What causes chronic continuous constipation???

[HollyGriffo]

Hello,

Has anyone got a satisfactory answer to why their child has chronic constipation? My daughter has been on medication for years now with barely any change. I have yet to get a reasonable answer as to why she has it. The inconvenience nurse said it was because parents are so busy these days that they don't get time to toilet train!!!! I only started work last year part time as I had to be 'on call' to clean my poor daughter up (now 6 yrs), so I was non too impressed with this answer. Or its just 'one of those things' really doesn't help either. Anyone had a better answer??!!

[Lmd12]

There are lots of reasons some are physical problems like slow transit others are psychological,my sons is caused by himself not wanting to use the toilet at secondary school and me not picking up on it .

[clmls123]

as someone who had chronic constipation as a child (I'm now 46!)to say its only because people don't have time to toilet train these days is rather insulting! after being in hospital when i was 3 my childhood was spent eating bran on my breakfast & then being forced to sit on a loo until i'd produced something for inspection which was enough to give anyone a chronic problem! having spent the last few yrs of my life going thro' the whole continence thing with my kids, 1 of whom had faecal incontinence until she was 8, i would suggest at times there is not enough focus on individual care & accurate diagnosis. how does your daughter present,is she soiling & how did they decide your daughter was constipated?we had yrs of being told to use movicol etc & never had any result until a nurse decided to think outside the box,we started on suppositories then that eventually led my daughters body to start working "normally" again.i don't think its right that some kids spend years on a medication that actually doesn't work effectively.

[CN4321]

Hi, I’ve never really had a satisfactory answer to be honest. I’m mainly told it affects lots of kids and they grow out of it, so I have developed my own theories based on what I know. My son was constipated as a baby and I think therefore he has always hated going for a poo as he associated it with pain, I also think when he regressed after my second son was born I didn’t cope with it very well. It has then become a big thing in our house that everyone obsesses over and added to that he is young and doesn’t want to spend all his time drinking water and spending ages on the loo. Short story (in my mind) is that he withholds for a variety of reasons which causes constipation. Having said that this group is really helpful with tips and i picked up on a load here the other day about making sure you have time to let them try after meals. I’ve started getting up earlier every morning so it’s not as rushed and he has time to try - 3 days in a row he has been before school which usually means he will be clean for the rest of the day. I am also currently reducing his senna but without him really noticing as he tends to regress anytime he thinks there is a change in the medicine he gets.

Not sure how helpful that was but I guess I just wanted to let you know we have never been given a reason and I’ve had to work it out myself.

Oh and that nurse can just keep her opinions to herself!!! I’m always blaming myself for my son’s issues and everyone says it’s not my fault so where does she get off shifting the blame onto parents??? Don’t let her make you feel bad 😬😡

[SallyandPaul]

Hi Holly I have to agree with lmd12. My daughter has had this for years too. The 'inconvenience ' nurse ha ha was really unhelpful and talks a load of twaddle. I've had three sons , child minded and been a foster carer and been here for all of them. It didn't stop my daughter having this issue either. It is so frustrating and has to be the trickiest thing I've ever dealt with because you have so little control over it and can't sort it out. The worst thing at the moment is that she has a permanent U.T.I which antibiotics don't sort out. I don't want to wish her childhood away but look forward to when she's a grownup and can sort it for herself . X