How to treat constipation in toddlers?

Our family has this problem it is caused by wheat. it is non celiac gluten/wheat sensitivity. Stop the gluten and wheat and the problem stopped. My grandson, at 2 years old had tons of testing after being told for over a year they had no idea why and was harmless, take miralax and the doctor said he could just take miralax for the rest of his life. When asked if that was actually ok for him (asked his peds gastro) he said no, not good at all. A lot of inflammation is being caused in the gut and that is part of the constipation which can also (often we were told) lead to mega colon which is not good but as the body has a problem with the gluten it is causing inflammation systemically - body wide. Organs, brain etc. Find a good peds gastro and have it thoroughly looked into OR try removing gluten/wheat for a week or tow and see if you see a change.

1 Like

My little stepson suffered terribly from severe constipation normally followed by explosive diarrhea. Meds were short term fix at best. I had switched him over to Apple Juice as his liquid. Unsure if it was the apple or the sugar content but resulted in fairly normal bowel movements

Your child needs to see a pediatric gastroenterologist.

3 Likes

Mine and my nephew problem is irritable bowel

Fleet glycerin suppositories. I’m 52 and have suffered from constipation my entire life. When I was kid my mom used to give me cod liver oil which actually worked. That’s about all you had in the early 70s.

1 Like

How much water does he drink in a day???

I gave mine apple sauce at every meal and they became regular

1 Like

Sounds like you’re doing everything right in his diet …I have to say if I have too much roughage my bowel goes on strike for a few days …regular medication is really not a good idea. It causes the bowel to become dependant on laxatives.
Lots of water and exercise. Massage the stomach and apply heat. Young as he is id still try a few sips of strong coffee

My daughter has to take miralax daily for it talk to your child’s doc8

This sounds exactly like my son. We have to give him miralax daily unfortunately, but that’s the only thing that works. For my son milk seems to help him go especially a little bit of chocolate milk.

Same thing happened to my daughter as an infant they do usually outgrow it she is now 4 and has very little issues now. We had to see a GI doctor and she was on mirlax and I got the pediatrics suppositories it worked well. Along with diet change.

Go back to the peditrician

With a history of twisted intestines I would go to Peds GI (maybe a new Doctor) sooner rather than later

3 Likes

My son had encoperesis for a couple years and is completely better from it now.
We gave him one ex lax every night and two chewable calm magnesium gummies. Look up encoperesis groups here on FB and join, miralax is awful

Take him to see a gastroenterologist.

2 Likes

How much dairy is he/she eating? Bananas?

Milk was in formula or breast milk.

Licorice helps my daughter.

Try probiotic drops and pedialite with probiotics in it.

Yogurt and probiotics for gut health

1 Like

My daughter has always had this problem cut out milk and juice anything sugary really drink mostly water and these smoothies help a lot if he doesn’t like the apple there is a good Strawberry banana one they help my daughter a lot!

Probiotics would be a good start, they may straighten out the good bacteria in his gut and help him get on track
It helped my little one, kept fluids so she stayed hydrated. She was always constipated to the 100th degree

Sip on some chicken broth. Sounds weird but trust me it works!

Lactalose from the pediatrician, my son has spinal issues and that caused some constipation so the doctor gave us that

Chiropractic, less dairy, epsom salt baths, probiotic gummies and lots of water. Good luck mama. We struggle in our house too.

1 Like

I definitely would go see another doctor who can think a little more outside the box. It could very well be too much fiber, it could be an allergy to some type of food it could be a million different things but that is not normal I’m sure you know

I would take him to a pediatric gastroenterologist ASAP if you haven’t done so. My son would not go without a pedia-lax (glycerin suppository) which we did for months…

1 Like

Sounds super weird but prune juice, apple juice and miralax mixed together with melted butter. Doesn’t taste great but if you can get him to drink it, it works.

My 15 year old had this problem. The natural juices you find in the Spanish food aisle. Pear is the best one because of the fiber. Also prunes and prune juice. They make one that is lighter in color and not as harsh, otherwise dilute it a bit. Exercise also helps, like sit ups and leg lifts. Any thing that compresses the belly.

Pear juice gerber brand

‘IF’ your child eats a lot of bananas try and stop giving them so often as they cause bad constipation in children x

Try canned pumpkin puree

First of all you shouldn’t have stopped giving it to him. I have a son that’s been like that as a baby. He’s 6. We do fiber gummies every day. Also pears and grapes help kids poop.

