Constipation? Or not.

[Lorellmarie]

My 7 year old daughter has had troubles going a poo ever since she was born but as she’s got older it’s got worse and worse I’ve been to the doctors so many times she still hasn’t been referred they just keep putting her on movicol, she is holding her poo for 7-8 days and then does one massive one on around the 7th or 8th day I’ve been keeping a diary of when she goes and it’s very concerning, I’m not sure wether it’s because she’s constipated or this sounds silly but sometimes I feel she doesn’t really know what to do and waits until she can’t physically hold it in anymore she does have a few special needs. I’m writing this to see wether anyone has anything similar or has known anyone who has had a child as bad as this with going because I’ve not come across anything alike my situation where she’s holding it in for over a full week. She also has a great diet and we had been taking lactose and still manages to not go.

[StellaA]

What is the nature of her special needs?

That makes a big difference in understanding your situation, does your daughter receive incontinence pads on the nhs?

[Lorellmarie in reply to StellaA]

She is very behind in school she is behind in everything work wise and physically like riding a bike and stuff she still can’t do and still can’t hop on one leg things like that so she has an EHCP, I just feel like when she’s on the toilet she isn’t trying to push she will always only go when it is literally coming out and that’s around the 7th or 8th day, I think she also has a fear as she does scream when I ask her to to try and gets very upset.

[14crosstitch14 in reply to Lorellmarie]

Yes my step child was the same, 1s i tried to explain its your body we can not poo for you, we can not read your mind and screamibg about it gets you know were. 1s you start useing the toilet properly listening to your body we can go out more and you can have more fun. You can explain things over an over i had to do this for months, as she's 50/50 so 2xs as hard when her own mother isn't doing the same me and her dad have got her where she is. If we had her full time we'd of been sorted sooner. She's very behind with a lot of stuff at school. So it dosen't help.

[Robinia]

Is she on daily movicol? If so what dose?

[Lorellmarie in reply to Robinia]

She was on it daily taking at first 4 sachets a day then gradually took it down as was really runny, and as soon as she is more regular they tell me to take her off so I take her off and we are straight back to square one again, I feel like it may be a fear thing as well but I’m not sure. Now even with help with laxatives she’s managing to hold for 8 days

[Robinia in reply to Lorellmarie]

Sounds like a disimpaction would help. Runny poo can be overflow. From bitter experience I have found it best to do a full disimpaction when in doubt. My son has had very bad poo problems for years and now finally we are getting somewhere. The thing that helps him push on the loo is blowing up a balloon repeatedly and having his feet on a squatty potty type stool. He also rocks forwards and backwards. But no point really until you know she is fully disimpacted.

[Lorellmarie in reply to Robinia]

Maybe, what do you have to do for that? The doctor has never mentioned anything all they said is to keep using stuff to help her go but I feel like she’s just becoming immune to it all as she still manages to hold it if she’s holding it I don’t know I’m not sure wether it’s constipation, a fear of going or wether she fully understands how to push properly it’s so frustrating because you can tell it makes her really uncomfortable her belly gets really hard and bloated and she just lays around all day, I’m ringing the doctor again tomorrow but I doubt I’ll get anywhere it’s very difficult trying to explain everything.

[Robinia in reply to Lorellmarie]

If you go on the Eric website I think they have links to good information. There is a good video online by the Poo Nurses. Until you do a proper disimpaction you won’t really solve the issue. This then has to be followed up by the right maintenance dose. My son uses Senna and bisocodyl as well as movicol - these are stimulants which help him go. My son also suffers with bloating and pain but now we’ve finally started to crack the problem his symptoms have all but disappeared. It’s a long hard slog but worth reading all the info on this site and working out which bits relate to your situation- so much knowledge on here!!

[Lorellmarie in reply to Robinia]

I’ll have a look on there and see what I can find, I never knew about the blowing into something whilst on the toilet technique I’m going to try that, I’m hoping I do get somewhere with it soon because it’s been her whole life, will be nice to not worry about it so much. Thanks for your help

[Robinia in reply to Lorellmarie]

No worries- it’s a very tricky thing to manage 😅

[Hidden in reply to Lorellmarie]

My son use to blow a whistle with feet up on stool!

[14crosstitch14 in reply to Lorellmarie]

Get her exerciseing, sosge's not lieing around all day. Plenty fluids sweet corn in her diet 2-3 xs a week she'll have to poo then as you can not digest that. I got some soreen for my step child she loves it. Fug syrup will help.

[Mug1]

Hi how did you get on ? Our daughter has been holding her poo in and it’s now made her severely constipated and having a real job to sort it

[14crosstitch14]

Try a toiket routine, lots of fluids and lots of exercise. Fibre in meals. Veg sweet corn will help every o2-3 day spot the signs she needs to go when she is squirming and fidgeting to go. Soreen my step daughter loves it. Fresh orange. As for toileting we used all sorts toilet story, bubbles and latest is the fidget toy. Regular routine helped the most. Especially after tea and before bed. Toilets are not comfy, they just need to relax their muscles and music also helped. Its taken over 12 months ee did everything and no more accidents at school.