My 2 year NOT going #2 NEED HELP!

[jorobaker]

Lately (last 2 months) ds1 has had VERY foul smeeling small amount #2's. I asked our pedi about it and she said to give him MERILAX. We did this about 3 weeks ago and he went A LOT! We thought it was over, the next week his #2's were the same as before. A friend recommended a PROBIOTIC, so I decided to give it a try. He has been taking 1 a day for the last 6 days and nothing has happened. His #2 IS stinky AND TARlike and he doesn't realize he has gone poop. He used to tell us when he had gone, now he says he hasn't gone poop until we show him he has. What can we do to help him with this problem?

[jessiehannan]

I'd take him back in to the dr with a sample of the stool. (yucky as that is)

[KerryS]

I'm confused by the title. Is he constipated, or is he going poop?

By tarlike, do you mean it's black? That could be melena, which is black stool caused by GI bleeding (usually upper - stomach or small intestine). Bloody stool is also very smelly.

Is it thick or very runny? There is also something called encopresis which is constipation that causes a blockage, but runny stool seeps out around the blockage so it looks like the person has uncontrolled diarrhea, but in reality the problem is constipation and they usually don't realize it or can control it.

I agree that another visit to the ped is in order.

[jorobaker]

He is only going little bits at a time every few days. It is REALLY thick! It is NOT black> Sorry I am not very good at descriptions! He tries to push it out, but nothing REALLY happens, but this VERY smelly thick stuff. I just hate it for him!

[Tweet]

You need to get him back to the doctor.

[Sputterduck]

In chronically constipated kid, miralax needs to be given over months of time every day. Also give him p fruits everyday, peaches, pears, prunes.

[Tweet]

But she needs to get him back to the ped for a diagnosis, don't you think? It could be several different things.

I wouldn't just trust what someone says on the internet and not go to the doc for further testing. I will say that DD1 had some very foul smelling BM that was a weird color and they wanted stool samples . What they found was an allergic reaction to strawberries, in the end. But we would never have known had we not taken her back to the doctor after they first recommended a medicine that did not help.

[Camille]

I agree with Tweet.

[jorobaker]

I am going to take ds to the doctors on Tuesday, but was wondering what to expect. I am nervous about what she might say. i was also wondering if there was anything i could do to help him along!

[Sputterduck]

I think going to the ped is a good idea. Often poop that sits there long enough gets very foul. Hopefully that's all that is.

If it is solely constipation, a change in diet will help a whole lot. What is his normal diet? What do you normally give him for fruit? Some fruit is terrible for constipation and well meaning parents give more of the wrong fruit when their child is having trouble pooping (because you are supposed to up fruits and veggies for constipation ya know?) and end up making things a lot worse.

[Marysmom]

Sputterduck is right about continuing the use of miralax. Once the initial blockage is cleared you have to keep giving the miralax. I'm 99% sure it's the reason you're back to 'square 1' with the constipation.

You usually start by gradually reducing the amount of miralax. You don't want your child having diarrhea all the time. Once you get the poop to the right consistency, your child's colon can begin to shrink back down and regain it's tone. Then your child can finally learn how to sense when he has to have a BM and how to coordinate his muscles to defecate.

If your child in encopretic, something Kerry brought up, miralax is something you'll be on for a while. Encopresis is not fun. My niece had this and it was scary. She's doing fine now.

The doctor will probably tell you to continue with the miralax and to monitor his BMs. He should have one every day. I'm shocked your doctor didn't make it clear that the miralax should have been continued.

[Nipple_nectar]

I was going to ask the same thing about his diet, does it contain enough FRESH fruits and veggies, the canned stuff really is not as effective as fresh. If he likes apples, fresh apples are great for constipation.

Processed applesauce has the opposite effect! Processed applesauce is good for slowing diarrhea.

[Sputterduck]

Apples contain pectin, the same binding fiber in bananas. They made my son terribly sick with his constipation issues.

[Camille]

Apples contain pectin, the same binding fiber in bananas. They made my son terribly sick with his constipation issues.

But pectin is considered dietary fiber...

Though, some people have sensitivities to pectin, which likely caused your ds's problems.

