14 Month Old Is Constipated

Is he on a supplement? The formula was supplemented so he probably got what he need to keep things moving. I have a wonderful product to recommend if you want suggestions. Good look, G. Chambers

My doctor recomended the mineral oil thing when my daughter was around 14 months too. I beleive it was one teaspoon in one glass of juice or milk per day for a couple of weeks. I never did it. I got her the plum smart juice and let her drink a cup of that a day. Seemed to help get things moving better. Plums, peaches, and graham crackers have a anti-constipative effect as I seem to recall too. We also discovered my daughter, as is my older son are lactose inolerant, so no cow's milk...we chose rice milk at that age, plus as much fiber filled crackers, fruits, veggies, etc. Oh yeah, Kashi Crackers, the multi grain ones seemed to help with that kind of thing too. Poor little guy, hope he feels better soon, and I hope this helps

I would mix apple prune juice (gerbers baby juice) in with the formula or milk. I think 2-4 oz juice to an 8 oz. bottle. It separates a bit funny, so you need to shake it up well. Never heard of mineral.

Try a pedialax enema or a children's enema try a tummy massage. Bicycle his legs feel his tummy lay him down.

My oldest son (21 months) is exactly the same way, except he's been constipated from birth. Here are a few things we've tried.
1. Juice (apple juice is not binding) either straight or watered down. If he doesn't like apple, he might like pineapple, pear, or berry. Just make sure it has fiber (baby juices don't, regular juices do) and that it's 100% juice.
2. A few tablespoons of mineral oil in yogurt or another food or drink he likes should work well. Do this every day until he goes. You can find it in near the laxatives. It is tasteless and odorless, but I recommend putting it in a smooth food like yogurt because of its oily feel.
3. Sometimes just a little anal stimulation is needed. Try using the tip of a baby glycerin suppository with a little KY jelly on it. You don't need to actually give him the suppository, just open the anus a little with the tip of it. Lay him on his changing table with his knees to his chest (which will also help him push)and gently pull the anus open with one hand while moving just the tip of the suppository around the anus. You may need to enlist some help to hold and comfort your son.
4. We finally ended up using Miralax (on doctor's instructions). We started using 1 tsp. dissolved in juice every day. Talk to your doctor about what dosage is right for your son if you go this route.
5. Many people put karo syrup in a drink. We tried it once, but my son wouldn't drink it.

As far as the picky eating, as long as he's growing as he should and you keep offering a variety of foods, he'll eventually come around. If you're concerned about it, ask your doctor at the next visit if his growth is on track.

Hope this helps.

We give my son, 16 months old, prune juice when he becomes constipated and it helps. Good luck.

L.

There is an infant laxative from "Little Tummies" that I've used occasionally on my son when all of our regular natural remedies don't work (prunes/prune juice, Karo syrup, etc.). I'm always hesitant to give my babies medications, but this works great and you only use a minimal amount. He gags at any dropper in his mouth, so I add it to his water in a sippy which works great.

good luck!

I yogurt works well for my kids. I get the kids yogurt from Aldi and that works great. Also the new Danon yogurt for regularity works well too. Add a little flax seed to it if you think that isn't doing to trick. And frosted shredded mini wheats from Aldi have a lot of fiber and do a great job too.

My 14m old is the same way. I give her diluted prune juice with a little POM juice mixed in it. If he'll eat oatmeal, mix in a tsp of grounded flax seeds, which is amazing and high in fiber and omega 3's. Yes, probiotics does work, a really great brand is called FloraBaby by renew life and can be found at www.smartbomb.com Not all probiotics are created equal...Renew Life has no fillers or additives. Give this to him before bed with his fluids. Best on an empty stomach so it can work through the evening.

Also a warm bath in the evening, pouring water on his tummy and doing a massage starting at the right hip bone working clockwise in the flow of the digestive track.

Good luck,
J. W. MPH
Lifestyle and Wellness Consultant

Do not put mineral oil in his drinks. This should only be recommended by a physician as it could cause diarrhea which could in turn cause dehydration leading to an ER visit. Try natural foods first. Fig Newtowns work well. Also, watch the amount of dairy that you give your son as dairy can be very constipating. To reduce little fissures that are a result from straining with bowel movements...I would always use a little bit of olive oil on a Qtip to keep the anus moisturized and sometimes this can even stimulate a bowel movement. Good luck.

I haven't read the other responses, but soft pears or baby food pears, blueberries (my son likes them frozen), and baby food prunes or prune juice work for us. Hope this helps.

