4 Year Old with Constipation

My three year old nephew has the same issues. He takes the Miralax, but his mom also has to do a suppository weekly to help him go. Good luck I hope it gets better.

Does he like apples, lettuce, or broccoli, Those are all good scources of fiber. Just start watching daily that he gets a good intake of fiber from some of the above and drinks water. That should help, it helped with my daughter.

Did he just start on the Miralax? It will probably take a day or so to kick in. You might try giving him apple juice and you could mix it with some prune juice. We do that for our daughter (she used to have the same problem). Being constipated is no fun for them (or anyone)...I hope he gets over it soon!

I guess this isn't something that a lot of people know but pineapple is also a natural laxative. The fresher the better. You really have to be careful that you don't give him too much though because it is high in acid as well so could irritate his tummy if he gets too much. You can also get pineapple juice which tastes a lot better than prune juice to help prevent the problem in the future. I also have to be really careful with cherry juice but I think that is just me. My hubby doesn't have a problem with it.

Ellie is also on Miralax and I'll say it took a good two days to start working. Make sure the dose is high enough, too. (They always dose on the lower end so they don't cause explosions...!) Prune and apple juice (Gerber sells a combo juice of this), Pear nectar, molasses, Karo (dark), and suppositories if all else fails (my lifesavers!- gross, I know.)

My 4 year old has struggled with constipation since she was a baby. She cries because it hurts so much when she goes. I haven't found alot of foods that she will eat that helps her. We use Miralax, give it a couple more doses it should work. Also, if we forget a dose or she is just having an extra "hard" time I give her babylax. It's a little bulb of glycerine and helps lubricate and "break down" the poo. We tried the other types of supposities (i don't think i spelled that right) but this is the one that works best for us. She hates it but it really helps her out, crying for a minute because we give it to her or crying for hours trying to go.

I have had this problem all my life. I have learned that a lot of things need to happen....

Much more walking and exercise. In fact, a 5 mile walk will get me moving within hours.

A lot more liquid.

A great deal of fiber and plenty of liquid with it.
Soups help for both the fiber and the liquid. You can hide all sorts of fibrous veggies in it. Also there are fiber additives that will act as a light thickener, add fiber without even noticing them flavor wise.

Laxatives don't work for me unless I down 3-4 times the recommended dose. I've had doctors tell me it's ok to do that. But when I did, I only found out the next time I needed more. I saw myself becoming addicted to them and never used them again.

I have IBS with constipation. So anxiety and stress play a key role here. Try playing soothing music for your son at bedtime and naps if he ever takes them. If he doesn't take a nap try and get him a quiet time of the day to calm him. Even if you think he can't be that stressed, don't count on it. My 8 year old already has IBS with diarrhea.

Will your son eat shredded wheat cereal? I suggest getting some rice milk and putting it over shredded wheat if he will eat it. That cereal is high in fiber and the rice milk is less likely to cause related tummy problems. It's hard to say if milk sensitives will go in one direction or the other. He could have a sensitivity and you wouldn't even know it.

Suzi