Bowel problems but won't take meds: So my 4.5 year old... - ERIC

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Bowel problems but won't take meds

Marmiteandcrackers profile image

So my 4.5 year old hasn't pooed for 6 days She regularly withholds and the doctor just said to give her lactulose and movicol. However she won't drink either. I managed to hide movicol in oj carton yesterday but today she wouldn't drink it

She's so fussy. The only fruit she eats is raspberries, she won't eat veg and she only drinks smoothies, water and oj but only from a carton ( the smoothies and oj).

I don't know what to do. My son is 10 and on movicol so I know all the usual ways but she's so stubborn. She also holds her wee in all day at school. I know about putting movicol in jelly etc but she won't do it. She won't even take Calpol when she's ill. I don't know what I'm asking for really. I feel like I'm drowning as I can see her going the same way as my son( tho he's less fussy) should I contact the doctor again( they will just tell me to make her take the movicol)

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Marmiteandcrackers
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5 Replies
ERIC-Charity profile image
ERIC-CharityPartner

redberrymam NICE Guidelines recommend macrogol laxatives as the first line treatment for constipation. Suppositories and enemas are only to be considered with the recommendation and supervision of a medical professional, and only when laxatives have been tried first (see our Poo Ladder). ERIC would never recommend giving a child any treatment by force.

I'm sorry you're going though this too. I actually went to the doctor yesterday and she was a bit more helpful. Wouldn't prescribe Pico as she said it's too strong but prescribed senna which touch wood we got her to take the first one. She felt her tummy and said it was extremely full off poo. She said really we need to do an impaction but just to try and get movicol in her. She's actually got cosmocol plain. I tried it and it's rank. I can taste it a bit in orange juice. The doctor said if she's not had a poo by Friday to call again and she might get referred to pediatrics. To be honest even if she does poo it's a regular thing so I think she needs to be referred anyway

ERIC-Charity profile image
ERIC-CharityPartner

I thought you may find this upcoming webinar useful - eric.org.uk/parent-carer-we...

14crosstitch14 profile image
14crosstitch14

Try peanuts or pop corn, its fibre and plenty fluids. Sweetcorn if she'll eat it, raisins or grapes/prunes will make her go. She won't be able to stop herself. It will hurt unless she drinks loads of water. Fibre, my girls will eat soreen, peanuts pop corn. It'll all help. I gave bottled drinks with the movicol in it she never new. Just thought it was a normal drink.

14crosstitch14 profile image
14crosstitch14

Raisins/grapes chia/flax seeds in her meal/cereal mix it up. Would she try fryed prunes. Sweetcorn/ figrolls. Only other thing is do a poo party with her toy dolls/ bears pretend they go toilet. Ice pops, help with fluid intak

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