My youngest will be 5 next month and has been like this since he was a baby. Nothing I tried worked and he is in pain constantly and refuses to poop in the potty because it hurts so bad when he poops. He is now in Pelvic Floor Therapy to see if it will help. They look at his muscles around his butt and his reflexes to see if they are working properly. With my son they said he can’t actually poop correctly and pulls his poop back up in instead of pushing it out. It may be something to look into if you have it where you live.

Oranges, orange juice and oatmeal help as well!

1 Like

i thought it was pineapple juice

Your child needs a specialist ASAP! Sounds like a disease I can’t spell called something like hersprungers disease … like a megacolon or slow motility.
You shouldn’t be relying on medicine for a simple bodily function. The worst case scenario is an ostomy but the flip side is no more chronic constipation and no more constant pain.
It can cause toxic megacolon … perforations or even rupture.
This isn’t something to play around with and it drives me batty when doctors make parents go through months and months of struggle when they could have tested for things sooner and alleviated so much suffering

2 Likes

My daughter is 17 months old and she has had 2 intestine surgeries from a blocked intestine so she’s on daily miralax now to make sure her poop doesn’t make her constipated in the future. She has her own specialty GI doctor in a clinic. She has a lung disease called cystic fibrosis that affects her lungs/pancreas and her entire body makes sticky mucus inside that causes her intestines to be prone to blockages. She had a temporary ileostomy where she had to poop in a bag out of her small intestine attached to her stomach for 2 months. Definitely ask for a xray that’s how I found out my daughter had a blocked intestine at 24 hours old. She didn’t poop and she was throwing up bile. Emergency intestine surgery helped her.

Oatmeal. Gentle massage of the tummy and around his anus. Lots of children get constipated because they hold bm due to it hurting.

My son is now in his 30’s and was one of the 1st test patients (youth ) for miralax. He was at the point of taking an adult dosage for a colonoscopy on a daily basis. He was see pediatric gastro doctors and I was at my last straw. He started showing signs at 1 year and to this day he takes ducolax twice a week. He is now in his 30s. Please please get him to a gastro Dr. They will run all types of tests. 1 test they did was for him to digest xray caplets and then have an xray everyday for a week to see the flow of his digestion. They tested him at least 10 times for hershbrans. ( something they are born with) they also tested his spine to make sure no abnormalities. When this mom had enough was 7th grade. We switched doctors and they did 1 test again on the spine and sent him to children’s hospital in Ohio. There they tested his colon. He had sections that did not work.( muscles in colon) they sent him home and our local hospital did a c costomy on him. We irrigated the bowel thru a opening on his stomach. The doctor that did the surgery told me if we had waited our son would have died a horrible death. The tube came out in his senior year and he has no complications with his colon. He uses the ducolax for precautions.
Please don’t stop at one doctor. This could be serious. My sons body could not process without the surgery he had.

If you would like to talk with me please message me. I lived in fear for my son for 12 years. Thank God for putting him in the right drs hands.

3 Likes

Fiber wafers worked for my babies and watered down prune juice.

Pineapple juice. :100:Welch’s grape juice. Jello. Apple juice or apples. Celery. Warm weak tea. And water

Peat Juice is great. Also popcorn with icing sugar, not sure why/hows it works it just does

Kids’ Probiotics and Prebiotics by Intelligent Labs | 6 Billion CFU Chewable Probiotic for Children https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07341HS5R/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_FHHCEMK5VSRE673RV3TD?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

My son. Went through something similar. We started getting him kombucha and mixing it with pear juice, when it was too bad we added a little prune juice. Worked wonders for him, he’s finally back to being regular

Try papaya. Fresh or the pulp - mix with yogurt or freeze juice for pops. It’s better than prune juice

1 Like

One of my son’s has been chronically constipated since he was a month old, he’s now 3. When he was really constipated bad, our pediatrician said it was ok to use pedia-lax suppositories but it’s not something that should be used often at all. We also used miralax. He had a milk protein allergy up until he was 2 years old and it caused allergic colitis. He’s now just really sensitive to lactose, which I’m not surprised since my oldest son and I also are lactose intolerant. I would ask for a referral to a G.I. specialist.

