root... a lot of times digetive problems can be brought on by what is called subluxations in the spine... which just means that her back needs to be adjusted. There also might be a combination of foods that you are giving her or an allergy that is causing it. I am not anti-medical field... but like you said, sometimes they do not take the time to find the cause, they just treat the symptoms. I would also see another doctor for a second opinion. You are paying for your doctor... demand that they meet your needs. It is not normal that a little girl has to be on medication all of the time for her body to do what it was designed to do. I would put my foot down with the doctors and see a chiropractor at the same time. Good luck! I am so sorry that you have had to go through this... sometimes it is so frustrating to trust doctors because we do not have medical degrees... but we do know what is normal and what is not. Trust your instincts. I hope everything works out!

Hello there-
I was just going to suggest a probiotic. They will help promote healthy flora in the digestive tract. You can usually pick them up at the health food store, or I think you might be able to get them at like Wal Mart. I have my two older kids, 4 & 2, on them and I get it at the health food store and they come in a powder formula that I just mix into either their juice or milk, or even sprinkle it in their PB & J sandwich. If you can make it to the health food store someone there will be able to help you and give you some more info, you can probally even google it. Probiotics are wonderful for the whole family, you should really look into them!!
Good luck & God bless!

A. - my daughter is 2 and a half and she suffers from the same problem. We are in the process of potty training which makes it easier on her (sitting on the toilet) but she has very hard stools and she tells me it hurts when she poops. She is also on Miralax and has been for about 2 years - her old pediatrician also told me that she would outgrow it but she hasn't as of yet. I am going to take her to a new pediatrician and see if we can come up with a better solution. I agree - they cant stay on Miralax forever! I will let you know what I find out after the appointment.
It's nice to know we're not the only ones with this problem!

Get your daughter tested. This could be serious or it could be minor, your daughter may have food allergies. I have a son that has had digestive problems since he was a baby, he is now 15. He eats Yogurt and drinks Cranberry Juice on a daily basis to help with food digestion. I found also that my son has a reaction to gluten so I look for gluten free products. Be observant an watch for things that may upset her more than others and adjust her diet accordingly. I think right now before you find out what your daughter has, diet will be the best way to help her.

Hi A.,
Flaxoil, fish oil and olive oil are all natural ways to help keep her digestive track working. They will not cause any problems and are all things our bodies need anyway. Of course she also needs fiber and lots of water. Fruits and vegetables help keep everything moving naturally. Keep her away from processed foods.
There are great ideas on how to get started eating better in my new book, Shopper's Guide to Healthy Living. It is written for busy moms and takes only 4 hours to read. It is available on www.amazon.com.

Good luck! ____@____.com let me know if you have questions.

Hi A.,

This problem is not unusual. It is not unusual for a child (or adult for that matter) not to have a bowel movement for up to 72 hours. What is worrisome is the pain that it causes your daughter. Take a close look at her diet. Is she getting enough fiber in the form of fruits & vegetables? Does she drink enough fluid to help the fiber move through her gut? If you keep a food diary, that should help you identify some of her eating habits that may contribute to constipation. Diets high in protein without a lot of fruits & vegetable tend to lead to constipation.

If, after adjustment to her diet, she still is experiencing problems, you may want to visit a pediatric general surgeon. Some children have a condition called congenital mega-colon (AKA Hirschprungs disease). It is a condition in which some children lack nerve cells in a portion of their gut (usually the distal colon). Without the nerve cells, the gut cannot sense when to push a bowel movement out. The bowel movement becomes very large & the colon expands to accommodate the bowel movement. The portion of the gut without nerve cells remains narrow & doesn't allow the bowel movement to pass. This makes it very difficult for a child to pass such a bowel movement.

There are tests that can be done to detect Hirschprung's Disease, & surgery can correct it (if that is indeed the problem). By telling you this, my intention is not to scare you. Your daughter may just need some adjustments to her diet & all will be well. Do some research on line & see if her symptoms are similar to those of Hirschprung's disease. It can help to look into it.

I don't know if it is of any consilation but if it isn't hurting her it isn't that big of a deal. My son used to have a BM every 7-8 days and he hasn't had any problems since. There is always the possibility that there is something else and you are the mother and allowed to be concerned, try another doctor if you really think it is something more.

