Nephew Holds #2 for Days!

Hey J.,
Does your nephew hold it in because he is afraid to go on the potty, or just doesnt want to go in general? My daughter went through this phase and actually still does every once in a while...but for her I think it hurt when she tried to go, which made her afraid to go...I talked to her pedi and he recommended Miralax, but I never gave it to her....I felt that she needed something daily and Miralax wasnt really for that....I actually started giving her Adam and Eve Fruitables juice at least once a day and I swear it helped....the juice is mostly full of fruit and veggies and because my daughter isnt a real fan of either I figured this way she is getting at least a daily serving....My pedi also recommended inserting a rectal thermometer, which stimulates the muscles to make them go..however this never worked with her....Hope this helps!!
Meg :)

I second the miralax, now available over the counter. Tips for use:
1. Read directions thoroughly as on all meds.
2. You can put it in a drink then put the drink in the fridge and it will absorb fully and your nephew will never know the difference. If it doesn't have time to fully absorb, he may reject it as tasting different.
3. With the miralax (also called glycolax, when given by a doctor), consistency is key....It will lead to more frequent, softer b.m.'s which can get past the fear factor and control issue. Once he is regularly going and not fighting it anymore start taking the dosage down and if he has issues again, go back to the old dose. Eventually, it will all take care of itself....

It sounds like he might need some good old fashioned hydration. He might be afraid to go because it hurts in which case water would help.
When stool is hard you are dehydrated. Also just the right foods can help. Flax oil drizzled on anything(he won't know it's there)(you can even put it in yogurt)(but do not cook-keep refridgerated) Avacados..good fats will help. Fresh fruit in the morning. Try lots of water flavored with a little juice.
Good luck
S. S

My mother told me my brother was the same way when he was little and she tried all the home remedies to make him go to no avail.. She finally asked the doctor to check him out. The doctor did a rectal exam(with his pinky of course)and found out he had fissures in his rectum. They are little skin flaps that grow and when you strain to go to the bathroom they get flared up and hurt. Kind of like hemmorhoids. I can say from experience that all it takes is one time for a child to have a bad experience and it scars them for a long time. Maybe he tried to go and it hurt so he assumes everytime he goes it will be the same. I would have the doctor take a look to rule that out cause he could cause more harm to himself by holding all that poop up there for so long. My mother had to give my brother a teaspoon of mineral oil everyday in his juice to soften the poop. Once he starts having softer poop then he will see it doesn't hurt and it will get easier for him. The mineral oil is tasteless and can easily be disguised in food. Also have her make sure he is hydrated by drinking alot.. Hope this helps..

My son did and still does the same thing. Here is the BIG problem. His body is going to respond to him holding it in by stretching his rectum to accomidate for all of the poop that he is holding in. If this goes on for an extended period of time he will just for biger and biger poops that will be harder to get out. This happened to my son, and now even though he goes every few days he struggles a lot to get it out because they are so large. We use a teaspoon of Benefiber 3 times a day to keep him regular. It has been a wonderful thing for us. There is really no taste or change to the food you are puting it into. Once your nephew sees that going poop is not painful or scary he will go more often. It took us 7 month to get our son to go #2 on the potty after he was #1 trained.

Remember not everyone goes every day, or even every other day, but 5-6 days consistantly is not normal.

First it would be best to determine why he holds it in, does it hurt to go, he doesn't want to go in the potty and will he feel like a baby if he goes in his big boy underwear? It may be phycological.

Next, he is drinking enough water and getting enough fiber in his diet.

If you choose a laxative. I recommend miralax, its a powder you mix in with water or juice. Depending on the situation, usually just take once a day at night. It doesn't work in a few hours like most laxatives. Supositories work well, however, they can be very intrusive and may only make the problem worse. If you choose a more natural method, try mineral oil (warning: it's gross and he may not drink it, but it's not expensive). You may also want to try prune juice, or dried prunes or apricots.

PRUNES PRUNES PRUNES...they actually dont taste that bad. My son has a medical condition that requires he takes very harsh medication at times...and they are known to cause HAVOC on the digestion system! He has actually be hospitalized from constipation and all the suppositories in the world would not help him! For a child, pooping should happen EVERY DAY! Actually it should be that way for EVERYONE! Imagine eating all the foods you eat and leaving a daily track of all that in your body to fester! Well when you dont go poop, thats what happens! He needs ruffage and prunes...it will keep him regular...and cut down on the SWEETS, it retards the sysetm!

GOOD LUCK!