Senokot timing

[SKY01]

Hello. Our 4.5 year old son has recently been prescribed Senokot due to soiling and suspected withholding. At the start it was great-we gave it at 6pm and he would go the next morning, so about 13 hours later. After a couple of weeks he stopped needing to go the morning and would end up going after lunch (not ideal as he's at nursery so inevitably he will soil ). So we moved it to 7am in the hope he would get an urge that evening and if not then the following morning but unfortunately it still seems to happen at lunchtime. Anyone have any suggestions of the best time to take Senokot/the effect wearing off after a couple of weeks? Thank you x

[lina43]

I am so happy I bought this! I have bought potties but my boy was not interested but since the day I got this he’s been out of nappies with no accidents because he loves it so much! 2 1/2 and dry! He is my third and I only wish I’d have bought this for my other 2!

here it's from : lazyours.com/pages/potty-tr...

[Helen36]

Hiya - we were told to do senakot at the end of the day. We do ours after dinner as I would never remember otherwise but I think it is meant to work overnight. I wouldn’t worry too much about the time of when his poo arrives as that will vary with so many other factors as it does for most of us!! The most important thing for bowels is consistency so suggest doing tea time and sticking to it. I wonder whether it’s not wearing off but he’s managing to withhold with it...

Have you been given any other advice? Sorry if you know this already but try getting him to sit on the loo about 20 min after breakfast to have a try - that’s all it needs to be. Sit for a little bit (ideally 3-5min but start short so you don’t put him off) and get him to blow bubbles or a little windmill to help the urge come. A high step so his knees are high up is really important as is a kiddies toilet seat so they feel secure. Get nursery to do the same with him after lunch (with some privacy from the other kids if possible) and hopefully that will help encourage him. Our nursery were happy to help. Reward him like mad for sitting, doesn’t matter if anything arrives. There’s also a good book called ‘meet the poos’ which was written for children that withhold and was a massive turning point for us on the road to getting sorted.

Also, have you been prescribed movicol or another poo softener? Bit more of a faff compared to senakot but might be worth talking to GP about if he is scared poo might hurt if he’s been constipated in the past.

Good luck xx

[SKY01 in reply to Helen36]

Thank you! They said he shouldn't need a softener as his poos are generally quite soft, but they suggest he is probably withholding to a certain extent none the less.... Think we will try again in the evening and stick with thst. Maybe the dose needs increasing?! We are doing regular sits 3 times a day and have nursery on board etc. Just doesn't seem to be working yet xx

[Helen36]

Hmmm... So hard to know!!! You could try increasing it (after speaking to GP) but my reservation is that it can give them tummy ache so maybe just be prepared for that. It’s a helper rather than a fixer unfortunately. Has always withheld/soiled or is it new?

It took us ages to get past withholding & soiling. Like... 18 months. She had been really constipated so was genuinely scared of the pain but even so, it was just routine, consistency and no pressure that got us there in the end. It’s so frustrating for us but for their little minds it can just be something they don’t like! I used to point at people when we were out and about in the car and say ‘that person over there, they poo... and them... and them - we all poo, don’t be scared’!!!! 🤦‍♀️

She’s just about to turn 5 so much not much older now. Don’t worry about school if you have that in your mind, so many kids are still struggling with all sorts of things in reception so just relax about that, but I’m just guessing, knowing how much I was fretting this time last year! X

[SKY01 in reply to Helen36]

Thank you. He has never been clean since he starting toilet training (self initiated) at 2.5 years. Took him a long time to be reliably dry too but he has always soiled. We had no idea it could be constipation as he has always pooed daily but the continence team suggests it is almost certainly the problem. He is happy to sit on the loo and desperately wants to get it right but he just doesn't seem to feel when it's coming! Yes, desperately worried about school in Sept!xx

[Helen36]

Oh bless him, it’s so hard isn’t it!!! You are doing everything right and if you under the continence team rather than just the GP then half the battle is won. There are so many people on here struggling to get seen by a continence team. I wish I could give you some tip to help but it will probably just be patience and perseverance that will get him there in the end. Have faith that he will do.

On the subject of school, my little girls class has three of them that still come home with bags daily. She rarely soils now but the other two do. Kids don’t bat an eyelid in reception and none of them have had anything mean said to them. Someone is always throwing up or showing their willy so they just don’t have a bit of poo on their ‘interesting’ radar!!! 😂 My friend is a reception teacher and she reassured me she has never taught a class with all of them clean and dry and that nearly all the kids in the class will have an accident of some sort in the first term. Massively reassuring to know! Lots of good advice on here on how to talk to School about it when the time comes.

Hang on in there x

[Helen36]

PS - can you call your continence team and ask them about the senakot dose rather than waiting for the next appointment? We can call ours and ask for a call back from a continence nurse x

[SKY01 in reply to Helen36]

Thanks so much for the school reasaurance. Really need to hear that it really does panic you doesn't it! So thanks xx ps yes, I rang and left a message for a call back so fingers crossed I can chat next week with someone... Thanks again and really glad things have sorted themselves out for you x

[Helen36 in reply to SKY01]

Ah, only poos sorted for us. Wees are another story altogether!!! Good luck x

[SKY01 in reply to Helen36]

And to you!!x

[Holly18]

Hi really interesting to hear your experiences . My little boy will be 4 next month and has been withholding for about a year. We have only tried Movicol . I read somewhere that if they are with holding - Movicol won’t do it on its own and they need a stimulant like senakot. I’m really tempted now to try this. The doctor did prescribe senakot reluctantly a while back but I haven’t used it yet. I have been worried about stomach cramps etc. At the moment he is going every 3 days. We do regular sitting and I think he eventually goes when he is relaxed and distracted but he def won’t push.

Also have been worried about full time school but reading your experiences had been really reassuring. Thanks x

[SKY01 in reply to Holly18]

We haven't found the cramps too bad at all so I would definitely give it a go!It does work (even if for some reason the effect is less at the moment for our son). Good luck!xx

[Holly18]

Thank you . I am definitely going to give it a go.

No real progress with Movicol on its own.

Thanks x

[Misty10]

Hi my daughter on this we give her 2.5 mls just before bed at 7 pm with her hit drink afterwards. She go for a poo at 7 am then again before preschool. Keep at it it works. X