Hi Everyone, this is my first post here 😀. Sorry it’s a long one but we’re a week into a very stressful time and looking for advice/other people’s experiences. 2 very upset/stressed parents and an uncomfortable little girl. Our very nearly 4 year old and is having some serious problems going to poop. Due to her anxiety/fear in the past we have allowed her to ask for a pull up which she does her business in and asks to be cleaned (I know this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but this was under advice from a GP, parents in distress here so please no judging).
After months and months of trying to get her to do her poops in the toilet (she confident emptying bladder on it) I spoke to my GP on Monday after my daughter had a short spell of constipation. He prescribed Movicol which she’s been taking since Monday. She did have a poop on Monday (in a pull up) GP’s advised to allow this for her to pass the backed up stuff. We had a chat and mentioned starting to do poops in the big girl toilet like her brother. Since then we’ve had no poop despite being on Movicol for 5 days, she’s juggling around, holding it and doesn’t appear to be giving in anytime soon. She’s now started soiling her pants with wet paste like poop (excuse the level of detail, but guessing you’re used to it).
We’re at out wits end and it is so distressing to witness. Have any of you had similar experiences who can offer some advice?
Thank you - from one stressed out Mummy xxx
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Green86
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I'm afraid I wouldn't worry about the toilet at all, it's just making things worse because she's withholding. You may have to do a disimpaction with the movicol and then do a maintenance dose. Have a look at the pooh nurses video, there is a link on this page. Good luck
Thanks Sally, just been watching the video, very helpful. She’s refusing to go at all now, not even in a pull up. I think we may need to do disimpaction as she’s started overflow soiling the last 24/48 hours.
Just wish I could get her to attempt to push, currently waiting for my GP to call back. With the disimpaction, will she get to a point where she’ll no longer be able to hold it in then? She’s been on 2 sachets a day for 5 days, with the exception of the overflow absolutely nothing as yet x
She will definitely get to the point where she can't hold it in. There are usually instructions on the movicol box. We generally start with four sachets and increase by two daily until the poo is liquid. We have also used children's glycerol suppositories which have a very quick dramatic effect,they can't hold that in either. Good luck my lovely ,I know exactly what your going through. Our daughter started all this at a similar age and is now ten and sadly things aren't great six years down the line.
Thank you, we must be really very lucky. She’s opened her bowel a few times this evening and the last two times she’s gotten on the potty and done it. Fairly anxious but with some mummy encouragement she’s stayed put for up to 5 minutes. So the toilet and the GP’s persistence to get her onto the actual toilet can take a running jump. I’m just so relieved she’s going and has taken the step onto the potty. I by no means think this is the end for us but will take these few positive steps and tell my girlie how proud we are ♥️
Oh that's fantastic news ,well done both of you. Im so relieved for you. Absolutely don't worry about the flipping toilet ,she's gone on the potty which is fantastic. Have a great weekend x
Hello, I am a mum of a now 6.5 year old who withheld between ages 4 and 5.5. I found this forum so helpful and I agree with SallyandPaul's advice which is to increase the Movicol. This was the only thing that worked for us and allowed our daughter to forget her fear of going, which started from constipation, which led to a painful episode, which led to the fear and a cycle of withholding. My daughter is very stubborn so getting her to sit on the toilet regularly and for any length of time was virtually impossible but once the Movicol dose increased she just couldn't hold it anymore! Lots of positive reinforcement after she went and asking if it hurt to go and her seeing that it didn't meant she started to lose her fear. We stayed on a maintenance dose of Movicol for probably 9 months just to ensure her poo stayed soft and now we are medicine free and she poos without any issues. We still ensure she drinks plenty of water and eats high fibre foods to help naturally. Just wanted you to know there can be light at the end of the tunnel. Best of luck. Xx
Hi ya. I agree with the others about putting the movicol up.
In reference to the toilet take it in small steps ie if she sits there for a small period give all praise. I know it gets very stressful and the one mistake I did was my stress was coming across when I put my son on the toilet which made things worse. As he was trying to please and felt he couldnt. Try to smile even if you are breaking inside. The other thing I found I was doing I was probably putting pressure onto my son to go to the toilet by things i was saying ie why have we got dirty pants again!!!! I try now to be more dismissive. It feels weird. For example he may say mum I have messed and I say so!! We will just go and sort things out.
The other thing to know it seems to take a long time to get any improvement. So try and be patient. Quite often its o e step forward and three back. All you can do is your best.
hi there yes...it sounds like overflow where the poo is blocking the poo coming out so it seeps rounds the sides. what quantity of movocol are you on? you can normally up it...or go back to the doctor and they can effectively do a flush to get her clear and start again.
is she drinking lots of water ? that's a good call and plenty of fibre as well
Hi just one other thing to throw into mix. We had all this with our nearly 4 year old and she’s under hospital who are amazing with her. As well as using high dosages of movicol for disimpaction, the consultant put our daughter on Dulcolax with a view that as a stimulant laxative it would override her ability to withhold. And she’s still on this and a maintainance dose of movicol. Now she’s in less pain etc she’ll happily go to the toilet, but we know it’s going to take a while for her bowel to repair and to come off all medication. Our daughter is also really sensitive to dosage changes with her movicol and currently we lower it down by 1/4 sachets at a time. We use the poo diary sheets from ERIC website to monitor things which is really helpful. Good luck you’ll get there
I could of wrote this myself my LG 3 years 7 mths is exactly the same.we have been told by the hospital to not put any stress on our daughter regarding toilet training. She also in nappies and pull up and has chronic constipation and complex bowel syndrome also on disimpaction for three weeks. I used to stress and panic about it but not no more.if your LG is happy to do her poos in a pull up then keep it going the more your upset the more they hold. We have to have no stress otherwise anxiety kicks in.xx
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