Probably a repeat question, but I didn't need the answer till now! :-)

Hi, all - and Happy 2004 to you! I'll cut to the chase:

How does one deal with a Toddler who refuses to poop? Flat-Out REFUSES.

Pediatrician gave us a mild laxative, and suggested Mineral oil in
food/drink - it worked the first time, but now, 5 days with no poop, it's
not working. She was pooping again okay before Christmas (after the FIRST
Non-Poop Episode...Major constipation, relieved by the aforementioned lax &
MO combo, plus hot baths, Hot tea & applesauce.) - but then got sick over
Christmas, and now won't poop again.

Won't eat Prunes, won't drink Prune Juice. Won't sit on Potty. Won't sit in
bathtub for a bath. SCREAMS in pain most of the day, but REFUSES to poop.
We're just about ready to try the glycerin suppositories that our Ped said
were for last resort - we're at our wits end - but I wanted to ask here
first:

What do YOU all do??

Thank You!!!

Corinne
Part-Time SAH-APMomma to Brighid, 06-23-01

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Bother," said Pooh, "Eeyore, ready two photon torpedoes and lock phasers on
the Heffalump. Piglet, meet me in transporter room three. Christopher Robin,
you have the bridge."

"Corinne Pierson" wrote in message
news:qoFLb.9507$xy6.19863@attbi_s02...
Hi, all - and Happy 2004 to you! I'll cut to the chase:

How does one deal with a Toddler who refuses to poop? Flat-Out REFUSES.

Pediatrician gave us a mild laxative, and suggested Mineral oil in
food/drink - it worked the first time, but now, 5 days with no poop, it's
not working. She was pooping again okay before Christmas (after the FIRST
Non-Poop Episode...Major constipation, relieved by the aforementioned lax
&
MO combo, plus hot baths, Hot tea & applesauce.) - but then got sick over
Christmas, and now won't poop again.

Won't eat Prunes, won't drink Prune Juice. Won't sit on Potty. Won't sit
in
bathtub for a bath. SCREAMS in pain most of the day, but REFUSES to poop.
We're just about ready to try the glycerin suppositories that our Ped said
were for last resort - we're at our wits end - but I wanted to ask here
first:

What do YOU all do??

Thank You!!!

Corinne
Part-Time SAH-APMomma to Brighid, 06-23-01


What's she eating? Some foods can be quite constipating, like bananas and
apples (hence the BRAT diet for diarrhea -- Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and
Toast). Also, iron supplements are very constipating as are foods that are
high in iron.

My grandfather was a family doc and he used to advise his patients to give
their kids pineapple juice and fig newtons for constipation. They're much
more palatable alternatives than the prunes/juice.

Leigh in raLeigh

"Corinne Pierson" wrote in message
news:qoFLb.9507$xy6.19863@attbi_s02...
Won't eat Prunes, won't drink Prune Juice. Won't sit on Potty. Won't sit
in
bathtub for a bath. SCREAMS in pain most of the day, but REFUSES to poop.
We're just about ready to try the glycerin suppositories that our Ped said
were for last resort - we're at our wits end - but I wanted to ask here
first:

Why are glycerin suppositories last resort? They work so well. I tend to
use them on DS as second in line to juice, but he doesn't often have a
problem. Anyway, I didn't see anything about them that could be harmful.
Am I missing something?

Hi -

Your toddler may have a small hemmaroid (sp?) at this point, which makes
pooping quite painful. So tell her that you're going to give her
medicine to help the poops come out more easily, without hurting. And
then DO give her the suppository! Make sure the thing stays in her
bottom for a full 2-3 minutes before letting her try to poop, as it
needs time to melt and do its thing.

Next, give her plenty of anti-constipating foods AND an oral laxative and
stool softener, for as long as necessary. Continue for at LEAST a
month, so that she becomes accustomed to poops being NOT painful any
longer. Try to get her on a schedule of attempting to poop every
morning and every evening, and reward her for trying. Reward her even
more for succeeding. (We handed out mini marshmellows for success.
Wildly wonderful incentive ...)

Foods that make you go include:

apricots
oily foods (such as fried fish)
whole grains
root veggies (ie mashed sweet potatoes)
fats (butter, cream cheese ...)
seeded berries
juices with nectar

and TONS of fluids.

We had this problem for quite a while, based on a single round of
constipation when our son was quite young. We used an oral stool
softener, the suppository from time to time (usually for several stools
in a row, but then not again for a long time), and we still keep a close
eye on his diet to make sure he consumes lots of those "foods that get
you moving".

It got a lot easier when we were able to enlist his help in this whole
production. He now tells me (at age 6) if he's constipated and asks for
the foods he needs, occasionally medicine too, even though he doesn't
like the taste.

I hope this helps.
--Beth Kevles

http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic
Disclaimer: Nothing in this message should be construed as medical
advice. Please consult with your own medical practicioner.

NOTE: No email is read at my MIT address. Use the AOL one if you would
like me to reply.

Also, sometimes kids, especially if it hurt the last time they used a potty,
will be much more willing to poop in a diaper. If this is the case, give her
one. It is much more important that she poops than the poops come out in the
potty.

