# Mom 4 yr old Chronic Constipation



## piddpcdmom (Feb 5, 2009)

My 4 1/2 year old son has been chronically constipated since he was on solid foods. Treatment for constipation started at 8 months old. He has has lab tests including for celiac and food allergies - negative, MRI back, endoscopy, bronchoscopy, anal menometry, abdominal & dorsal xrays, kidney ultrasounds, etc. He has been given Miralax, magnesium citrate, dulcolax tablets, suppositories, enemias (previously 1 mth preventatively), etc. Outcome was functional constipation (no anatomical issues or diagnostic issues). It's to the point Miralax barely works at max dose. Suffers from back pain and urinary incontinence due to abdominal pressure from constipation. Doctors basically say treat symptoms - deal with it. Until I saw IBS symptoms can be chronic constipation I was losing hope for my child. I have even considered the Specific Carbohydrate Diet even though he has no psychological/behavioral issues. I hate to see him suffer continuously. If anyone has thoughts or ideas to help all would be greatly appreciated.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Have they ruled out Hirschprung's Disease?Here is some info:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hirschprung's_disease(I saw this on Mysterious Diagnosis on TLC with a little guy. In that show this guy would eventually be able to pass some stool and so the initial Doc's dismissed him having Hirschsprung's because he could pass some. Their thinking had been it can't be Hirshsprung's if the boy could pass stool. But another Pediatric Gastro diagnosed him with Hirschprung's.I'm so sorry your lil guy is suffering like this. My heart goes out to you and him."Deal with it"??? the Doctor's said? Nice.That's unconscionable. What did they offer if the Miralax @ _Max_ dose isn't working? What else did they say to try?They surely can't mean he must sit and suffer. So I'd be pressing them for other options... or..If you feel they are _not_ guiding you well enough with this.. please consider having another Pediatric GI specialist review your son' case. There is no reason that you should feel you are on your own with this. And if the Miralax is now no longer working... they should be offering you alternatives. Also..Have you been able to see a Nutritionist yet with him? They may be able to help you with diet ideas.BQ


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## allyjellybelly (Aug 16, 2005)

Who needs Psychological issues to go on the Specific Carb Diet???It was originally devised to help Celiac sufferers recover, then Elaine Gottschall who revived the diet used it to help her little girl who had UC, recover - it in fact is beneficial for anyone with any kind of health issue whether obviously digestive or not.I have been on the diet for 10 months after my digestion collapsed and gluten free was not the whole answer. I have gone from hardly being able to eat anything to being able to eat most of the foods on the diet. I no longer have IBS, I rarely suffer with the raging restless legs I used to get unless I have eaten something my digestion can't cope with, I sleep much better, I have more energy, my diabetes is better controlled and the peripheral neuropathy is a thing of the past - oh and I am gradually waving bye-bye to the Candida. The terrible fatigue I experienced for years - even to the point that I would be so tired I could willingly have laid down in the street, and which I now realise was due to my beleaguered digestion, is much better as I am not eating foods that are challenging it all the time.The BTVC website is a good resource as also is 'Pecanbread' - designed for kids with Autism, but full of useful info for anyone, child or adult, with many and varied health issues. If you have ANY kind of health issue the SCD is well worth trying - but just note - you have to be very disciplined or it won't work. If you allow 'non-legal' foods to creep in you are keeping the intestinal damage going.It also is not an 'overnight sensation'. Just as health issues can often take years to become apparent, they can also take some time to remedy. Most people see some benefits within the first few weeks but other issues can take a year, or two, or even more to heal. I don't know about you, but as far as I am concerned even slow progress is better than no progress.As Elaine was oft fond of quoting - "We must never forget that what the patient takes beyond his ability to digest does harm." Dr. Samuel Gee


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