Toddler Tummy

Updated on May 24, 2007
J.J. asks from Carrollton, TX
6 answers

Well I can't think of a pleasant way to put this, so I'll just say it. My 17 month old has always had pretty loose bowel movements. I read that this is normal in a lot of kids and it is just called "toddler tummy" and there isn't much you can do about it. Is this true? I addressed it with our pedi at his 15 month appt and he had us cut out all fruit juice which we immediately did, but my son's BM's haven't changed. They aren't frequent enough for it to be diarrhea (just 1 or 2 per day), and he doesn't seem to be in any pain or discomfort. I have tried switching out different foods to see if any of those are the cause, and even tried Soy milk for a few days, but nothing changed. One concern right now is that I don't know how I will be able to transition him to pull-ups when things get so messy down there. Has anyone else experienced this, and what could I do? Yes, I will definitely discuss it again with our pedi at his 18 month check up, but I'd like to try to fix it before that appointment if I can. Thank you!

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

So What Happened?

Thanks for everyone's suggestions. I have done more research and other suggestions are to increase fiber rich foods and really cut back sugars (I was allowing canned fruits which I need to stop) as well as increase milk and yogurt. I went and bought beans and bread for him today.

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.F.

answers from Dallas on

I have a couple friends whose kids are like this. I think if he were pooping in the toilet it would be more formed, but since his tend to be loose anyway, once you squish them into a diaper it will naturally become a bigger mess.
The only thing I would be concerned about is some sort of digestive disorder like celiac disease, which is an intolerance to wheat gluten. It's fairly common and often undiagnosed. A trademark of celiac is slow weight gain and/or delayed growth. It should be easy to test for, so ask your pedi about it before you go in for the appointment in case they need you to save a diaper for a stool sample. While they're at it they may check for other things.
However, if he's growing and learning fine, it's likely that this is just his normal BM.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.G.

answers from Dallas on

Try feeding him banannas. Toddlers love it and it will help.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B.B.

answers from Dallas on

J.,

This is completely normal. My son is 16 months old and still has the same type of BM. It will change as he gets a little bit older. My daughter went through the same thing. Is he teething? Doctor's do not normally tell you, but teething causes children to have loose BM's or diarrhea and mild fever. Don't worry too much about it now. If he were 3 and still going through that, then I would think something was not right.

Good Luck and God Bless,
B. B

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.K.

answers from Dallas on

Diarrhea isn't something that is defined by how often it happens but how loose the stools are. If they are "runny", then it's diarrhea. "Normal" bm's are like paste or playdoh (easily shaped and molded), not liquid at all. Have you tried the "BRAT" diet for a while? Maybe that will fix it. It's Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and Toast. Try to feed him things like that to bind up the bm's. Hope this helps.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.E.

answers from Dallas on

My daughter has major food allergies and that is what used to happen to her. Please realize that by changing something for only a couple days, you don't really get the opportunity to see if that really did anything. You have to do it for at least a couple weeks. Good luck. I now give my daughter some mineral shakes for breakfast and the loose stools have come to a halt.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.R.

answers from Dallas on

I recommend putting him on probiotics, which you can get at any nutritional store, or I get mine from the Vitamin Shoppe. Probiotics is the same thing in Yogurt, its just we can't eat enough yogurt to get the amount our bodies need. You can get it in a powder that you can add to his milk, or food. He might be lacking in the natural bacteria that help regulate his gut and he is having a hard time digesting his food properly. Try getting him on this nutritional supplement. I give my two boys it regular because it really helps with digestion and overall immune system health. You can ask the experts at the vitamin store about it as well. It will be in the regrigerator section and they have a powder for children. It is normal for young kids to have these gut problems because anytime you take antibiotics they rid your body of the good bacteria as well as the bad. Probiotics will help replenish the good bacteria that your body needs to digest and keep your gut healthy. Good luck and let me know how it goes.

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions

Related Searches