My 7 year old is having some constipation problems -- I've researched and found it's called encopresis. He's constipated and not having a normal bowel movement yet having 5-6 accidents a day where his underwear are dirty but he can't go. I have him on Glycolax in his drink each day and I've cut down dairy and increased fiber -- I've been adding milled Flaxseed to almost everything he eats that he won't realize. I've given him a pediatric Fleet enema and that helped him go but nothing formed and it's been 3 days since then. I'm caling a pediatric gastroentrologist tomorrow but wanted to see if anybody experienced this first.
Hi T.,
My step-daughter also has problems with constipation. The doctor told us to give her Miralax everyday and it has been working well. Miralax is a flavorless powdered laxative that you stir into a drink. I hope this helps.
A.
Hi!! My sweet 6 six-year-old boy also has encopresis (we have been working on it for 6 months). It is very common among very young schoolagers and is controllable with a good program of high-fiber foods and scheduled potty-time.
This is what we do:
1) Lots of fruits/veggies; lots of fluids/water
2) Metamucil apple-flavored fiber cookies (1-3 per day depending on how he is pooping). These taste GREAT.
3) "Potty-time" every day after breakfast AND after dinner: 5 full minutes of sitting on the toilet until he poops. We read books and stuff at first to keep him busy, but now he goes on his own.
4) Don't get angry or annoyed if he has accidents. They cannot feel the poop coming out because their colon is so stretched from the severe constipation. He may also have wetting accidents when constipated because the stool presses on the bladder.
My guy now goes like clockwork every day after dinner, nice big formed poops. I was told it may take months for the bowel to shrink back to normal, depending on how big it is. I saw a difference within a few days of doing the scheduled potty-time. He feels relieved, too, that it's not his fault and things are so much better. He was soiling at least as much as yours is. Best of luck to you!
i remember when my brother had this problem, he was 7 or 8ish, my parents forced him to drink Prune Juice and a ton of water because he was in a lot of pain from it. the prune juice tasted gross and he wasnt happy about it, but it got the job done.
He needs lots of water!!!! Also a fish oil capsule helps to lubricate the stool as well. But it sounds like you are giving him all of the right things but if there is not enough water the fiber your are increasing is just going to sit in the colon like a rock. we need moisture, lubrication and fiber to go. He needs to drink at least half of his body weight in water. So if he weighs 70 lbs he should be drinking 35 oz a day at minimum.
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