First of all, I would find a different doctor. Taking laxatives, especially for a child, is not a long term solution.
My oldest had a cronic constipation also. She got it as a newborn and my pediatrician pretty much told me the same as you, try different "things" to help her go, but never addressed what was causing her to be constipated. I nursed her until she was 13 months, and never restricted my diet at all. I asked over and over if there could be something I was eating (mainly milk) that was making her that way and I was told no, that babies can not be truly lactose intolerant. The constipation continued, and I kept being told the same thing, just to deal with it basically.
Then my son was born and I decided to switch pediatricians, mainly because my friend liked hers so much. On the very first appointment I took my daughter to, I brought up her constipation and was told that she was probably lactose intolerant! My pediatrician had me take her off all dairy for 3 weeks (to make sure it was out of her system, and you have to be sure it is ALL dairy), if her tummy got better in that time, then lactose was the problem. It worked. She had no more constipation at all. We have been able to add in some dairy products, we just have to watch how much she has in a day or she'll get constipated again.
I do remember when my pediatrician was telling me to try this that she said the next thing would be to take her off all gluten. She was very determined to get to the bottom of her problems.
I really, really encourage you to find a doctor that will work with you to figure out what is causing the constipation. Keep going to new ones until you find one that will help.
I just googled "laxative overuse" and there is a lot of information out there stating that it is not good to use laxatives for a prolonged period. It can interfere with the bodies ability to absorb nutrients, it can cause a dependency on the laxative (which could be your daughters problem too), it can cause bowel and stomach problems, etc.
Have you tried adding fiber to her diet? I know it helps my daughter if she has had too much dairy for me to just mix some benefiber into her food/drink. She has no idea it is even there.
Good luck, don't stop until you find some answers!!

Hi A.,

I had a baby with chronic reflux too. It seems that because of the reflux and the fluid going 'up', it made his bowels harder because there wasn't enough moisture going 'down'. Even though she may look like she's outgrown the reflux, she could still have that going on in her system. You need to really push fluids, especially water.

They wanted our son to be on Prevacid for the reflux, and it just made me feel horrible as a mom to have him on that stuff. There's so many side effects from medication. So I've searched and studied to learn other ways to help him.

Our family is now eating healthy chocolate and because of all the fiber in it, especially our new cookie, we have all seen benefits from it! Our son who had reflux as a baby and had constant constipation, is now regular. This healthy chocolate is delicious, and is made of pure unprocessed cocoa and the acai berry and blueberry. There are no added fats, sugars, waxes or fillers. Pure cocoa is the #1 antioxidant in the world and acai is the #2 antioxidant. There is no caffeine in this chocolate. This chocolate is very soothing for the whole digestive system. It helps with everything from acid indigestion, to irritable bowel syndrome and everything in between.

I would love to send you some to try and see what you think. If you go to my website, www.ExcitedAboutHealthyChocolate.com, there is a 13 min DVD about the chocolate. Let me know if you're interested in learning more.

Best of Luck!
D.

My son has had a similar problem. Right now I am working with a few things as well. I have found that artificially sweetened things help, like the low sugar apple juice, and no sugar flavored milk mixes from Disney (check the Nestle Quick isle in your grocery store). I am recently trying soy milk, just in case it is a milk allergy. He has been more regular than usual with this method, but I just started this week. My doctor recommended Miralax too, and I felt that it wasn't a long term solution either. I also read that pear juice helps, which I can never find, but I did find a pear apple sauce, so I am trying that now too. I would try to avoid things like cooked carrots (which are my son's favorite, darn it:)), raw apples, and bananas. I hope that some of this helps. It is hard, because you want to help your little one.... I am there with you. :)

A.,
My son had constipation issues when he was 2 years old, we went through a year of different ways of eating to different types of remedies. Finally I got a hold of the pediatrician (and not her nurse) and he was prescribed Miralax, and in one small dose, he was almost cured! Miralax helps create good enzymes in their intestinal system and does not draw the water out of their stomaches (to cause tummy aches) like all other laxitives. We gave it to him regularly for about a week, and now he is 4 and we only give it to him when he seems to be having trouble with a bowel movement. It works great, is not habit forming and I feel is some much more safer and "natural" than any laxative. I even used it when I was pregnant, and I suggest it to anyone who is having an issue.

A.

