My 8 year old daughter has had a constipation issue since she was a toddler. There are times when she says her stomach hurts, and we normally associated that with her constipation problem. The last two times we've had this problem, she has gone to the bathroom, but continues to say her stomach hurts at every meal. She is fine all the way up until it's time to eat. Then she says her stomach hurts. I associate this to anxiety that she is afraid if she eats she will get a stomach ache. I can't seem to make her understand that if she doesn't eat her stomach will hurt too. She's been to the doctor already, and i have the same answers for treatment as far as fiberous foods, etc. I beginning to think there's more to it then just constipation. I do have an appointment with a peidatric gastroenterloligist, but we aren't able to see him until next week. I just need some advice as I am getting increasingly frustrated with the situation, which makes me angry with my daughter, and I know that's not fair. HELP!!
S.
Try miralax. My cousin has the same problem and she takes it daily to help keep everything "softer".
Christa
Hey S., Have you ever thought she may have allergies. I know my nephew had a lot of stomach aches and would not each very well. They found out he had a milk allery. Their are some really good teat out now for kids that are just blood tests. Just a though. good luck
My niece had this same problem for a long time. After the first doctors recommended Benefiber and prescriptions, her parents took her to an allergist and determined that she has a sensitivity to wheat and eggs. The sensitivity was causing her bowels to become inflamed and any bowel movements were horribly painful. As soon as those things were eliminated from her diet, she was a completely different child! Good luck!
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My daughter is 4 now and had the same type of issues. I tried everything from cutting out dairy, adding more fiber, cutting out wheat etc!! Went to the doctor and told me it was the same thing they told you. Just to keep her hydrated and wait till she goes and eventually she'll grow out of it. A friend of mine mentioned giving her vitamins everyday with fish oil. It toke me awhile to find some with fish oil but I found some at walmart and she takes 4 everyday and I try to keep her well hydrated and lots of exercise and she does wonderful now. I know every child is different, but it toke a couple of weeks for her system to sort of get used to it and get cleaned out. She even had some blood in her stools but after that short time, she's been doing great since! Good luck to her, I know how painful it is to watch your child and feel like there's nothing you can do for her!
S.,
Its got to be some sort of food thing.
Dairy is a common culprit - if you haven't already, try taking it all out of her diet. Another common culprit is artificial sweetners. Sounds weird, but it's true. I had a big problem with Splenda and it took me forever to figure out! But it could also be aspartamene (sp?) or others. If its something like that - it is sooooo simple. I feel for your daughter. Good for you for not just saying "it is what it is" and trying to figure it out!
My 9-year-old daughter is the same. She's been complaining since the end of the school year that her stomach hurts when she eats. She's been tested (by an Integration Doctor) for IgA allergy/intolerance to gluten, egg, milk, and soy, and the tests came back negative.
I myself have a severe intolerance to gluten, so when I was tested for Celiac, I had her tested as well; she's negative.
She also has suffered from constipation since she was two. We have a generic Miralax I give her, along with Benefiber so her colon has enough fiber, but that still doesn't seem to be enough. I want to get her tested for more food allergies/intolerances, but since the conventional doctors and even the specialists in allergy/asthma/immunology won't test unless she has a severe reaction, that leaves me with having the Integration Doctor test her, which means the lab test comes out of my own pocket; it's not cheap. But she gets tested as soon as I can afford it.
What I've done in the meantime is I've been giving her a really, really good digestive enzyme before she eats her meal. That seems to have helped quite a bit. The really good ones that work are found either at Whole Foods or Trader Joes or a compounding pharmacy or from an Integration Doctor/natureopathic doctor. Don't buy them at a drugstore or a supermarket; they're not worth the money.
If your daughter hasn't been tested, make sure you have her tested for at least the 8 most common food allergies/intolerances: soy, milk, gluten, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, (and I can't remember the last two==look up on Internet, it'll tell you.). You'd be surprised how eating food(s) that your body can't tolerate can affect how you feel.
I've been going through this same issue for both myself and my daughter, so I know exactly how you feel as a mom and how frustrating it can be. It's not her fault; you just need to find why her stomach hurts. Many doctors will give up; you need to perservere until you find the cause. Don't be surprised if you need to see an Integration Doctor or even a natureopathic doctor before you get some answers. Conventional doctors are not geared to look for nutritional problems; it's not what they're taught in Med School.
Good luck.
You've gotten a lot of suggestions that I agree with: smaller meals, eliminating dairy, etc. I would also ask if your daughter is getting enough regular exercise. Daily exercise will help with both constipation and anxiety.
I would give your daughter a children's probiotic supplement daily. These are the good bacteria in the stomach and help with practically everything digestive related, and it is not just a quick fix drug. Also, I know a lot of folks who get gassy and have stomach issues with too much fiber, it can actually be quite difficult to digest. When she does have fiber, make sure she has water too, this is essential, or she'll be in for some major bloating. Good luck and like other people have written, watch for her reacting to certain foods, an allergy could be very likely.
I suggest you find someone in your area s
that is a consultant for Arbonne International. They have a product called Herbal Colon Cleanse that would help. At a class I attended (I am and Independent Consultant) a woman said she gave 1/2 a tablet to her 3 yr old who had not had a bowel movement for 9 days and said she woke the next morning and went to the bathroom and was great! The product is not labeled for child use but you can use your own judgement. All of their products are plant based and this would be a better resolution than meds, i think. Good Luck!