Jeff

In article E4GLb.8886$8H.22937@attbi_s03, "toypup"
wrote:

Why are glycerin suppositories last resort? They work so well. I tend to
use them on DS as second in line to juice, but he doesn't often have a
problem. Anyway, I didn't see anything about them that could be harmful.
Am I missing something?

You can become dependent on them (as with laxatives), and you end up in a
vicious cycle where the bowel loses tone, becomes constipated, you use
chemical means to unblock it, the bowel doesn't tone up, etc etc.

If a child is constipated, take a good hard look at the diet. Ditto for
adults; constipation is not a normal state of affairs and can be a sign that a
really ugly disease is developing.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Jeez; if only those Ancient Greek storytellers had known about the astonishing
creature that is the *Usenet hydra*: you cut off one head, and *a stupider one*
grows back..." -- MJ, cam.misc

You mention that the child is in pain most of the day. At this point, use the
suppositories, but then I would look into some dietary alterations as
recommended in the previous postings.

"Chookie" wrote in message
...
In article E4GLb.8886$8H.22937@attbi_s03, "toypup"

wrote:

Why are glycerin suppositories last resort? They work so well. I tend
to
use them on DS as second in line to juice, but he doesn't often have a
problem. Anyway, I didn't see anything about them that could be
harmful.
Am I missing something?

You can become dependent on them (as with laxatives), and you end up in a
vicious cycle where the bowel loses tone, becomes constipated, you use
chemical means to unblock it, the bowel doesn't tone up, etc etc.

I thought that was only a problem with stimulant laxatives. The other types
of laxatives didn't have that problem. Glycerin suppositories are not
stimulant laxatives. Even if it were, a one time dose would not cause that
vicious cycle.

Anyway, I agree with correcting the underlying problem, but I don't see
anything wrong with getting things started for now (it only takes a dose or
two) and then working on the problem, since it takes a while to get things
started through diet alone. If continued use is needed, then of course, I
would check for other medical conditions. However, I still don't see how
glycerin suppositories are a last resort. It just shouldn't be used
everyday.

As for the OP, I would bring my child back to see the doc if she were
screaming in pain. Perhaps it's time for the suppository.

"Jeff" wrote in message
...
Also, sometimes kids, especially if it hurt the last time they used a
potty,
will be much more willing to poop in a diaper. If this is the case, give
her
one. It is much more important that she poops than the poops come out in
the
potty.

Jeff



She has refused the potty since the first case of constipation, and we don't
force it; she's in diapers, period.

Thanks! :-)

Corinne

"Beth Kevles" wrote in message
...

Hi -

Your toddler may have a small hemmaroid (sp?) at this point, which makes
pooping quite painful. So tell her that you're going to give her
medicine to help the poops come out more easily, without hurting. And
then DO give her the suppository! Make sure the thing stays in her
bottom for a full 2-3 minutes before letting her try to poop, as it
needs time to melt and do its thing.


We did use the glycerin last night, but it was something recommended by the
pharmacist, called "Babylax" from Fleet - it's glycerin, but liquid, in a
bulb applicator. No time needed to melt, and it produced a prodigious poop
within ten minutes...and another one this morning. :-) There are 6
suppositories in the pack, so if we need to do this again in a night or two,
we've got enough.


Next, give her plenty of anti-constipating foods AND an oral laxative and
stool softener, for as long as necessary. Continue for at LEAST a
month, so that she becomes accustomed to poops being NOT painful any
longer. Try to get her on a schedule of attempting to poop every
morning and every evening, and reward her for trying. Reward her even
more for succeeding. (We handed out mini marshmellows for success.
Wildly wonderful incentive ...)


We are trying, but the problem is, she's got a Toddler's Food Preferences,
so while she USED to eat some of the things on your (very handy, thanks!)
list, she doesn't like 'em now. I convinced her to eat some raisins today,
after putting them in water & nuking them to plump 'em up a bit - that was
good. :-) We don't like doing the reward/bribe thing, so for now that's out,
but I won't say "never". :-)


Foods that make you go include:

apricots
oily foods (such as fried fish)
whole grains
root veggies (ie mashed sweet potatoes)
fats (butter, cream cheese ...)
seeded berries
juices with nectar

and TONS of fluids.

We had this problem for quite a while, based on a single round of
constipation when our son was quite young. We used an oral stool
softener, the suppository from time to time (usually for several stools
in a row, but then not again for a long time), and we still keep a close
eye on his diet to make sure he consumes lots of those "foods that get
you moving".

It got a lot easier when we were able to enlist his help in this whole
production. He now tells me (at age 6) if he's constipated and asks for
the foods he needs, occasionally medicine too, even though he doesn't
like the taste.

I hope this helps.
--Beth Kevles

Thanks a Lot, Beth! :-) It is nice to know that others have been through
it, and to hear what they/you did about it. My daughter is MUCH Happier
tonite after two poops, and I am hoping we continue from here. Just one more
question - when do you think I could give her rice again? Thanks!

Corinne
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If Momma ain't happy, ain't NObody happy.