Have you taken her off dairy yet? Pediatricians used to tell thier patients all the time that if the problem was either chronic costipation or loose stools it is diary. It is such a common constant problem that doctors have stopped saying anything anymore. It the problem started when you started her on formula pretty clear that it is diary. The problem is she can not digest the diary. Current specuation is that 85% of the population is intolerant of diary as when you pasteurize something it kills all the inherent digestive enyzymes and vitamins from that product. The longer you wait and rely on over the counter meds to clear up the constipation instead of removing the problem it can lead to future problems such as IBS, chrones, and higher probability of intestinal cancers. I had a daughter with the same problem - she had struggled with consitpation from age 3 months (started using formula) to age 6 when I finally listened to a friend and took her off dairy. i actually removed it from the whole family as an experiment. Results: my chronic fatigue and congestion cleared up, my daughter constipation cleared up, hy son's headaches cleared up, and my toddlers exzema cleared up. You can't get calcium from pasterized milk anymore no matter how hard the diary consel tries to brain wash the public into thinking that so you really won't miss a thing. Plenty of great alternatives out there now too. A large percentage of those inolerant to pasterized dairy CAN tolerate raw dairy if you miss the cows milk that much. Find a farmer who raises grass fed, non-injected cattle for the best source. I could go on and on about the deplorable conditions that cows were raised in about the time that pasteurization came to be (and for those reasons it was very necessary at the time). But those issues have been erradicated.
Best of luck to you.

Hi A.,
I have a son who is 8 who has had cronic constipation since he was a baby. Like you the docs say nothing is wrong. What I have found that works well is a cup of hot water in the morning or apple juice. It seems to help loosen him. I have taken him to the ER thinking he had appendicitias and it was serious constipation to the point they did a enima. We have hit that point a few more times in the last few years but the water and juice seem to work pretty well. Also grapes in monderation are a good helper.
But I will be watching to see what you find out.
GOod Luck

Our son had the same trouble, often with 4-5 days in between BMs. We were very concerned and our doctor wasn't, so we tried suppositories. Seemed to help, but then he'd go right back into the "not going" mode. So, we ended up taking him to our chiropractor, who adjusted his back with a massaging style, and he filled two diapers within 45 minutes! After two more trips he was back in a normal BM routine. If you do this, make sure to have a chiropractor who you trust and who has worked on babies before, just to be safe. And make sure he/she is gentle!

My daughter is seven and has chronic constipation. For several years we didnt know that it was a medical problem. Now she takes miralax every day, and she does better. I love miralax, especially because it is safe as a long term solution. All it does is draw more water into the bowel to keep things moving (nothing like other laxatives). The other thing I do is mix benefiber into our food when I cook. It is tasteless and odorless, and fiber helps the digestive system, but we dont get it from eating out. Several weeks ago, my daughter woke up in the morning with extreme belly pain. We thought it was her appenix, but xrays showed that her bowl was so backed up that she needed to be flushed out. This may also be the case for your daughter, which may be why she is not having regular bowel movements. The doctor told me to give my daugter Magnesium citrate which comes over the counter in a liquid form that cleaned her out within hours.

It is beneficial to stay on the miralax though. Part of my daughter's problem is that the hard stuff pushes on her sphinctor until she looses the ability to feel that she has to go. Then the new softer stuff leaks out around the clogg into her underware, which is incredibly embarassing and potentailly harmfull especially at school. I am so grateful that the miralax works because when I remember to give it to her it stops this process.

A., may I suggest a call to Paula Robben at the Aloha Wellness Center--###-###-#### or ____@____.com? I know Paula personally, and she is a wonderful and gracious young woman with two daughters of her own! Both she and her daughters have experienced food and environmental sensitivities. Additional information on the strategies the Aloha Wellness Center uses can be found at www.bioset.net.

All the best,
T. N

Try pear juice, worked great for my nephew with cronic constipation.

I have to agree with you, long term use of a laxatives is a BAD idea. I'm shocked your doctor thinks this course of treatment is acceptable. I strongly recommend you find a PDR and read about Miralax. Virtually all laxatives have very strong warnings against long term use, that the body may become dependent upon them.

The first thing I would do is get your daughter on a very high quality probiotic, Primal Defense (Whole Foods, Vitamin Cottage) is one of the best. Then I would get her to a pediatric acupuncturist (there are several in this area) ASAP. Chinese herbs and acupuncture are very powerful and very subtle treatments. Don't worry about the needles/pain, she will hardly feel it, they are extremely skilled.

