My four year old son needs this I need some idea's knowing he won't like this?

Question

I end rushing my four year old son this morning to the doctor with bad stomach pain and couldn't walk. We have found out the problem. His stools are hard and needs to get out not. She told me to suppositories. I got glycerin suppositories. I need to put in him. How can I make it comfortable for him and tell it him it be ok. I know I want to make sure it stays in there for good while so it will work and make him feel better.. Thanks

Answer 1

First gather a blanket, a pillow, a book that he can read or look at, and a toy or two that he can play with without a lot of movement. Take him into the bathroom, lay him on the blanket, put his head on the pillow, give him the book and toys, and tell him what you are going to do. Warn him that it may hurt for a minute at first, but then he will be okay if he sits still. Also tell him that in the end he will feel much better. He will whine and maybe even cry, he will not like it, but that's to bad. Just try to make him as comfortable as possible.

Answer 2

It will be scary for him, there is not much you can do about that except reassure him that it will make his tummy trouble go away.

Buy some KY Jelly or other lubricant and coat the suppository with it, then insert pushing with your little finger, as it is the littlest one until it is placed as far up as you have been instructed to place it.  It will not come back out, the a**s and it's muscles are designed to keep things in.

Answer 3

I used to tell myself I;d never do this to my kids ('cause of my own experiences) but my daughter has suffered a lot from constipation just like I did, and I've had to learn to get on with it - giving medicine is one of our parental responsibilities.

I fear you'll have to get tough with him on this. It's painful for both of you, I know, but you have to arrange it so you can just put him over your lap and do him - no advance notice, no chance for him to put up a fight.  Best time is to put it in after a bath when you're drying him off, or when you're helping him get dressed in the morning.

If you've inserted the suppository properly it'll get sucked in by the bowel muscles - if he's still pushing them out after that, you'll have to hold your finger in his b******e for five minutes(!) which is enough time for them to melt and start dissolving.

He may scream and fight - and it's a hard thing to face, I know, but you will have to be disciplinarian and hold him down if he struggles.

If necessary give him a smack and make it clear that he has no choice but to co-operate.After all it's your responsibility to make sure he takes the medicine he needs.

Also: You have to push it all the way in until it gets sucked away or stays in one place - and you probably will have to watch over him for 10 mins or so, to make sure he doesn't push it out before it's dissolved.

But it is the least addictive way of treating constipation, with the least side-effects - and I guaranteed it'll make him do a smelly in less than half an hour!