Any ideas son age 6 please help: Hi all.. So my... - IBS Network

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Any ideas son age 6 please help

Ibs37 profile image
24 Replies

Hi all..

So my son age 6 has started with constipation just over 3 weeks ago he was crying on the toilet. I did not think much of it but he became quiet and did not want to join in his usual activities.. I took him back to his doctor she gave me the stuff you mix with juice .he was on it for a few days he felt a little better but it started again shortly after.. he has now been given a solution 5m x2 per day .. day 3 no poo. It's heartbreaking he says he feels sick when walking and weak with a temperature waking up thirsty and he has pink eyes..

I'm starting to get really worried can anyone suggest something..

He's like a changed little boy 😞 the really weird thing I went through the same thing last may only went away after Christmas I believe it's was some forms of ibs as it does flare up when I'm stressed .. I take apple cider which really helps.. is this a coincidence I'm starting think I'm a bad parent we eat generally healthy but he is fussy.. 😣

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Ibs37
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24 Replies
runswithdogs profile image
runswithdogs

I suffer from the opposite problem, but I know my mother used to give my brother prunes/prune juice as a kid regularly to help with constipation. Might be worth a try.

Nix123 profile image
Nix123

I had stomach issues all my life primarily constipation. It wasnt until I did a food intolerance test later in life and realise dairy is the problem. And I mean milk not just lactose. Maybe cut out dairy and see if he is better? Milk is in stuff you wouldn't even expect! i always thought too much dairy caused diarrhoea but it appears milk protein is quite a common cause of constipation. It causes lots of wind which then blocks the colon. He's young so he'll need to get calcium elsewhere but I think other milks are just as good. Good luck! In all my years the docs never suggested a food intolerance to me so although I was taking the medicine they prescribed the cause was never addressed. I hope he is better soon!

Ibs37 profile image
Ibs37 in reply to Nix123

Thankyou

He does eat a awful lot of yoghurt may maybe it is dairy I will try cut it out x

Montykat profile image
Montykat

My daughter is 9 and needs to sit on the toilet for an hour every morning before anything happens. She gets a lot of sore tummys which the gp has passed of as her age. I started encouraging her to eat more soya products as i do for my ibs and it has helped. She still takes ages in the bathroom but its not painful for her. Im sure she has something similiar to my self but dont want to take dairy away completely as shes still growing.

in reply to Montykat

There are loads of alternatives to dairy. My favourite is oat milk but there is also coconut, almond, hazelnut etc. They are all complete with the necessary vitamins calcium etc. You could try for a week and see if any difference.

Personally I can't have anything soya based.

Alphanes profile image
Alphanes in reply to

U don't want to do coconut milk, it will make it worse. But almond milk/soy milk helps. There's a pill called linzess, it really really helps with ibs-c. Go from safari desert to Niagara falls. Be warned its $400 a bottle and most insurence won't or don't want to pay for it. I'm fighting to get back on it. I rest her be stuck on the toilet going the waterfall dance than be in constint pain. Spread the word about linzess, try it out, if anyone has ibs-c I recommend it highly.

My son who is 9 has had this from birth was it lactulose they have given you? Just it's important in order for it to work for him to drink a lot of water or juice to help it work better. It takes about a week to start working properly.

If not you can buy it over the counter at chemists and I've found that best for it so far.

alicemarsh profile image
alicemarsh

Try him on a yakult a day. Works well on me.

Also does he eat apples ?

These two are good for constipation - just one a day.

If not there is something called fibogel which you could try which is a natural fibre supplement. Available on prescription if it is a lack of fibre.

If it persists go back to your doctor.

Also a child's training platform helps the bowel work better. It puts the child in a better position. There is something you can get for adults which helps in a similar way. squattypotty.co.uk/ It is a raised platform - not a potty, but helps avoid straining.

Just some ideas to try.

Also a food diary helps to see what maybe causing it. Make a note of what he eats and whether he goes to the loo and then you can correlate it. Sometimes particular foods may help or hinder the bowel.

Hope this helps.

alice

I know how you feel. My children are all grown up now but my grandson went through the same thing. they try hard not to do the toilet cos it hurts them. I made sure that he had bran in every breakfast in some way, even porridge would help. They both cause the body to have bowel movements, and if on them every day, it should keep him from being constipated. Also, and this is an old, old remedy, every morning give him a drink of hot water, may with some juice in it, but the hot water helps to keep his tummy free of wind etc. See how you get on.

gillydevan profile image
gillydevan

I would cut out white bread and biscuits try to eat just wholemeal. reduce dairy and sugar products.add plenty of fruit and veg. apples with skin.on peppers t roasted jacket potatoes and lots of fluid, sugar free is best. also make sure that excersize is s daily routine.

Hi there,

You really need to go back to your doctor, because your son has a temperature with his symptoms.

