chronic constipation

[jo1234567890]

hello, my son is 11 and suffers from chronic constipation with overflow soiling (long term) he is now in high school and really struggling with dealing with this he thinks he is the only person in the world with the problem and i feel so helpless and constantly worry about bullying. I am desparate for any advice. Thankyou for reading

[Alicass]

Hi

My son is 11 too and has suffered with constipation for the last 4 years. We thought it was him being lazy and not wiping his bum after the toilet. Turns out it was constipation all along.

I have 2 sons aged 11 and 8. Both have Hypermobility and both suffer bowel issues. My 8 year old has been incontinent for 5.5 years but it's getting better now. He was chronically constipated. He has a distended bowel which is going to take 2 years to return to normal. We're half way there.

My 11 year old isn't as constipated but has overflow too. I'm fed up with picking bits of poo off the floor. 😬 We've disimpacted him 3 times with Movicol and that's helping. We also used Senekot during the last one at Christmas.

We're in the process of getting him a toilet card for secondary school before he starts regular Senekot. I informed his tutor yesterday about it and she's been great. I too worry about bullying.

Sounds to me as though a few disimpactions might help your son.

Good luck

Xxx

[PinkSciFi]

My son is 12 and has had similar problems all his life. We also didn’t realise for ages that the problem was that he was still constipated - we thought that had been dealt with and didn’t understand why he was still having accidents (I try not to, but still beat myself up about this from time to time).

He did get some name calling in primary school, but when we told the school it was stopped immediately. No idea what his teacher said but it obviously worked! He does sometimes get picked on now, but this is because of his ginger hair, and toiletting problems aren’t mentioned.

Luckily his secondary school have been great - we made contact with matron before he started and she keeps some spare clothes in her office for him and gave him a pass to allow him to be excused immediately from lessons to go to her office with no questions asked. Lots of kids have these in his school for various health reasons so it’s not stigmatising for him.

Have you read “A Boy Like Me”? That helped him realise he wasn’t the only one and helped open up the conversation between us.

If nothing else, hopefully enough people reply to your post to prove that he’s not the only one (assuming letting him know you’ve posted this doesn’t upset him).

Good luck - it’s such a tough thing to deal with and quite isolating as a parent at times xx

[Louloubelle23]

So sorry to hear this. My daughter is in exactly the same position. Overflow soiling all her life and started senior school in September. Please tell him he is not alone, it’s more common than people think.

Just make sure school are supporting him. My daughter has a toilet pass so she can go whenever she likes, plus access to a disabled toilet in case she needs to clean up after an accident, locker to keep spares in and a pass to leave lessons 5 minutes early in case she needs to go between lessons. Some of the teachers have not been good with it (telling her off for taking too long, telling her to wait etc) so I’ve called the school and complained. Her head of year was good at sorting it.

She’s extremely anxious and is in constant terror of people finding out (as am I).

Her paediatrician has pretty much given up! His last suggestion was hypnotherapy, but it’s not available on the NHS. She has her first session tonight. It’s costing the earth but at this point I’m pretty much willing to sell my soul to the devil!

Good luck x

[DPLT]

Our son is only 5 but we have been dealing with chronic constipation with overflow his whole life. It took along time but if your not happy with his paediatrician then ask your gp to be referred to someone else. We initially asked to be referred to another hospital and then we finally got a referral to a bowel specialist. She x rayed him and last summer he went through manual disimpaction. Along with lots of different medication and also some psychological help with his toilet phobia we are eventually on the right track! If you are not happy with his care then ask to be referred else where. We didn’t know this but you have the right to be treated where you want to be within the NHS. I do feel it’s something he’ll have to live with and learn to manage. Good luck x

[Robinia]

Loving all these replies and the fact you posted- makes us all feel less alone! My son is 11 and starting high school in Sept- totally incontinent for past 2.5yrs. Just been turned down for an EHCP. Worst symptom is chronic pain. Now going to 4th hospital- next step is manual evacuation and re-trying anal irrigation again. If that doesn’t work surgeon is going to consider other options. I have great confidence in this latest surgeon. The principle of get disimpacted, stay disimpacted or get clean, stay clean is the way I see it and this hospital seem to agree. To me soiling is evidence of constipation therefore my son has never experienced being free of it.

EHCP coordinator has advised me to make sure there is a medical care plan in school written up with help from health professionals. My son is seeing hospital psychologist, hospital OT and pain specialist, all on the NHS. Only because I found out about what was available myself and then made people refer him!! To say it has been an uphill battle is a massive understatement (as you all understand) . Pls pass on to all your almost adolescents they are not the only ones and anyone looking to go to another hospital and wanting recommendations, get in touch xx