How do you get your child to drink????

[OhBoy07]

After a trip to the doctor, my 6 year old is on 2 sachets of laxido per day at the moment as the doctor said he was backed up but not too badly. It takes all day to get him to drink it mixed with a little bit of apple juice, and in a whole day I can barely get him to drink an additional 700ml of water, and that is me being off work and us still being up after 10pm to try and fit it in. I'm back at work next week and he will be at grandparents, I am getting him up earlier and going to bed later, and constantly throughout the day telling him to 'drink some more water', he gets lots of exercise which makes him thirsty but still doesn't have what I call a good drink. He just takes these tiny sips and it's so frustrating. He doesn't like juice, smoothies, only likes to eat a little gravy, it's just so hard. I just don't understand why he won't drink. I've tried ice cubes, fun straws, bought him a container with a tap so he could get his own water but he just liked doing the tap and not drinking the water. I know fluids are the key, and I've explained how him drinking water is the best way to help make the soiling stop, and how it doesn't involve hospitals, doctors, sharp things and can be done at any time throughout the day. Nothing makes any difference. I'm giving him strawberries, grapes, apples and peaches but it's still doesn't make up for a decent glass of water.

I'm pretty sure I will end up going down the disimpaction route if things don't improve. When you disimpact your child, how long were they off school, how long did you have to take off work? I am worried about my son but also my job.

[14crosstitch14]

Ice pops, milkshakes. If you give him cartons he opens him self, you have to stop going on at him. It is hard when your worried about your child. Icepops show him he can make them. Dosen't have to be water.

[ERIC-Charity Partner]

Dear OhBoy07 , We understand that it can be incredibly challenging to encourage children to drink generally, let alone to have the additional liquids needed for the laxatives.

There are some links below which may have ideas to help you:

eric.org.uk/childrens-bladd...

eric.org.uk/how-to-use-macr... (this includes tips to support your child to get their laxatives)

In terms of his drinking, it may be that your son is used to only taking small sips. Encouraging him to finish each drink is the best way to begin to increase his intake. Initially, put a small amount in a glass, so that he can experience a reward for finishing the drink. Gradually increase the amount in the glass.

Soups, watermelon, jelly are all good ways to get liquids into a child who doesn't drink much. You can also make jelly with laxido (mix up with a smaller amount of boiling water and then add the laxido...don't boil the laxido).

It's also a good idea to try the 'when and then' approach; 'when' you have finished your drink, 'then' you can go out to play etc.

There are alternatives to macrogol laxatives, however they don't always work as well ; macrogol laxatives are the only ones which can be used for disimpaction and all require an increase in drinking to ensure that they work effectively (such as lactulose which changes the surface of the poo so that it can absorb more water, but means that your son would need to drink more).

We hope this helps, best wishes

ERIC