Blessings,

M.

My son had similar issues. He would go 9-11 days between bowel movements. This went on from when he was 3yrs old to about 6months ago - he's now 10yrs old. We took him to a naturopath and she put him on magnesium citrate. He now has a bowel movement everyday. None of his many doctors were able to help him. He was on prescription Miralax for a couple of years...it really did nothing for him. We tried laxatives, but those can be dangerous. Magnesium is the mineral that makes the lower intestine move its contents. He had such low magnesium that his body didn't know when it had to "go". He kept complaining that he never got the "feeling" and so his body would hold in his stool for days and days. Now that he takes a daily dose of magnesium citrate, he's totally regular! Truly, I had just about given up hope. I've also removed gluten from his diet and cut back on cow's milk products (he drinks goat milk which is easier for humans to digest). It's been hard because he can no longer eat some of his fav foods (like mac and cheese) but it's for his own good and as his mom, I have to look out for his health. I truly believe that if your digestive system is messed up, the rest of your body and mind can't possibly be functioning at it's best. Getting his bowels under control has affected every aspect of his life: he's not as grumpy, he sleeps better, he's more alert, the list goes on. The change from last year to now is just astounding!

Find a Naturopathic Doctor or a alternative health practitioner. www.wellhavengj.com

A.,

Chronic constipation is not normal and neither are laxitives.
A "normal" bowel releases 1-3 times a day. Laxitives create what is called a lazy colon, atonic colon, where the colon gets so use to a laxitive or another form of unnatural assistance that the colon stops performing and the peristalis action, action the colon uses to contract and push food through is stopped because the muscles have not had to do their normal work out to stay in shape and perform their duties.

Food allergies, not enough water, perservatives, food combinibg, foods a young stomach can not digest are some causes, but very hard to know because we do not know your childs diet.

Dairy and wheat cause many people digestive problems and therefor constipation. Also food combining,example fruit and meat together create a volcanic explosion in most peoples stomachs because fruit takes 30 minutes to digest and meat 4-6 hours and the 2 can not digest together because the fruit causes the meat to start fermenting and creates gas, bloating constipation.

Try feeding her single food meals. I can make more suggestions and refer more to you if you would like but there is not enough information here to do more than inform and make some basic suggestions. V.

I have never responded before but this subject justs hits my anger button. I am a mom of a 7 year old and a 2 1/2 year old. My son has had this same problem his whole life and the only solution the doctors WILL OFFER is laxatives. My son had gone as many as 5 days or more. So here is how we live now. He MUST DRINK water!!! Also he must have fruits and veges. We also learned about magnesium and calcium supplements. They have a chewable version and one you can mix in juice at Vitamin cottage. One other solution I have heard works is to find an NAET certified accupunturist who can use you as the pin cushion and transfer the energy. I have not tried this path yet but I know some in the Denver area. They can also treat allergies if that is part of the problem. The fact is that many people do not illiminate as often as others and some kids bowels develop slower. I am not a doctor but I have done a ton of research because of my sons problem.

Hello,
I personally think you should go with what your Mom instinct tells you...push the issue until a Dr can tell you why this is happening. It does not sound "normal" to me. If you want to research something "natural" that may help, and won't hurt, check out "Mangosteen". I sell a product that is 100% the whole fruit, in a juice form. I have been giving it to my daughter since she was 3 months old.It helped her reflux go away that she was diagnosed with at 1 1/2 months old. First through breast milk, as I take it once a day, and now she gets her own "dose" every morning and she loves it. Research just the benefits of the Mangosteen fruit, and if you think it is something you would like to try, go to www.mymangosteen.com/HaileyJ. You can also email me if you would like. If not, I truly hope you find a cause, and a solution. Like some of the other Moms have said....don't give up until you get answers that you are satisfied with. This is YOUR child. I hope it is nothing serious, possibly just a food intolerance....Our little ones are the most precious gifts in the WORLD!! I will say a little prayer.
Also, my chiropractor and acupuncturist know about the benefits on the mangosteen fruit....
____@____.com

My first suggestion would be to increase her fruit and vegetable intake. Study and find out what foods she eats that might contribute to constipation, like cheese and other dairies. If you are already doing those things, then maybe try taking her to a dietitian or a specialist in pediatrics.