In general, though, it should do the opposite (it should help balance your stool, like other fiber supplements do -- they work for both diarrhea and constipation).

Everybody's different, though, I suppose. My doctor told me that salads are good for my IBS. Yet, every time I eat a salad, I am on the toilet half an hour later.

[alejorge]

My DD had to be on Miralax for a little more than 2 years before we could take her off. She was always so constipated that she would get blockages. We wound up at the ER on quite a few occasions due to this. Dhe would get fever, not able to walk, and constant crying because of the constipation.

I finaly figured out what was causing the constipation and have limited how much of that she can have and she has now been off the Miralax for about 1yr. Cows Milk was the culprit. Now she only gets milk with cereal and maybe 1 glass a day and she is no longer constipated.

It is such a relief. She also had the smelly BM that would gag ya.

[Sputterduck]

But pectin is considered dietary fiber...

Though, some people have sensitivities to pectin, which likely caused your ds's problems.

In general, though, it should do the opposite (it should help balance your stool, like other fiber supplements do -- they work for both diarrhea and constipation).

Everybody's different, though, I suppose. My doctor told me that salads are good for my IBS. Yet, every time I eat a salad, I am on the toilet half an hour later.

Pectin makes constipation worse. Not all fiber is okay for a child with constipation.

"Two fruits in particular have a high pectin content - bananas and apples. Pectin is the binding substance that was in the original formulation of Kao-Pectate®. Offering starchy snacks to a child is a sure way to encourage constipation (as well as undesirable weight gain). Fruits (other than bananas and apples), dried fruits, fresh vegetables (other than tubers), nuts for a non-nut-allergic child over five years old (younger children can aspirate them) and meats make fine snacks."

"Fruits (other than the aforementioned bananas and apples) are naturally laxative."

http://www.princetonol.com/family/columns/pedgroup56.html

[Sputterduck]

There is a reason apples and bananas are part of the brat diet. :P

[SingingMom]

Definitely go back to the doctor. But in the meantime, take a look at your kiddo's diet and evaluate what she is eating. A member of my family had trouble with encopresis- and on review, the kid ate NO fiber. None. When offered whole grain crackers and cheese, he ate the cheese and ditched the crackers. He ate yoghurt for breakfast.

Kids can be tricky. And getting fiber in a kid's diet (especially one who seems to be actively resisting it) can be tricky. But there are ways, oh, yes.

[Sputterduck]

In the end, after all the miralax and mineral oil and senna, a pear a day plus my son's normal healthy diet kept his poop soft. Now, he already ate only whole grains and stuff, so his diet was already very healthy for the poopies, but that pear a day made all the difference in the world.

[jorobaker]

Doctors appointment was interesting! Found out DS is holding his poop! He refusses to go! Doctor suggested a yogurt a day and activia drink along with miralax for the next month. Doctor and I reviewed DS diet too. He eats only fresh fruits and NO veggies. Also NO more cereal for breakfast. I hope this works to help him get back on track!

[jessiehannan]

I'm glad you found the cause of it, and I hope that the plan you and his DR. came up with works well. :)

[JudyJudyJudy]

Based on what you've described, I would ask for a referral to a gastro. The tar-like stools concern me.

[JudyJudyJudy]

Oh, and if he is taking a good probiotic, that will do more than yogurt.

[jorobaker]

It was kinda funny DS had to go when we were at the doctors. She got to witness first hand what happens. We always thought he was trying to push things out, but she noticed he was standing with his legs almost crossed. he was definitly trying to keep it in. As soon as he starts going normal the tar like poop will go away, or so the doctor thinks. We have an appointment in 3 weeks to see if there is any change!

[JudyJudyJudy]

At this point, it is most likely a psychological problem causing a physical problem, so it might take some time. Of course, food allergies could also be contributing to the problem.

[3girls2luv]

When dd1 was his age she had the same problem. She was put in the hospital for bowel obstruction d/t severe constipation. I found out later that the daycare lady would tell the kids that the toilet was a poo poo monster and wanted to eat their poo poo. Well that scared dd to death and she was so afraid to go poop. When she finally able to poop it was the size of a baseball. I remember sitting on the bathroom floor crying with her as she was trying to push it out. It was awful. I hope your DS gets better soon.