K.,
We had the same problems with my daughter and it was horrible. We saw a holistic chiropractor and he suggested to give her powdered vitamin C. We mixed a tsp a day into her juice or milk and it regulated her quickly. The good thing is that we could give it to her everyday to avoid further problems and it was a natural remedy. I believe that you can find it at Whole foods but it can be tricky to find. I've had to ask for help before. Good luck!

this is so common because kids love binging foods. I always tell parents to remember the 3 F's fiber fluid and fitness. Anything with a P can help as well- peaches, pears, prunes etc... if worse come to worse their is a childrens miralax now over the counter and just take 1 capful mixed with 8 oz of any fluid and do that daily until he has his blowout. it is harmless so you could continue to give it to him regularly increase or decrease as needed.

My mom's a nurse and always recommended the BRAT (Bread, rice, apples, tea) diet for diahhrea. So, I'm thinking that apple juice would compound your problem, not help. My little guy has issues like this and a couple of things work. The age old classic prunes. Also, massage the tummy muscles, have him do bicycle kicks with his legs and have him bring his legs into his chest. If all else fails, you may have to use a suppository.

I would stay away from mineral oil because if aspirated into the lungs it can really damage the child's lungs. I also used prunes mixed in cereal though I never thought of chocolate pudding. I suppose that would really do the trick for a picky eater. Also stick to foods with whole grains. Read labels and check the fiber content.

Hi K.! Our daughter had the same problem and our dr. recommended Benefiber. It's tasteless and can mix right in with the food they eat. Check with your dr. first to see what they say and how much to give him. The other thing that has helped a bunch is she started drinking MonaVie which is a 100% fruit juice that has 19 different fruits in it so is loaded with fiber. Hope that helps and you find something to help your little one!

Both my child's doctor and my sister's gave their okay to give our babies Dark Karo Syrup in their bottle when the babies had trouble not going to the bathroom for a few days. The doctors okayed this when the babies were only a month old. My doctor recommended a 4 to 1 ration in regard to the amount of syrup to put in the bottle (i.e. 1oz syrup with 4 oz formula). You might want to check with your own child's doctor to see if he or she would approve Dark Karo syrup. It always took care of the problem with my own child and my sister's kids. Hope this helps. :)

I would use just a dropper of karo syrup or about 1 tsp. put it way back in the mouth and give like you would give tylenol. I would also add pureed prunes wherever possible. If he is really picky use recipes that incorporate extras. You can hide alot of fruits and veggies in things. Also remeber a child never starved with food in front of them so if there is something they need to eat for their health put it there every meal. It does take alot of introductions for a child to think it is normal to eat certain things. It is a learning process. The karo worked for us when things got stopped up however.

K....All of these things are good ideas. Both of my sons had constiptation for one reason or another and I gave them prune juice. And when that didnt work I called the dr who told me to do the suppositories. But I wouldnt do anything until you call the dr so he/she can note it in your sons record that he was having trouble using the bathroom. Good Luck.

Prune juice! Just add a couple of teaspoons/tablespoons (it's good for you, so more is better than less, at least until the 1st softened stool is passed) his favorite juice or even milk. We had to add 1 tsp of prune juice to every bottle for our daughter when she was on formula. It works wonders & you'll definitely have a much happier baby, bc he'll be comfortable! That's been my experience :) Good luck!

Apple juice is binding!! There are so many natural ways to help with this issue, please stay away from prescriptions, or over the counter remedies. Prunes are an excellent solution, and fun for kids if they like the taste. Prune juice is the best, but if they don't like the taste, you can mix it with root beer, cherry pop, which disguises the flavor. One of the best tasting remedies is pineapple, either slices, juice, everyday, has a natural enzyme which helps to break down food. Why people buy all those enzymes at health food stores is beyond me, when food products have the greatest content, and is so much cheaper. Scientists discovered that hair balls in rabbits/cats can be dissolved using pineapple. Its also a great meat tenderizer. And I'm just a 'stay at home' mom.

prune puree mixed in with whatever eg. rice cereal works as does metamucil wafers.

Hi--My son has been constipated on and off since he was little. It's not due to milk--I think it's just the way he is. I have two suggestions, first, when we have him eat dried apricots every day (2 or 3), he becomes pretty regular. My husband once gave him 8 or 9 and he pretty much exploded the next day! My other suggestion is Miralax. We sometimes put a small amount in whatever he is drinking. I'd ask your doctor about that though for dosage (or the pharmacist). When my son first started using Miralax it was prescription only--now it's over the counter. I've also heard that pear nectar works. It's yummy too. Good luck!

We had the same problem a few months back with our little one. I actually tried Pedia-Lax Liquid Glycerin Suppositories. It says they work within an hour... however, it actually made our little one poop within 5 minutes. I really like this product because there is a guard on the suppository that will not let you insert it past a certain point. Hope this helps...

