Constipated 2 Year Old

Hi C.,

I grew up constantly constipated (too much info, sorry) and it's just now that after some research (because my daughter gets stopped up too) that when I add a bit of magnesium to her diet, it gets things flowing again.

Magnesium can be found naturally in cashews and almonds. If he likes peanut butter, try these other nutbutter versions.

It's great that he likes smoothies! I can add supplements to my daughters smoothies and she's none the wiser. I put a tsp. of fish oil in her smoothies and it mades it creamier and feeds her brain (plus the oil is good for the system)

There is a powder that I get at the heath food store called Natural Calm. (It's by Peter Gillham, he's got a website, so you can check out the kinds they have and see which store would have it near you) The do have a version for babies. It's just magnesium.

I like the raspberry-lemon flavor. When I see my daughter getting a bit grumpy (usually means she's not "gone" in a day or so...) we have a "sour-lemonade". She becomes regular and a much happier kid.

This sounds like I've got nothing better to do, but one of the ways I got both kids to eat a few veggies when they were younger (now they're 12 & almost 8) was to cut sweet peppers with mini-cookie cutters. I would take a yellow and orange bell sliced open and cut stars and hearts. They were gone before I could say, "finish your veggies". Snap peas are a fun portable snack that he might like once he's out of the choking age. The strings (along the side of the bean) have to be watched carefully.

About the apple juice, the next time you get juice for him, try a white grape or pear juice.
Apple have a natural chemical (salicilates) that can interupt neuro-transmitters (the signals in the brain that "talk" to one another) When we did the switch with our son when he was a toddler, he was a much happier baby! Before that, he was very, very sensative about everything. (tags, haircuts, loud noises)

Okay, I've gone on long enough...Good luck, enjoy your little man!

S.

2 moms found this helpful

C.,

Hello. Remember the hundreds of benefits of aloe-vera? Well we now have aloe in 4 flavorful juices, 100% natural and safe for all ages and known that it greatly helps to maintain a very strong digestive and immune system, plus keep us "regular" with no diarrhea!

Please go to www.foreverliving.com and view the four different aloe juices. The peach-flavored is among the favorite for children! A nice 33oz bottle and only 2-4ozs is need to be taken per day. You're going to love how it helps your son so much, you're going to want to have some for yourself!

Please feel free to contact me with questions C..

Thank you,

D. P.
###-###-####
e-mail: ____@____.com

1 mom found this helpful

Will he eat applesauce? Push fluids, water. There is a natural 'laxitive' for young ones that begins with a 'K' that I can't remember the full name of that they have at walmart, etc. It's an herbal thing that is supposed to be gentle. GIve him the minimum amount at night, because when it kicks in all of it will come out.

my 3 yo has trouble with constipation too. We have tried several kid laxatives that have not worked. OUr dr. said to give miralax-it is over the counter and it worked like a charm.

My 7 month old has problems going, I bought a juice called plum smart, I thought it was prune juice when I bought it (that is what I usually give him), so when I got home I read the label it says it has enzymes and lots of fiber. It works so well he goes constantly now. It sucks changing him all the time, but at least I know he is feeling good! Its kind of pricey but since your suppose to mix juice w/ water anyways it lasts.

Have you tried Juice Plus+ Gummies yet? They contain 17 fresh, raw fruit, veggies and grains and yet taste like gummy treats. I have a coupon here on Mamasource if you'd like to see if it helps. Consuming that much concentrated produce tends to have a very favorable effect on <ahem> bathroom habits!

____@____.com

Does he drink milk. My daugther had that problem and we found out it is because of milk. Once we stopped giving her milk she got better.

L.

Benefiber, my son loves the chewables. Don't let him have too much milk products, they can be constipating. Enriched products will constipate too. Will he eat raisins? Popcorn is a great high fiber snack too. We go through the same thing and these work. Good Luck!

Hello my daughter has been there.. We ended up haveing to take her to the dr. She is on Lactlose now she was on merilax which did good but my daughter has other reason why she hated to poop. When she went to her dads house she started holding her poop for control... Thats another story and does not seem like thats the problem so I will go on... The dr also said you can put a 1/2 tsp of benafiber in the milk or any food that he may really like to eat. good luck

Hi C.....maybe try puttin epsome salt in his bath....and pray over him and ask God to show you the problem.

S.

I went through this with my oldest for a long time. There is a perscription that your doctor can give you. Also, watch out for what he is eating, not just trying to give him things like prunes to help him go. Is he eating too much dairy (esp. cheese)? Too many bananas? I also read that carrots can be constipating. Try avoiding some of these and see if it help.

I wanted to echo what others have said about the milk. As a child I drank a lot of milk and always had too much poop at one time (not necessarily hard but it was still painful.) Still if I drink a lot of milk it affects me like this. I recently read that it is milk and it clicked "Oh, yeah..." Wheat can have that affect also, so if you try cutting out dairy for a couple of weeks and that doesn't help, try going wheat/gluten free.

