Toddler Constipation?

Question

My nephew seems to stay constipated all the time. He's been to the doctor and they reccomend stool softeners and they also say it is common around potty training age. My sister has tried giving him Kern's nectar but he won't drink much of it, suppositories, laxitives, prune juice, and raisin bran. Nothing seems to work and he has a hard time when he does p**p. Any suggestions???

Answer 1

Increase fluids: Increase the amount of water and fruit juices (minimum of 2-3 glasses) that your child drinks each day.

Increase fiber: Increase the amounts of fruits and vegetables that your child eats. Raw, unpeeled fruits and vegetables (especially beans, sweet potatoes, peas, turnip greens, raw tomatoes and corn) have the most fiber. Popcorn also has lots of fiber in it. Give enough grams of fiber to equal their age in years plus 5 each day (check the nutritional label for high fiber foods and snacks with at least 3-4g of fiber per serving). Vegetable soups are especially high in fiber and also add more fluid to your child's diet.

Increase bran in your child's diet by offering bran cereals, bran muffins, shredded wheat, graham crackers, or whole wheat bread.

Decrease constipating foods: These include milk, yogurt, cheese, cooked carrots, and bananas. Drinking too much milk (your child may only be drinking 2-3 cups a day, but it may be too much for his system to handle) is heavily associated with being constipated. Switching to soy milk has been shown to soften stools. If your child is unable to drink milk, then offer a daily multivitamin or other sources of calcium

Answer 2

Don't give him the laxatives..suppositories and all that.His body will get used to it and he'll have more problems! Fruit of all kinds are the best thing first of all..except bananas. Yogurt also helps.Try giving him that usually makes other p**p. Like beans, chili (not spicy). But believe me..it will pass. My daughter is 5 now and she went through this at age 3. It won't last.

Answer 3

I would refer to a pediatric gastro-internist, constant constipation can cause serious problems.  In the mean time when adding fiber it is important to increase water intake or you make the problem much worst.  Water down all juices, limit milk and bread intake.  Miralax is over the counter and can assist greatly, but do not ignore the situration.

Answer 4

First make sure the child is drinking plenty of fluids.  Hard stool and constipation can have to do with low fluid intake.  If he likes apple juice that is good for helping softening stool.  The longer the stool is in his bowel the harder it will get.  If he is holding it so he doesn't have to use the toilet or soil his big boy underware, she has to make toilet time super fun.  A sticker/star chart that adds up to a toy after 5 bowel movements would be fun.  A small stack of his favorite books when he's going is also a good idea.  Make a fake potty next to the real thing, place his favorite stuffed animal or doll on it when he's trying to p**p and slip a tootsie roll in the fake potty and show him how his toy did it and he can do it to.  Sugar free chocolate works wonders for my 3 year old.  Prune juice and raisin bran don't sound very appetizing.  Try cut up apples or bananas with caramel dip or a yogurt dip for breakfast or a snack.  Favorite granola bars.  Mix Karo syrup with water, its a very sweet drink and my girlfriends daughter used it and it worked wonders for her.  Before he goes to the bathroom put diaper cream or vaseline on his a**s so it doesn't hurt, thus discouraging him from trying to go again.  If it comes down to several days without a bowel movement they make childrens fleets enemas.  Its a liquid that is put directly in like a suppository, but the liquid will help stimulate the bowel movement more than a suppository.  Hope this helps.

Answer 5

Just went through this with my own toddler. I bought a small container of organic prune juice. It took about 4 ounces of that in a cup and it worked within 30 minutes.

Avoid things like dairy products and bananas, rice or alot of meat as well because they will all bind him up more. Use things like vegetables (beans, lentils, tofu, avacado,broccoli, carrots, peas, corn, etc..) and fruits (berries, as long as he's not allergic, peaches, pears, small mandarin oranges and even mango all work well).  For cereals you could use oatmeal in the morning to help him out or cream of wheat.  Snacks use things like a graham cracker with some grapes cut in half, goldfish crackers or goldfish pretzels he can dip into something like peanut butter, kiwi fruit cut up or melon. Cantaloupe is mild and kids generally love it because there are no seeds and it's sweet tasting.  

You don't want to cut milk out completely because his body needs the calcium, so let him have milk. If he will drink juice try the apple or fruit blends by Mots for Tots. they have no added sugar and are all natural for toddlers.  Apple and Eve is also a good juice too, especially if you like organic products.  Bunny grahams or Teddy grahams in the oatmeal flavor are also good.

I would NOT give him any over the counter medications or even vitamin supplements at all unless you clear it with the doctor he sees first.  Chances are a slight shift in diet and offering plenty of trips to the potty through the next couple of days will do the trick.  If you think he's a shy goer then put him on the potty and sit just outside the door for a few minutes so you can hear him but he'll still have his privacy until he's done.  Be sure to make a big deal out of it when he does go to encourage him. :)

Good luck.

Answer 6

If all else fails, try mineral oil, just a teaspoon.  It helps things along.

Answer 7

Has he been eating junk food. Don't give him anything like soda or candy. All organic food works the best for toddlers. It seems that if he is always getting constipation then It's something that he is always doing to get it. Healthy things like vegetables, Apple work very well, bananas, Spinach all that stuff. Let that be all he eats for a while. It's what's getting put in his body; that is the problem I bet. So no junk. Oh yeah water is a must for anyone. lack of it could cause problems for anyone.

I hope he gets better soon

hope this helps

Answer 8

he needs to drink more water and stop giving hime milk before bed.  my nephew had the same problem and give him apples. not juice but the real apples pealed.  this should help.  

Answer 9

bananas and anything made with apples can be constipating. I always had good luck with pears and white grape juice with my kids. My 2 year old likes the sunsweet "ones" individually wrapped prunes. They have the flavor and consistency of a gigantic raisin. usually just one will help him. she might want to add wheat germ to his food for some extra fiber too. sunflower seeds have a ton of fiber in them too. my son went through a phase about a year or so ago where he ate a ton of them over a weeks time. I actually saw a poopy diaper that was like 90% seeds.

Answer 10

Perhaps its performance anxiety, if its common at the potty training age maybe its because there is a lot of focus and lil ones find it hard to relax? Fiber coming from fruit veg and grains should help naturally i wouldn't give a lil one laxatives just let nature take its course.. and plenty of water..

Answer 11

Try giving him food to help him poo. Bananas, prunes, kiwi fruit etc will help. I think foods high in fiber is supposed to help? Muesli and whole grain bread... stuff like that. Also try encourage him to drink more water as this will help him too.

Answer 12

Give cranberry juice, have him drink more water and more food with fiber. Juice, applesauce, stuff like that.  Stay away from dairy, cheese, milk, etc for a while.

Answer 13

My niece had the same problem when she was a toddler.  Her parents had to order Fiber Juice.  It has 10 g of fiber per serving.  They also had/still have her eat raisin bran + all bran every morning.  It helped her problem right away.  There is also an infant massage technique that you could work on the toddler.  It's called the I Love You massage.  It really works.  I use it on my kids at work who was very constipated for days.  Here is a link to the site to help with the massage.  http://www.babycenter.com/0_a-guide-to-i...

I hope this information is able to help.  Good Luck!

Answer 14

squeeze the kid.

Answer 15

It might be if he eats too much cheese.

Answer 16

Tiny tummies works well and apple juice or any juice containing apples in the morning with breakfast daily is a plus. Any natural products are always better so that there are no other side effects.