Need Suggestion

My daughter was very compacted (colon and large intestine filled with hard stool) and if we gave her some Miralax it seemed like she had diahhrea. The GI specialist we finally saw after 3 months of cramps and hard then loose stool explained the following. Your stomach breaks down the food and adds liquid so all the food in your small intestines is liquid until it gets to the beginning of the large intestine. If your large intestine is full of hard poop, eventually the liquid from the small intestines can seep by and make it seem like you have diahhrea but you are actually still compacted. Our GI doctor put my daughter on a 2 day clean out regimen similar to when you have to undergo a colonoscopy, then on a maintenance dose of Miralax for a month when we saw her again. We saw our pediatrician 3 times in 3 months and she recommended more liquids, some miralax, even put my daughter on 2 weeks of Prilosec all without much improvement. The GI specialist diagnosed her right away and took some x-rays and addressed the real problem. I would see your pediatrician and if the advice seems like it will not help ask for a referral to a Gastro Interologist.
PS: many kids become constipated when they switch from diapers to potty and start withholding going to the potty until their body can no longer really hold it.

If he "cannot stop his stool or potty" -- and you mean that he is having large, runny stools -- he has diarrhea, not constipation, and you should take him to the doctor today. He may be getting dehydrated, even if he appears to be acting fine and is eating sufficiently. But you also say "he tried hard but only a little came out." So the post is extremely confusing -- does he have stools he can't stop (diarrhea) or is nothing coming out in spite of his efforts to poop (constipation)?

It sounds from your post as if you are very confused about the difference between diarrhea and constipation and you must get your doctor to teach you the difference and what to do for each. Diarrhea can very quickly make a child seriously ill so you need to understand what it is and how to treat it and when to get to a doctor and NOT handle it by yourself. You do not have to do this alone!

Please see your pediatrician today. Don't wait for answers from us here on Mamapedia. I think you need to communicate with a doctor or nurse face to face so your concerns are made clearer than they are here. For your son's sake, please talk to someone and have him checked out.

I think that you need to start a list for a week. What you have fed him and given him to drink - what time and how much. When the poops started and what they were like. Have your doctor's appointment made, and take this list in.

Tell the doc you have to have help. If he doesn't seem to be much help, ask him to refer you to a specialist.

If he is having loose stool, it is probably making his bottom very sore. Put vaseline or Desitin on it to help his botttom.

I'm so sorry,
Dawn

i guess it depends largely on what you mean by 'eating properly.' a healthy child with no other issues and a good diet (plenty of water, fiber etc) should not be having this issue. you say you went to the doctor 'once' when he was constipated. everything really wasn't fine if he became sick and dull and weak.
i think you need to go back to the doctor, with a detailed list of what your son's diet involves. i'll bet this can be fixed nutritionally. but if not, you still need a doctor's help and advice.
khairete
S.

Google it. I have no idea. Sounds serious though. God's speed.

C.:

Okay - I'm having trouble understanding your post. This is what I read.
1. Your son is almost 3 years old.
2. He is still using a diaper or pull-up.
3. He cannot hold his bowel movement or urination.
4. He was constipated once and you took him to the doctor, they gave him an enema (not sure on this because you say everything came out fine).
5. After this constipation episode, he got very sick - weak, etc.
6. NOW he is fine with the exception of the bowel movement/urination thing.

Here's what I would do.
I would keep a log for the next month of his routine, down to food he eats, urination and bowel movements, sleeping - including naps - and document his reactions to food, etc.

Diarrhea happens when the body is trying to expel something...as to the urine? not sure if he might have a muscle problem that keeps him from holding his urine in.

After one month of tracking, make the doctor's appointment, bring in your log and discuss with the doctor what to do...maybe he has food allergies or sensitivities??? I don't know. I do know the urination thing would trouble me.