He's old enough to try rice or nut milks. Soy is linked to too much estrogen production and probably not a good idea as a milk replacement.

My girls are on the GF diet right now and may go dairy free.
S. mom to four ____@____.com

My 5-year-old has had the same problem since she was little and has taken Miralax for a couple years. As recommended in the other reply, you just have to find the dosage and frequency that works best for your son. While it is offered OTC now, I found that it is less if I buy it as a prescription due to my insurance benefits.

My daughter has had rabbit poo since she started milk and had a prob with contipation. Our doctor told us to try Adult prune juice and give plenty of water. Also feel lots of food with whole grain and fiber. So she eats whole grain bread, whole grain waffles and whole grain pasta. But we still had the prob so now she is on Miralax which has worked GREAT! I give her half the adult amount.

The other little girl that I watch (14 months) same prob when she started on milk. But hers is very painful I sometimes have to help her push it out and sometimes it gets stuck halfway out and she is the same as she doesnt like for me to change her diaper or wipe her there. Sometimes it is a struggle she is also on Miralax but her condition is so bad that she screams in agony that she has an apt for a Lower GI.

If this isnt tended to I hear that these children get scared of going to the bathroom and hard to potty train.

Talk to your doctor first before putting him on Miralax.

Hi, C.. Miralax is sold over the counter and it's tasteless. I pop it into my kid's juice. We used to get a prescription from the doctor, but now it's OTC. It works very well. I'd call your pediatrician and ask him/her or the nurse if he/she thinks it's a good plan of action.

Good luck.

Hi C.,
My two year old had some trouble with constipation. My doctor said that you can give him Benefiber. The serving size for an adult is 2 teaspoons. I just use 1/2 a teaspoon and put it in his yogurt or food and he can't taste it at all. Even this little amount works great. The doctor said that it is important not to let them get constipated or the they associate going poop with being painful and then they hold it. Then it will make potty training a lot harder.
So whenever my son starts getting constipated I give him the Benefiber and it works great. Make sure you get the plain Benefiber, NOT the one with the laxative added.
We are still working on getting our son to eat veggies too!
One other thing I just remembered, the doctor said to give him white fruit juices to drink, like white grape juice or apple juice, if he is constipated.
Hope he feels better soon,
Elizabeth G.

I think "clay-like" stool is a sign of constipation, so it might not look "hard."

Also, I think 2 yr olds are becoming aware of their BMs, and of the feeling when one is coming, which is why so many of them hold it and end up with constipation issues. If he's already drinking prune and apple juice and water, it may simply be a psychological thing that is holding him back.

If you're looking for other dietary measures, maybe avoid bananas. Those cause both of mine to be constipated.
You can also let him snack on Cracklin' Oat Bran cereal. The cereal pieces are a little hard, so you could let them soak in milk for a minute beore giving them to him.

I have a two year old that has constipation issues as well, he doesn't like too many veggies either so it's tough to get enough roughage in his system. Anyway, his dr. recommended Miralax. You can find it in the pharmacy section where the fiber suuplements and powders are located. It is a tasteless and odorless powder that you can mix in juice. My dr. suggested that I play with the dosage to find out what works best for my son. You can give the doage that is up to the line or a half a dosage, whatever amount it takes to bring on the relief. It is a very safe product, it was prescription until a year or so ago when it became OTC. It works wonders, my little guy calls it his Poo-Poo medicine when he sees me putting it in his juice about once a week. :-)

Double check with his doctor first...ours recommeded myrlax. You add it to 8 oz of water, juice, any drink cold. Then give the child half(I usually split the medicated juice, then fill the cup up with regular). My son is 2 yrs and he has to have it. Works great!

We had this problem with my 3 year old and he is on Miralax. It is wonderful!!! He weighs about 35 lbs and takes 1-2 Tablespoon depending how his poop is that day. My son is a good eater - fruits, veggies, water, all that and he still gets constipated. This miralax is really good. His ped. said to be on it for a good 6 months and then wean him off to benefiber over time. Good luck!

Just a thought. I just bought a book called Deceptively Delicious written by Jerry Seinfeld's wife. It is a great book to help your keeps eat there veggies or fruits in some of there favorite meals and not even know it. The have breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. I have fixed several meals and my daughter ate it up. She is not a meat eater and I fixed these great rice balls with meat and she never knew the difference. I know this may not cure the constipation issues but may give you idea's to get your son to eat better.

When he get through with his small poop, have the basin near by filled with warm soapy water and wipe him that way and he will not get chapped or red. Apple juice works miracles

Hi C.,
I had the same issue with both of my girls. The doctor prescribed stool softener but I did not feel comfortable with the idea of giving them something like that so young. Someone suggested Aloe Vera juice. I tried it and it worked wonders. Not only it fixed the constipation but also it boosted their immune system. My oldest is 4 1/2 now and I continue giving the juice to her every day. I get the berry flavor one and I usually buy it at a store located on the south west corner of Lebanon and Preston in Frisco.
Good luck!

