Slow transit constipation

[Jacobs56]

Hi, is there anybody else out there that has a child with this problem? Our 7 year daughter was diagnosed with this after endoscopes, colonoscopies all seemed ok. She had a nasty gastric bug about 4 years ago and ever since has suffered with severe constipation. She gets very bloated, constant tummy aches and is away from school a lot. At the moment we are looking at trying lactose free, as she was lactose intolerant when a baby, although her consultant doesn't seem to think it's food related. It is so stressful and always fearing what the next day is going to bring. She is currently taking 5ml Senna each evening and a couple of sachets of movicol. She suffers with daily soiling because she is so blocked up. Can anybody offer any advice please? Thank you

[PMW300671]

Hi Jacobs56. I have a 12 year old dtr who also has a diagnosis STC. Management is difficult and despite seeing many doctors it has been a terrible journey so i feel your pain. Your story is very familiar.Wot I say now is from my own.experience as I am not an expert but my girl has improved enough for good quality of life. We have never tried senna. If she is blocked up u could clean her out first with a short dose of pico prep. It's not pretty but it will means she is empty. Stay home so she can get to the toilet. Then start again on maintenance dose of movicol

And senna. My girl had a sore tummy every night as well. We saw a physo who deals with kids continence. She taught us how to sit on the toilet. And "open" and tummy massage. She was great. No one had any advice so I went a bit left field. An alternate GP put us onto hydroc. The website is gutsense.org. It comes from the US. It helped with the crusty poos and moisturizers the bowel. Ur little one also sounds like her bowel flora was wiped out with the illness. We r also on a probiotic called Mutaflor (comes from Germany) It replaces the ecoli in the bowel. Don't bother with any others in my opinion. We have tried heaps!!!This one has valid research. These r wot helped us. We r still on a child dose of osmalax/movicol. Before trying other things we were on 2 adult doses and she was still constipated and had stomach aches. Now she is much better but I never gave up. We r still not perfect. Remember the rectum maybe stretched so it takes time to get back 2 normal. The bowel is a really complicated organ and new information is coming out all the time. So keep reading and asking questions. I have been fighting it alone for 9 years now. I hope this helps you. I have given you Lots to think about. Please let me know how u go. Sorry for long reply. Good luck.

[Georgina1475 in reply to PMW300671]

Hi Jacobs56 I'm interested in looking into STC as it sounds very familiar to how our son was before we got into a maintenance situation.

Can I ask PMW what was the sitting technique you were advised? We had some far out suggestions from different practitioners over the years and I'm interested to know.

[PMW300671 in reply to Georgina1475]

Hi Georgina1475. The physio I saw was very up to date with her research. She measured my dtrs anal pressure with a small machine . She wasn't relaxing her sphincter to open and empty properly and hence her poos were long and stringy. The physio tested what position got her to open the most and then we were to practise. So u know the drill. Sit forward. Use a small stool for the feet. Elbows in knees. Then sit like a boy with legs apart not together . Sounds terrible I know!!' She also got her to be aware of the sphincter tight and relax. This was done with a pressure machine put on the side of the anus. Not put inside at all. There is a good you tube video.if you look up the squatty potty. It has a unicorn who poos ice cream. Very funny but a useful resource. You might have seen it. Hope this helps. X