If she has egg allegies, then it is likely she may also have other allergies because egg allergy is associated with certain other foods too. I'd ask if the doctor can test her for allergies - you may find out she shouldn't be eating several or many other foods, and that may resolve the problem. I believe they can do it through a blood test now, which is more reliable and thorough than the skin-prick tests, which are notoriously unreliable. But I'd definitely pursue testing for her. I've had to deal with a lot of this with one of our daughters, and I know many people who had chronic, unidentified problems that resolved once the food allergies were found.

Best of luck!!

My son went through the opposite of what your daughter has. He had chronic diarrhea. I tried our family doctor, they ran a bunch of tests, but couldn't find anything and wanted to send us to a bigger town two states away. I wanted to try one more thing first and that was to see a homeopathic doctor. He was amazing and had some very good insights. Soon after that visit and trying different things my sons problems went away. I don't think it's normal for you to be giving your 3 year old laxatives she could very well have something wrong with her intestines. I suggest seeing another doctor and even try a homeopathic doctor. Good Luck!

If your daughter still struggles with reflux, Prevacid may help. It did wonders for our son. He's now off it and does okay as long as he drinks enough water. It was almost like it trained his system. GL I hope you can find something to help her.

I just had another thought. My SIL says her daughter gets really bound up by fruit snacks and things like that. She keeps her off that and dairy other than yogurt to help.

Hello there,
I feel your pain. My son who is now 5 1/2 has the same exact issue. He was on mirilax everyday and the whole thing!! He was just like your daughter if I missed one day he was constipated for 2-3 days after that. So what My pediatrician and I did was what they call a bowel clean out. It is pretty much like giving triple the dose of mirilax for 3 days straight so they poop like crazy and get everything out. And then the next 3 days drcrease it to just double the dose. It kind of sucks but for both of you. Then you go back to the normal dose every other day after that and then make them go to the bathroom at the same time every day. This worked for my son great and now after about 4-5 months of that he is compleatelt off of it. I only give it to him now if he is unable to go for more than a day or two. But talk to your doctor and see if there is anythink else you can do. I work at a childrens hospital part time and there are lots of other things you can do besides mirilax such as milk of magnesia, and mineral oil. But good luck and I hope that things get better for you.

My son started in with this when he was just a week old. This was 15 years ago and I took him to the chiropractor. They had started me down the same road aas you. One session with the chirppractor and he was going like a champ! His hips were misaligned. For what it is worth it really helped us!

If it helps any my daughter who is now seven had the exact same problem. From the time she was a baby until the age of about four, where I never got a clear answer from the doctor either they did say that it is simple due to the fact that in some children they do not feel what most people feel when they have to go potty, so in turn you have to give them something to force them to. Now like I said my daughter is now seven and she is perfectly fine and healthy, she was also put on MiraLax, and with time she should grow into her body and not need the MiraLax anymore. My daughter stopped taking it around four years old. I hope this helps ease your mind and give you comfort that it will get better, I know from experiance it is not a fun situation.

My son and I went through the same thing... I couldn't breast feed so we put him on Enfamil (since I had heard it was good). He couldn't pass a stool, when he tried he SCREAMED. I tried putting him on Nestle Good Start, as it is easier to digest. For about a week, all was well. After that though, he was constipated again. I didn't want him relying on suppositories, so I bought him some baby prune juice, as it is natural. I really water it down, so it wouldn't just flush everything out of his system. I gave him a bottle of it a day. One day, he pooped without getting any juice, and it was a big one. I haven't given him juice since, (I keep it on hand, just incase), and everything is fine. I don't know if it is of any help, but it's just a suggestion. I hope it works out for you! Congrats on the children!!