Culturelle kids packet. Add to water. No flavor.

3 Likes

My daughter has taken mirlax and senna. They were okay. She suffers from chronic constipation. Take your child to a gastrointestinal doctor. She now takes 1-2 exlax daily and it really helps. Keep an eye out for kidney infections bc they are a complication to chronic constipation. I did not know that until we were in the er last summer for a week with a kidney infection that didn’t present until full blown. It is terrible to feel so helpless I’m grateful for our team of Dr’s.

My granddaughter was the same way .we used pediatric lax and even had to get pediatric suppositories! Thank goodness she grew out of it !

1 Like

My son did this until he was 6. So I had to give him an enema to completely him cleaned out and he took miralax until he was 6 and he hasn’t had it since and he’s now almost 12. Went to Riley specialist until then too. But when he was little I also stopped giving him the miralax and it wouldn’t work and went to the specialist and they said to give the enema to completely clean out and then do miralax. What also helps in mineral oil. It’s a laxative as well but he helps keeps the lining from making the poop hard… hope this helps

He should be seen by a gastroenterologist, my 10 yr old was born with chronic constipation. Found she has a redundant colon that causes the constipation and now takes miralax daily to help.

My daughter’s Dr had me give her grape juice 2x a day, then children’s Senocot when really bad

My daughter was the same way! We talked to her dr and she suggested murilax maybe ask the dr about? It’s a small amount you dissolve in a drink and it helped her out alottt.

If it’s that bad, please take him to a specialist.

1 Like

Culturell probiotics with fiber. We did mirlax for 2 weeks he started that and he started going everyday. I buy I huge box on amazon

1 Like

Ummm you need to take him to the hospital, he CAN die from that…

My son was constipated until potty trained and it instantly went away.

My 4 year old grandson is that way. He like the Activia vanilla drinks and the Papaya extract pills can do up to 4 a day I think. He will just take those and chew them.

Try putting ground flax seed in his food, it has no flavour, its natural and its better than bran. Fiberous fruits are also good to eat.

I had to take mine to a gastrologist. Was the best thing I ever did honestly he had her completely fixed in a couple months

1 Like

My daughter has been taking a tablespoon of mirilax a day since she was 6 months old. She’s gonna be 2 in a couple months. It’s really frustrating.

I work in the medical field and I agree with others. Please take him to a gastroenterologist. He may actually suffer from poor gut motility. I’d definitely suggest a daily dose of miralax as well. I hope whichever route you choose he gets to feeling better and doesn’t suffer this chronic problem.

A teaspoon of coffee in their milk my GMA swears by it

Put Karo syrup in his water, worked for my daughter.

3 Likes

try a pedia-lax liquid glycerin suppository… could help get things going.

1 Like

Dr first of course. Sunsweet singles prunes sweet and moist I’ve found most kids like them. Definitely doctor.

Dark Karo sugar put good squeeze 3 tablespoons or so in his drinks. :100: helped my son

1 Like

First, use a pedia-lax liquid glycerin suppository to get that baby some relief. Do not do this every day. Just when he is really backed up.
Second, give him a cap full of miralax a day in a cup of water or juice. It will help to make him regular.
Gentle massage of the stomach and a warm bath always helps my daughter who suffers from chronic constipation.
Definitely see a GI doctor and the allergist.

Someone we knew… Their child did… They had to go in and clean him out and he is not allowed to have any milk products at all… Fixed the problem

1 Like

Chiropractor and go dairy free.

I baby sit for a pedestrian. She has a 3 yr old with a problem. She gives her Miralax every morning mixed in her juice or milk. It works

My lo was prescribed by his dr … lactulose and it worked instantly

Don’t give him anymore miralax. It’s not good. Try high fiber foods like edamame, beans and corn. And definitely take to a gastroenterologist…one that doesn’t push miralax.

1 Like

I had the same issue with my son and starting him on a probiotic helped tremendously! I was given a lot of antibiotics before he was born and they say that it can take the good bacteria out of there gut that helps the digestion process at times that our bodies actually need to function the way we need basically.