T.

Dear K., I would stick with the Apple juice or Prune juice. Any time my kids were constipated I gave them either juice and that would help alot. Also keep pushing alot of liquids. Hope that helps.

I had a son that had this same problem, but I nursed him. After I stopped, he was constipated for a long time. We fought, we cried, we tried doctors. They prescribed powder laxatives. It was horrible. It continued (sorry to say) from the time he was about 2 to grade school. He would go weeks without relieving the problem and when he did, just an idea, have a knife and a plunger handy.
We tried juice, water, everything. I'd talk to the doctor again and see what they think. I think he finally outgrew it (he's 22), but after a certain age, I stopped asking him.

You are doing right, but add one thing. Try babies magic tea. It did great for my constipated baby.

My niece had similar constipation issues as a tot and is now 6 years old and taking benefiber daily to maintain a healthy regularity. When she was a toddler though, her mom would mix up stage 1 baby food prunes with chocolate pudding. All she tasted was chocolate *and most picky eaters I know don't have a problem with sweets* and it helped tremendously to get things moving along. Good luck!

K.,
All I have to say is, infant acidophilous!. My MIL is into health foods and wholistic healing, but I am not. I know that this stuff works for cold sores, healing them from the inside out! We have giving my son infant acidophilous, since he was 6 weeks old(he is now 18 months)! He has NEVER been constipated and poops at least 3 times a day. Doc says it is fine. Acidophilous is the active live cultures that are used in yogurt. We give my son a 1/2 teaspoon in his morning milk 3 times a week, but you can give it every day if needed. We usually give him yogurt as a snack on the days we do't give him the acidophilous. Seeing is believing with this and as I said before, I never believed in wholistic medicine. This stuff works great. It is all natural, no worries mom!
Let me know of you try it and how it worked for you!
K.
P.S. We us Udo's Choice or Natran. GNC would probably have it
but we get it at a store called Fruitful Yield.

Try giving him warm water to drink. It really helps. After my second c-section I had a "problem" with constipation. That is what the nurse at the hospital told me to do and it helped to get things going. I also do this for my older son who has a problem with constipation (he's six) HTH
S.

My 4 y/o we would give mineral oil, just a teaspoon or so, once a day BUT since we started giving him a little bit of probiotic instead he has become very regular. Wanted to add, he stays at my MIL's part time and she started the mineral oil and I stopped the use of it with probiotics because I didn't want him taking mineral oil.

Obviously this is a little guy, so try the natural way first. My daughter had this, and so have several of my daycare kids. Some pediatircians are actually saying that the apple juice is binding and to stay away from it. Our pediatrician suggested nectar fruits (peaches, apricots, pears, etc.) are the way to go. I know that Dominicks sells soda sized cans of these juices. I tried diluting the juice at first, but found that was not strong enough. Prune juice is another option. However, it is usually for severe cases of constipation, and it work rather quickly and more abruptly. You can also make sure that he is getting enough water during the day. Maybe set aside a sippy cup in the morning of 5 oz. of water and make sure he drinks most of it by the end of the day. Another suggestion is that he might not tolerat cow's milk. You might want to try soy milk or another option like that. This constipation issue is becoming more and more visible in the younger kids. There should be lots of helpful information out there for you. Good luck!

I had to give my kids Karo Syrup. When they were on formula and off (for a while). They all ate their veggies and fruits. I would mix it in their milk. My daughter was a tough one. We tried everything from Karo Syrup, suppositories, Mineral Oil, etc. I did offer them prunes too. Eventually, she started going better. Good luck a constipated child is no fun.

A lot of responders sent you a lot of dietary options, which is great. I had a patient that suffered from 6 weeks to 9 years of age. She had tried all of the mentioned solutions. It turns out we worked with her spine, specifically the area that transfers messages to her intestines, and her body regulated itself. We did not have to make any diet changes. I am a pediatric chiropractor, call the office or find one near you www.icpa4kids.org.
In Health,
Dr. J.
###-###-####

Hi K.,
Constipation is a sign of digestive issues. I would urge you to get your son on a pro-biotic. We use Flora life, Flora bear from Whole Foods. You can also make your own by following the instructions on the body ecology website. My son has had issues with pooping forever. We've been on the Body Ecology Diet for 3 months now and he's pooping twice a day. I hope that helps.
blessings,
J.

Hi,

Our wonderful doc suggested Miralax (over the counter) which is NOT a laxative, but pulls fluid into your baby's stools, softening them. It was AMAZING for our daughter! We put 1/2 capful-1 capful into her juice and water once a day, shake it or stir it; and she drinks it down. I couldn't recommend it more highly!