Hi A.,

I have a step daughter 8 who went through the same problems. I came into her life when she was 1 1/2 and her parents switched formula to formula and she always had a stomach ache and constipation and actually have a niece who is 8 months old and has just gotten over this. I worked in the medical field for 10 years as a nurse before I came to help my husband out with his busn. But, what I did to help my step daughter and niece out was atleast twice a day I gave them either water or pedialight. The doctors were pushing the MiraLax also in these cases but it turned out that they were just dehydrated! A lot of the formulas do not have enough water to help brake everything they eat down, also not enough water to sustain their digestive tract! And trust me it was a fight with both of their moms for them to listen but when they finally did life was a lot better for them-no more late night crying! But even now I can tell if my step daughter has not had enough water-and it's a fight to have her drink it!-she is in the bathroom crying when she has to go potty. I recently came across a new vitamin that I'm going to try on my daughter! It's all natural and is just fruits and veggies. But it is designed to balance out her system and with all the natural products-I did my research on this product!-so that when she is not with us and she is with her mom who does not watch her water intake, she won't have the constipation problems! She has just started taking the gummies and loves the taste! I could let you know how it works if you would like?
Hope everything works out for you and especially your daughter I've seen how much pain these little things go through!

***to clarify-if you decide to give her pedilight or any sports drink-dilute it! Those drinks have to much sodium and will make kids retain. If you dilute the drinks they enough of the H2O that they need but with the taste they like!

There are a few things that maybe could be tried. Maybe you already have. I would make sure she gets lots of fiber. Especially fresh vegetables. You could even give her some fiber bars to eat. My daughter was constipated when she was about a month or two months old. I tried the supositories but what worked at that age was the old fashioned way - Karo Syrup. When my brother (now 50) was a baby, my mother made the formula out of carnation milk and karo syrup and water. I started putting Karo syrup in my daughter's cereal and it cleared her up. She is now 34. Graham crackers are another good choice. Have you thought about trying a different doctor? I am with you - I am always looking for the cause and not just treating the symptom. Sometimes doctors are quick to hand out drugs and not to find the problem. You also may contact a naturalpath or one who deals with natural healing. They really do work and have good results with natural things. Good Luck.

try upping her water intake. Most often cause of constipation is not having enough water to soften the stools. Also, she's 3, so you could start giving her more fiber rich fruits and veggies, however, without the water she'll only clog even with the fiber. Water is a very important element to help in constipation relief. You could also do prune juice mixed with water, natural laxatives.

My sister nannied for a 3yr old girl who hadn't had a bowel in the first 3 weeks she worked there. The little girl was living off of gatorade and chips...nothing else. My sister started giving her prune juice mixed with water every morning with breakfast and had her snacking on fruits and veggies. She lost 15 pounds in a week, all from being able to go pooh. It also set her up for good eating habits for later on because the foods my sister fed her made her feel better, not worse.

I don't think that you need to worry so much. Some people just have a harder time with digestion than others. I know this because I myself need to take Miralax everyday in order to remain regular. I have dealt with this problem all my life and have had multiple tests done. The diagnosis is my bowel just doesn't move things as well as other people's. I have a lazy bowel if you will. I also eat Activia yogurt almost daily and it the combination really helps. I am just thankful that the "fix" for my problem is so easy. Miralax doesn't taste bad, and yogurt is good for me so it ends up being a winning situation. I am sorry I don't have anything else to tell you, but I think you should be thankful that she is only dealing with constipation and not something much worse. Smile!

A.,

PLEASE find another doctor! That is like the doctors that used to prescribe antibiotics at the drop of a hat. NOT GOOD

First of all get her off of dairy and sugar. Replace dairy with goat’s milk. Goat’s milk is the best thing that we can drink besides water. It is so much easier on the body than cow’s milk.

How much water does your daughter drink? We all need to drink 1/2 of our body weight in ounces of water. So if she weighs 30lbs she needs to drink 15 oz of water a day. Pops and Kool-Aid and such only help dehydrate the body more. So for every glass she has of that she needs another glass of water to replace it. Of course if you are not used to drinking so much water you will have to work up to it. Maybe put a slice of lemon, lime, or orange in it.

Since you are not in Colorado go online to VItaminCottage.com they are one of the best sources for info and products to eat healthy and the way God made our bodies. Or Puritans Pride is a good source also.

A., I have had to go through a learning process about my own health for the last few years. It is so worth it to learn to eat things that are fresh instead of our overly convent processed food. I am starting to get my health back by eating fresh foods. Read the article that I just found when I was looking info for you.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/430714/eating_he...

If it does not rot or sprout I try not to eat it or feed it to my family. My husband fights me on it but my kids love it.

Congratulations on being able to stay at home and nurturing a wonderful family.

J.