You might want to take him to his pediatrician. If it's not the poo that's making him hurt, then he might have strep. Yes, you can have strep down there. They will do a simple swab test and give him antibiotics if the culture grows. Not many moms know about this, but my son had it and I only knew about it from a friend who's son also had it.

I hope he's better soon!
K.

If you are giving him all the things to do to make him "go".I would go to the DR.
You could also try;(in small doses)
- sugar free candy(they have a laxative effect)
- potato chips- LAYS LIGHT & RUFFLES LIGHT (it has 2 be those 2 .They have olestra in them . Oleastra has a laxative side effect if you eat too much at one time.
Good Luck

When my daughter had a prolonged problem with constipation, the Dr. recommended mineral oil. It worked wonders for her and she loves her veggies so its not always a diet thing.

Hey, I think the problem is in the food mix. Drinking veggies is ok but for roughage you should eat whole veggies. Leave out carrot and celery with dip. Give him salad before every meal, a leaf or two will do it. My boys, 9 and 11, ask for salads. It did not start out that way. I would put out salad and fresh veggies before every meal and eventually... Use yummy dips. My youngest used the veggies as a spoon for a long time before he actually ate them. Always give new choices for fruits and veggies. Don't give the bread, starches and such until they disappear. Oh yea, bran cereal too. Good luck!!

Badartworld.com

C., my son went thru the same exact thing except...his poop was hard like a pine cone. The doctors did SEVERAL test that were tourture on him and the final result was either surgery or Miralax...well, I was NOT going to let them cut on him, he was already in so much pain, so I tried the Miralax...it was only by perscription but now it is over the counter. It has absolutely NO taste whatsoever and its very safe. It does NOT take much of a dose, I would start out putting 1/2 tsp. in his sippy cup or bottle and see how it works. If you don't see a change, increase the dose a little. If you want to talk in person, call me...###-###-####. Good Luck!

Have you tried adding prune juice to his smoothie? He could be just sore from going poop and doesn't want any more "activity" down there.
He may be reacting a little to the new baby. You may want to have a "special time" with him everyday for about 10 minutes. Let him choose what he wants to do and make it only about you and him only. No baby even in the room. But, make sure you label it. My 12 year old daughter still will say the we need to have our special time.
Lots of prayer helps, too.
T. Wood

Quick question,
Is he throwing a fit of painful cries because he is constipated or is he throwing a fit to let you know he is about to poop and does not want to poop his pamper.
Could it be time to introduce him to a potty chair? Help give him words to his discomfort- he may need help practicing either the words I hurt or I need to poop.
My third child just decided one day he no longer wanted to poop his pamper and went potty. He had older brothers to watch and learn, so I dont know.
Just curious,
M.

My son's pediatrician and pediatric GI doctors both recommend Miralax. It is safe to take for as long as needed. You have to just experiment to find the smallest dose needed to be effective. It really helped my son's constipation issues.

Dr. Jack An is a pediatric GI located in Medical City Dallas if you need one. He is absolutely wonderful!

Good luck.

I don't blame you for not wanting to go to the doctor, but he could have a fissure or internal hemrroid. If he keeps it up, I would definitely have him checked.

Hi C.,

Something you may want to consider is that your son may have hemorrhoids. My son was actually born with internal hemorrhoids- that is why he was in so much pain even though the stool was rarely formed or hard. (In your case it might explain the pain when you wipe).

The pediatrician put him on Miralax for a few years and it really made a huge difference. Later, I was able to convince him to eat more fruits and veggies and to stay away from the binding food.. and I think it has helped.

You can also use those Prep H wipes (I think they have witch hazel in them)- that helps soothe.

I would take your child to the pediatrician and see what he/she recommends. Miralax seems to have the least side effects for long term use.

Good luck!
Adla

I use Glycerin suppositories when necessary on my 3 year old. I used them on her when she was about 9 months old (just a time or two) and I still do when she needs them. I know this is not the most pleasent thing for mom or child, but they work within minutes and it's worth it when it's all over with. They will have them at your pharmacy. I am sorry, I don't know what to say about the sore bottom other than try an Aveeno oatmeal bath. Good luck!!

My daughter did the same thing and I took her off of the apple juice and i tall got better. Might help.

Both of my daughters have problems with chronic constipation. They are very good eaters--lots of variety and lots of fruit & veggies. I second the motion that Dr. Jack An at Medical City is a great pediatric gastroenterologist--if you need one. He recommended a daily dose of Milk of Magnesia. My oldest (5) gets one teaspoon a day and the younger (3) gets 1/2 teaspoon. If they don't "go" that day we double the dose. Dr. An said that they could stay on this indefinitely and that we could increase the dosage as needed. The body will not absord the medication at all--it just makes things "slippery." Therefore, less painful and less ablility to "hold it" as a control issue. The Milk of Magnesia is a very cost-effective remedy as the WalMart brand is cheap, lasts forever and my girls love the cherry flavor.

Good Luck!
S. S