HTH!

I know this is weird, but have you considered giving him prunes? My son actually likes them. Prunes help a lot with constipation. Maybe even a little prune juice. It might be worth a try. Good luck!

I would speak with your doctor about Miralax. It's available over the counter now, but it's cheaper with a prescription, if you have prescription drug coverage. It's a tasteless odorless white powder you mix with your son's milk. My daughter takes it every day, and has no idea.
I don't think mineral oil is recommended for children that young. We also do a jar of baby prunes if she's really bad.

Not to worry...constipation from cow's milk is very, very common! Add some prune juice into your son's cereal each morning and that should do the trick. We mixed prune juice into my daughter's hot cereal for about 6 months. Prune juice is quite sweet, so your son will probably like it in his cereal.

K., Get help right away if these suggestions do not help. I have a 9 year old. Yes, 9. He suffers encopresis (as a side problem from another medical issue) and this is STILL a problem for us. If none of your doctors have mentioned encopresis get an appointment with a GI pediatric specialist. Miralax is great but does have some issues especially if you are having trouble getting the dosage right. I wish someone had helped us back when this first started and our path would not be so difficult now. Please don't hesistate to contact me with any questions you have about encopresis. Good Luck.

Yes absolutley put the mineral oil in his water or milk it will work!! I did it with my son.

Not much time to write, my advice - lots of activity!

Good morning. We have a four year old who, like your son, had the same problem. We ended up seeing a specialist after trying several techniques. We tried everything from prune juice to massaging her tummy. The specialist diagnosed her with having Functional Constipation. Long and short of this condition meant that it was psychologic. When solid foods are introduced in their diets, it takes a little more effort to get the waste out. The child, in turn, holds out on the bowel movement therefore allowing it to bag up in their system. Then it becomes really painful once their little colon must expell the waste. The specialist prescribed Miralax (which is a stoole softner). Its available over the counter now. I would suggest that if you try this method to be careful of what he wears because we would call it a blow out. Since the stoole is softer, it passes through quite easy. Once that was over, we spent a great deal of time potty training and explaining to her just push it out. She's been potty trained for two years now and we haven't had many problems since. Best of luck with this stage and don't worry, it'll pass!

My son, who is now 6, has always had constipation issues. Try mixing some prune juice in with his milk. Or, give him a tablespoon or two of Karo Corn Syrup (the light color one). They like it because it is sweet and really doesn't have much of a taste to it. This works well with the younger tots, but won't work as well when they get a bit older. We limit the amount of milk he drinks a day. He has no more than 16 oz or he risks getting constipated.

Hello K. I just responded to another mom regarding her baby beeing constipatd...she tried what I suggested and her child went poop that day it had been about six days since her baby had gone poop..Ok this is what you do go to the store and purchase the baby PEAR juice if he is drinking formula or milk put about 1tbs of pear juice in there and continue to do so...baby pear juice is a natural laxative..if he is not drinking formula or cow milk give the juice to him by itself and do this as often as needed when you see him becoming constipated...formula, and cow milk is good for them but because of iron it causes constipated...stay away from prune juice it will just make things worse...ok so Baby pear juice will make him go...
Blessing's,
Rabbi L.
www.hamishkandavid.org

Fibrous foods without enough liquid intake will create even more constipation. Try to get him to drink more water during the day. Encourage him to drink water between meals and see if that helps.

Good luck.

If you meant "mineral oil" in her drink, please think again. It is NOT a good thing to give anyone, let alone a baby. Please see this website -http://www.thestork.biz/mineraloil.html
You can google mineral oil to learn more about it. In general, health circles condemn mineral oil near the skin, let alone ingesting it. It is possible your child is eating too many refined flour foods - cheerios, white crackers, etc. Try switching snack items like cheerios for a whole grain cereal, or whole grain snack. Whole Foods has plenty to pick from. Rainsins, dried fruits, or fruit juices like recommended below. I would suggest trying the natural route before resorting to medicine for such a young one. Good luck.

Hi K.,
I concur with the Dr. Jill, the chiropractor, as my husband is also a chiropractor. At 14 months, if your child is having constipation issues, it is most probably a slight misalignment of the spine. This is so easy to fix and you will not need to worry about special foods, syrups, etc. We really should not be giving our toddlers any over-the-counter medicines, suppositories, etc. Once you start using this as your solution to the various issues our babies go through, it will cause so many other long term health issues. You will be shocked at how many things can be prevented through regular adjustments, for children and adults. Just try it out, you've got nothing to lose and everything to gain to keep your child happy and healthy. Please contact me if you have any questions. Hope it all works out!