Have you tried giving her prunes on a daily basis? Raisins too. My son suffered from constipation in his earlier years and we gave him prune juice, until he was older and then it was a daily box of raisins and an occassional prune or 2. They now have the cherry essence onces too so kids tend to like those more. My son likes the ones that are individually wrapped he calls them candy raisins. It's worth a try, best of luck to you.
L. in colorado

I had terrible constipation as a little girl. Looking back I think the biggest problem was that I was anxious and worried. I have found with my own daughter (9 mos old) that when I am worried she starts to feel unsettled and her bowels are affected from carrying stress. If you are feeling uptight it could be affecting your daughter. I suggest you consider taking a little time for yourself everyday to do something you enjoy - with or without your children. I know how much I was affected by my mother's mood. I feel kind of silly sharing that all with you, where I have no idea if it's even a possibility, but it could be worth considering. I hope things improve rapidly for you both! Good luck!

Hello! When my daughter was little like yours she also had issues with constipation. Our doctor, (who is awesome!!!!!) explained that when they are that little, the muscles of the colon aren't fully developed and a bit of constipation can extend and stretch the walls of the colon. This causes the bowel to get impacted and then just build up, the muscles can't push it out because its just to big and stiff = vicious cycle of constipation. Our doctor drew us a picture and it made more sense. Anyway, he gave a powder medicine that loosened her bowels so that the muscles could heal and get stronger. It was something like mirilax, but I don't remember what it was called (It was 2 years ago, teehee). I could find out if you would like. Just let me know ____@____.com. I had to give it to her for about 6 months but she was fine after that. Hope this helps!

A great source to keep on hand is www.fda.gov . Here you can look up the product inserts and other information on all drugs, vaccinations, etc. I had a doc once prescribe Miralax for one of my sons. Now it's over the counter. I looked up the product info (just this Jan) and found that it has not been tested nor approved for use in pediatric care. It further states that it should not be used for longer than 2 weeks. Milk of magnesea is much better on the system. Make sure her calcium and magnesium supplements are at least at equal amounts 500mg each a day for a child. Lots of water. Water is needed for elimination of waste, even poop. 1 gallon a day for a normal adult male, 2-3 quarts for a normal adult woman and cut the woman's in half for a child. I can't really tell how old your child is but she sounds quite young so you may need to cut the child portions down a bit too. It's ok to experiment with the milk of magnesea to find the right dosage that helps her get movements.
If I could do things all over again and was having another baby, and this is just me - I'm not saying you should do this but I wanted to give you my perspective as a mother who is now into natural healing, whole foods and alternative medicine.
I would nurse my baby till they were at least 18 months. This means, no solid foods till the eye teeth come in. This is a sign that the digestive system can handle more "mature" foods and the immune system is strong and healthy. If I noticed upsets, I would get allergy testing done (me and the baby) and eliminate the offending foods from my diet or chemicals from laundry, perfume, etc. A great test is done using NAET (www.naet.com) If that still didn't help, raw goats milk is the next best thing to mother's milk. The molecules are not as large as cow's milk which build up in our bodies to form mucus and a swamp for things to grow like infections (ear), allergies, etc. I would also not give them the normal immunizations. There are homeopathic ones that work just the same. Or, if my husband was having a cow about this, (he's pretty open minded but this one he might question strongly) then I'd wait till they were at least 6 months and then give them each shot individually, once a month. That means I would hold strong about getting the MMR split up into three different shots. And, I'd be looking up each shot and it's manufacturer on the fda site to see what's in them. If there is any form of mercury, it is not going into my baby. That's how my youngest got autism. Now you see why I'm so leary of vaccinations. Watch very carefully for reactions. It took a week and a half for me to notice the autism symptoms show up in my son after his shot. But at the time, I didn't know nor the doc what we were dealing with until 6 months later when he turned 18 mos old. FYI: all our flu shots have therimisol (sp?) it's a preservative that is known to do the same damage as mercury - leading to autism, add/adhd, alzhiemers, and so much more. It's right there on the fda site.
Now, you probably think I'm way out there and I would have thought so too back when. It's been 6 years and I have learned so much. I have a wonderful doctor now Dr. Farley-Jones in Highland. ###-###-####. She's a regular doc on most insurances and she is big on looking at diet, nutrition and other avenues before going to drugs. She has someone at her offices that does NAET too.
I'd love to write more but I've got to get dinner on the table.