1 Like

My daughter was on miralax for over a year. I added smarty pants fiber gummies and smarty pants probiotic prebiotic gummies. She’s finally full off miralax. I also used suppositories when needed for emergencies. And lactaid milk. Good luck mama :slightly_smiling_face:

Maybe he should see a gastroenterologist that specializes with children

2 Likes

Sounds like he has an intolerance to something. My son has issues with dairy. It constipated him badly. If we avoid it, he’s ok. See paed for a referral. You need to figure out what it is now and get on top of it before he ends up needing surgery

Karo syrup is what I heard too woodwork my granddaughter she’s seven she complains with her stomach hurting a lot especially when she eats but my daughter was in her boyfriend that knows everything he would get her Pepto bismol and I told him that’s not for that it’s for diarrhea so I think I finally got it through his head my ex stepson my ex-husband told me when he was a month old he would throw up every time he ate anything or drink anything at a month old CPS got called on I’m thinking they were doing something to it then they finally got the doctor that know what he was doing and told them that his intestines were twisted and he had to have surgery so I would try something to get it fixed I’ll be praying for you and hope that he gets it fixed

1 Like

My daughter was similar but she was holding it, she is 3, we took her to a gastro and he said give her an adult enema 3 days in a row and up her dose of miralax to an adult dose as well and it really worked! Maybe your little guy just still has more that hasn’t passed yet! Good luck

1 Like

I had that when I was younger
My parents gave me a tablespoon of mineral oil before bed every night

Pediatric glycerin suppositories

Apple/prune juice

Apple sauce

My 5 year old does :sob::sob: we’re trying to change her whole diet

Warm water and syrup daily or molasses

Please here me out! We have experience in this area!!! Raspberries raspberries and more raspberries, in smoothies, muffins, however you can get them to eat them! They are very high in fibre!

My daughter was never that bad I’m very sorry to hear that! What I did was nice mirlax with her chocolate milk but I stopped using cow milk and use almond milk and now I just give her almond Mille and lay off the lactose a lot

I’d cut out anything that can plug him up and add more fruit if possible. Cut up grapes and prunes along with some real apple juice may help .

Try actual prunes instead of prune juice and if you keep him hydrated I’d definitely use sepositories. I’m sorry I know that’s spelled wrong. I’ll send a pic they work wonders but you must keep him hydrated with water or juice just anything let him keep drinking liquids!

These are what I used for my daughter but any kind will work!

Pediatric gastroenterologist.

Pediatric gastro Dr ASAP & get her pediatrician to call the allergist & explain how severe the situation is & see if they can see her sooner.

1 Like

I’ve been told dark Karo syrup and milk heated up helps .

1 Like

My son was born with a perforated anus. ( very small anus)
My son would cry and scream over his constipation. It broke my heart!
Many trips to the emergency room for suppositories and enemas. Which only worked for a short time. He has lived with this since birth, he is 17 now.

With a change in his diet, no dairy whole grains, and a ton of water. It helped but he still had problems.
He has been on restoralax for a few years now and he is perfect. He has regular poops and his tummy isn’t always hurting.
It’s a over the counter powder you mix into water, no taste at all. And it works with your body’s water to soften the stool naturally.

Has worked wonders for us.
Hope you find relief for your kiddo.

When my toddler gets like that, I massage the large intestines from left to right to help move the poop for her. Sometimes those muscle dont work like they should too. I agree with the other moms but I know of a young girl who had to have surgery just to a do number 2 bc of her smooth muscles in the intestines track not working.

Our doctor said that if you use miralax you have to use senna too. You need to go see a pediatric gastroenterologist, they help tremendously and will get them on a bowel program that actually works!!

I don’t have any recommendations but I do want to point out that too much fiber can actually cause constipation as well. Good luck momma💖

One teaspoon of dark Kayro syrup every other day.

A cup of apple juice a day keeps my baby regular.

It’s treatable with castor oil. Makes his colon “slippery” and will allow the distended colon to heal up and resume normal operations.

Does he drink enough water ? If not try getting him to drink more water. It helps sometimes. An if that doesn’t work I know Taco Bell usually does t he trick for most ppl. Might have to make sure he doesn’t have Polyps in his intestines my little sister did when she was young Milk of magnesia I think it’s called is what my mom used an some type of cracker that’s supposed to help also

1 Like

My son takes miralax pretty regularly :sweat: he’s a good problem and doesn’t really eat much so his tummy gets all sort of out of wack it helps a lot but your baby has to be hydrated for it to work we do water mix with half Gatorade

1 Like

Make him drink 100% prune juice