Constipation but now with holding

[Laura0708]

Hi

I’m the Mum of a 7 year old girl who was on movicol for years -,we’ve had mixed success but it now seems she is no longer medically constipated but chooses to not go to the toilet and controls this . When anything happens she can start doing this again and I often catch her keeping it in squirming hiding etc I’ve tried everything and now she’s that bit older I’m just so mad - she gets very angry and dismissive when she’s kept it in and sometimes with holds for 2 weeks - it’s veth upsetting I can’t get to the bottom of it , my son is 3 and he is genuinely constipated produces hard fibrous stools even though his diet is fantastic - I guess I’m asking if anyone had experience of a child controlling their poos and also if constipation can be genetic? Thank you in advance Laura xx

[ClaireLW]

Hi Laura. I have only just joined this forum out of total desperation to get some support and to communicate with people who actually get what I'm experiencing. My 12 yr old daughter has had issues since she was 14 months old after a really nasty tummy bug. We've been back and forth to the Drs and hospital and last week was the final straw for us. She ended up having an enema in order to disempact her as I wasn't prepared to go down the increased Movicol route again. It worked and the medical staff were amazed at what she produced! Never before has the phrase 'I told you so' been more fitting! They still sent us away with a Movicol disempaction regime and we're now up to 8 sachets a day and they stressed that I should be in no hurry to reduce that dose! We have another consultant appt but not until the 4th May but I shall certainly be shouting louder this time because generally, her poos are good and regular and then we have a blip every so often for no apparent reason and then it feels like we're back to square one. My mum had similar issues when she was younger and I've always included that info in all the history that I've given various Drs but not once have they scanned her or done any other sort of investigative stuff to see if it could be genetic or something. They just seem keen on increasing the Movicol. I too am keen to know if it could be genetic.

[Mum2Mai in reply to ClaireLW]

My five year old is similar in a way, but her stubborness leads to soiling her pants...she can poo really well for a week or two and then it all goes backwards again. I have just written a post about trying to explore the psychological route as i think of lot of our issues are behavioural. I just dont know

[Laura0708 in reply to Mum2Mai]

Yes I too think my daughter is controlling withholding for behavioural reasons - she started of medically constipated but now it’s a behaviour of hers - we too have had weeks where she’s webg every few days no issues no dramas then just goes back , thank you for your insight / advice

[Mum2Mai in reply to Laura0708]

We started off like that too. Sorry i couldn't help...but it good to know we arent the only ones x

[Laura0708 in reply to Mum2Mai]

Thank you - I agree it’s a relief to know others are going thru similar as the amount of drs etc who have said how common it is - etc but none of us want our children to have any issues xx

[Laura0708 in reply to ClaireLW]

Thank you for your reply - I like you have been left desperate with the situation - when Jess was on regular movicol she couldn’t withhold but it meant that she would just do it in her pants at home or school - it wouldn’t make her go to the toilet , as she got older I feared for her for bullying and she had a few runs of going to the toilet normally and it didn’t hurt was my constipatec etc , we’ve had a good week this week but I know the more I chat or stress the worse it is , I feel like a bit of a failure and take it personally thinking to myself well such and suchs children just go to the toilet etc it’s very difficult thank you for taking the time to reply and share x

[ClaireLW]

I'm with you on the 'taking it personally bit' and sometimes I feel such a failure and have to talk myself out of it. I'm more concerned of the psychological affects it's having on Sophie as during the bad times she does get quite down with it all but thankfully soon bounces back when things are going well. In fact her whole mood and appetite changes (for the better!) when she's 'regular'! And I tend to use this as a signal for when she may be getting constipated again.

[Anacha]

Hi Laura,

My 3 year old girl also had a nasty stomach bug at 18 months and started withholding ever since. We almost had a whole year of trial and errors with homeopathic medicines and natural remedies and pediatricians giving her duphalac.But she is very strong willed and could hold for almost a week or more.

Finally another pediatrician advised me that since it is a behaviour issue and now that the colon is stretched due to withholding , she needs to know that she has to go everyday and gave her a course of infant suppositories and Ezlax powder on a daily basis for two weeks.

She went regularly with that everyday. The colon will heal itself if they go regularly

Now I don't let her go over three days.

Flaxseed oil every alternate day works at times and castor oil once in a while for cleansing out.

And lots of water mixed with probiotic given by pediatrician.

I know it's a daunting task to keep a count of days but keeping fingers crossed. It took a year to get this bad so it will take time to heal.

All the best to you.