Just a thought, but is he teething? Some children react to teething with the sort of symptoms you are mentioning. When it is really bad the only thing my daughter can handle is salt and vinegar crisps for the nausea (probably works like apple cider vinegar but she won't take any), and freshly squeezed orange juice (a small glass).

Hope this helps,

Alison

VA80 profile image
VA80

Hi,

This may not be of any help but my mum works with autistic children and she told me that one boy hadn't been to the toilet for ages because he was scared it would be painful. Nobody, including the doctor was able to solve the situation but one of her staff came up with the idea of story-telling with a doll who was worried about going to the toilet etc and then demonstrated the doll going, (you may have to use your imagine to make fake poo!), to the toilet successfully and she showed the boy that the doll was really happy afterwards. It took a few times of telling the story but it showed him not to fear going to the toilet. Seems mad but may be worth a try. Your wee boy may have had a painful previous experience and now be fearful of going again

Kind regards

Vikki

in reply to VA80

My son is autistic and they sometimes do hold it in because it hurts. But all's you get is 'oh it's common with autism'. These things do help though but my son needed a treatment programme that included lactulose, a step up stool to prop his legs up on so his position was right on the loo and to be encouraged to drink as much water as possible. He was also encouraged to hold a bubble wand and blow into that as it helps the tummy muscles. It worked but he is older now and permanently on lactulose. They don't take the physical side and what's causing it seriously at all and it's only a temporary solution.

Ibs37 profile image
Ibs37 in reply to VA80

That's a great idea he does say it's sore and he said he was holding on at school..

Hi I would take him to A&E make sure he gets plenty of fresh orange juice, plums weetabix etc, tined prunes are realy good.

my doughter was like this once and A&E gave her some medison and said she had to have lots of veg salad stuffs and fruit-it worked !

YOU ARE NOT A BAD MUM-I read in paper that a 7 year old boy had died from complicatios from this-that should be enough to encouage your young son

ver Best Wishes xx

Ibs37 profile image
Ibs37 in reply to

Thankyou xx

Ibs37 profile image
Ibs37

Thankyou everyone feel much better about this now and lots of great ideas to start trying him with.. xxx

lkr1959 profile image
lkr1959

All this advice is well meaning, but you must not cut out any dairy/ calcium from his diet without taking him back to the Dr, and asking for a referal to a dietitian, at age 6 he growing very fast and calcium and vitamin D in milk yogurts are extremely important. Nearly all children go through stages of being constipated and it usually rights itself within a few weeks, sometimes with a little intervention, prunes, more fibre ect, sometime with something your DR. will prescribe. Do try and encourage him to eat more fruit,veg and fibre I know this can be difficult. Above all other thing drinking plenty of water is probably the most important, try to limit the amount of sugary drinks as these are constipating. Most of all try not to swing from taking things out of his diet and restricting him (without medical advice) then adding it back in, that is a sure way to exaserbate the problem. Yes I do have children, yes I am a health care professional.

Lamloum profile image
Lamloum

I have a few good intolerances and till I went on the low FODMAP diet I always suffered from constipation .

What's helping me now too is milled linseed . A spoon in the morning followed by half a glass of water and another before dinner .

Worth a try maybe ?

Good luck

rustydog profile image
rustydog

My friends daughter suffers the same and has great success from going gluten free. Also my kids love a chocolate chia seed pudding, lots of fibre and omega oils. It's simple to make, almond/coconut milk, chia seeds, cocoa powder, blend and refrigerate (lots of different recipes online). My kids have it for breakfast with fruit.

Don't cut out dairy all together at the moment as he needs the calcium

Cut down his intake of yoghurt to one a day

Try orange juice and fresh oranges

Ask the chemist if Syrup of figs is still available and try that

Don't like the idea of himbeing on medication so young

lilybud profile image
lilybud

if you are so worried about him, and i tell you are don't allow him to suffer in silence any longer, take him to your nearest hospital, they can find out what has caused the stoppage, it might on IBS please don't let him suffer in silence, ibs is and can be cruel to us adults, he's still only little. I pray its just polips , but he needs that extra care. God bless😇, ,

Oliver1979 profile image
Oliver1979

My son is 10 and we had the same problem. We tried different stuff and I now when he has something like that I give him a kiwi and also a glass of water with Enterosgel.

Sdye119 profile image
Sdye119

Hiya my son is 9 and has been dealing with constipation as soon as I stopped breast feeding more or less. But at about 4 or 5 he had it so bad he cried his eyes out when he did go and I am sure this is part of his on going problem now as he was so good at and still is at holding it

I would just keep pushing the dr for answers. Lactose at that age is good as it’s sweet and they just lap it up and boiled water

You are NOT a bad parent, I never knew some many parents were going through the same thing until I found this site

I think the problem is that because we’ll my son is generally very very healthy and I think they see a healthy boy sitting there but they don’t understand what the family is actually going through

I hope he gets sorted xx

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