My niece took MiraLax for years, toddler thru today (she just turned 6yrs) it use to be by RX only but now you can pick it up OTC. I am now pregnant and have been taking it daily for the past 3 months. Nothing worked for me during my other 2 pregnancies. Both my niece's pediatrician and my ob say it's fine for continued use. It isn't a stimulant so it doesn't cause any pain or cramping. It just helps things move along very well!!!
I wish the best for you and your daughter. May the gasto doc will have more idea's for you.
M.
if constipation is the main culprit, miralax is recommended. i give my two year old it regularly. it is safe and can be given long term. this will make her bm's easier to pass then in turn make her more comfortable to go and not get backed up which is probably why she get's a tummy ache. try the miralax in the mean time and certainly go to the gastro doc. it might be an intolerance to food of some sort. good luck.
We have gone through major constipation issues at our house too and I know it's not fun. We ended up taking our 18 month old to a pediatrician who recommended Miralax. Back then (this was several years ago) it was by prescription only, but now it is over the counter. In fact I just bought some to give to our little 4 month old as I'm switching him to formula and having constipation issues. It is good for infants through adults and has done wonders for us with both kids that had problems. Good luck!!
It could be that she suffers from IBS and eating a large meal will cause it to flair up. I would suggest trying giving her small frequent meals for awhile and see if that helps. And you are right it might be anxiety knowing that if she eats her stomache will hurt. The small frequent meals will help with it. I know it will be an inconvenience but it really does help.
My son also had constipation problems when he was five years old. I gave him Miralax every morning with his milk, and he didn't even know it. I would try Miralax in her morning drink just a small scoop and that will soften the stool enough to not be painful. With time she will lose her fear on going to the bathroom, but in the meantime keep pushing meals and don't give into her fears. Once she figures out everything is okay it will get better.
Hello!
I can understand your frustration! I would suggest going to a local health food store "Terry Naturally" - is great with really knowledgable and trained employees and share with them what is going on. I would guess they would recommend a probiotic - but possibly a few other ideas that would help assist naturally.
Sure hope your daughter is feeling better soon!
Warmly,
M.
My daughter had horrible constipation and refusal to poop which led her to be completely bound up and a visit to the emergency room. They put her on miralax and we had to poop retrain her. It was horribly frustrating and she still hates eating high fiber foods and eats very few fruits and veggies but she is pooping. I have my whole story on my website because it was horrible and much longer than I want to write on this space. http://momlifestyle.com/?p=199
Maybe try taking her to the chiropractor. My son was terribly constipated as an infant (went 8 days without going). After a few visits at the chiropractor, he started going 2-3 times per day. He is now almost 2 and is still going 2-3 times per day. Also, make sure she is getting plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. I have heard that miralax works great also. Good luck!
Hi S.-
If the fiber is NOT helping it could be the cause. Look into food intolerances. Try eliminating dairy for a week and see if that is the issue. If nothing changes in one week, then look to other foods. We have a gluten/wheat intolerance in our house. Many digestive issues are caused by wheat and gluten. Once the food is removed, the digestive issues disappear! You can learn more about wheat/gluten intolerance at www.celiac.com
Since removing wheat and gluten in our house the chronic constipation and stomach ache issues are gone. We no longer have a supply of fiber and laxatives in our medicine chest!!
Really the only thing is diet. Sometimes kids drink or eat too much sugar and that will affect them. Also, for me I have to stay almost completely away from dairy. Some people are just really sensitive to dairy. Hopefully that helps. Also, lots and lot of water.
Hi S.,
had similar problem as a child. Could also be allergies. Fiber, water and relaxation. I take fiberwise from Melaleuca. I have had quite the problem, they even thought it was my appendix at one point. I'm doing ok now. When my son was an infant and had issues they also had me massage his abdomen.
good luck
S.
My daughter was diagnosed with abdominal migraines at age 5 and it lastet 3 years. They are caused by the same problems as headaches that end up in your head, but it happens in the stomach. She is now 8 and rarely gets them anymore. It did seem to happen when she was physically exhausted, stressed or didn't eat enough. We got a drs note for her to get a morning snack and an afternoon snack at school and that helped a lot. She eats tiny amounts frequently throughout the day. They think hers may be associated with low blook sugar. They are more common in girls than boys. Tylenol, hot baths and heating pads helped some. It has been tough but, as the doctor predicted, she is outgrowing them. Many pediatricians aren't even aware of this problem. Send me a message if you'd like the name of our pediatrician. Good luck.
Food sensitivities are everywhere right now. You might want to look into that. A naturopath might be helpful or I know Carol Lipschultz (chiropractor) in St. Paul tests for different food sensitivities. Traditional U.S. medicine seems to be behind the curve in regard to these things. Or, since so many people are suffering from wheat or gluten (dairy would probably be 3rd) intolerances, you might just want to cut those things out and see if it makes a difference...? Or, I can see it being anxiety too. I hope you figure it out & she feels better soon!
I just want to suggest Benefiber. My daughter has had problems almost since birth and since we started using it she's been regular all around. Also, maybe don't push eating meals but snacks for the time being. It might be the pressure to eat and the anxiety of what's to come that's getting her worked up. Hope she feels better soon.
