5 Year Old Has Not Pooped for 2 1/2 Weeks

You can use dulcolax suppositories. He would take just a half of one. You have to insert it in his bottom and use a q-tip to push it up a little. My son had this chronically for a very long time. We used enemas, suppositories, you name it! That's too long to wait and he needs to know how sick it can really make him if he doesn't go each day or every other day. Crying or not, he needs to go to the bathroom! Good luck, I feel for you because I have been right where you are at!

I didn't read all the responses, but I would up the dose of Miralax. My daughter is 3 and for quite awhile now she has been taking one capful (one adult dose) every morning. Has kept her completely regular. This was what the Pediatric Gastro. we saw told us to start doing for her. It also doesn't work instantly, it may take a couple of days to get things "moving." Just my experience!

The goal is to help your child to have soft, comfortable stools again. In toddlers, constipation is almost always related to diet, so a step-by-step approach that targets what she eats and drinks is the best way to treat this condition:

1. Make sure your child is drinking enough fluids -- juice, milk and water. If your child is dehydrated, her stool will become harder, leading to constipation. It is particularly important for your child to stay hydrated in hot weather. Since it's difficult to make specific recommendations as to how much fluid is enough, try following the pediatricians' rule of thumb: If your child is urinating at least every three hours while awake, then she's probably getting plenty of fluids.

2. Increase your child's fiber intake. Many fresh fruits and vegetables are high in fiber. The United States Department of Agriculture recommends three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit daily for 2- to 6-year-olds. This may seem an impossible goal to meet if you've got a picky eater, but not all high-fiber foods taste "yucky." Prunes and raisins are particularly high in fiber. In addition, fiber breakfast bars and cereals, bananas, apples, peas, grainy breads and peanut butter (which does not cause constipation, but actually helps prevent it) are all good choices.

In addition, supplemental fiber preparations such as Metamucil, Fiberall and Citrucel can be helpful as they make the stools absorb more water, allowing them to move gently through the intestines.

3. Try giving your child mineral oil. This remedy is somewhat controversial, but in my practice, I've found it's one of the best treatments and is generally safe. Mineral oil coats the stool and helps it slide easily through the intestines. At one time, it was thought that it blocked the absorption of important minerals through the intestinal wall, but this was recently found not to be the case. In rare instances, it has caused pneumonia, but only in children who were unable to swallow properly.

I recommend that parents start by giving their child 2 teaspoons of mineral oil twice a day, for a 20- to 30-pound toddler. Thereafter, increase the dosage by 1 teaspoon every other day until the child is passing soft stool and any anal fissures have healed. (Mineral oil tastes awful, but it can be well-disguised in shakes, juice, Jell-O and ice cream.)

4. Encourage your child to sit on the toilet after meals. Children who have experienced painful bowel movements are often reluctant to sit on the toilet. But the longer a child avoids going to the bathroom, the harder the stool will become. You can help break this cycle by having the child sit on the toilet for 5 or 10 minutes after meals, when intestinal reflexes make passing bowel movements easier.

5. Consider eliminating milk from your child's diet. On occasion, a child can become constipated due to a cow's milk allergy or sensitivity. However, because cow's milk is an excellent source of protein and calcium, which are both essential for growth, you should not eliminate it from the diet without first consulting your doctor. If you have tried the above strategies without success and feel that milk may be the culprit, contact your pediatrician.

**Don't give your child an over-the-counter laxative. Laxatives should be used rarely, if at all, in children and can cause serious problems such as electrolyte imbalances. Only a doctor can determine if this level of treatment is needed.

**Do consult your doctor if constipation develops suddenly or is associated with pain or fever.

**Don't worry if there is a small amount of blood on the surface of the stool or the toilet tissue. This probably indicates an anal fissure, a painful but non-serious condition. Larger amounts of blood, blood mixed with the stool, or blackening of the stool, however, may indicate a more serious condition.

**Do contact your doctor if constipation develops in early infancy -- this might indicate a more serious condition, such as intestinal blockage, and should be evaluated quickly.

When all esle fails and you have no where to turn you. Take him to the emergency room.They can not reject you and sure wouldn't reject your son .

They will send you a bill but you don't have to pay it right away. You pay it when you can afford it. I was a single mom with no isurance and the ER has saved us a few times and made my daughter better.

I know its crappy but some times you just have to do what ya gotta do.

The laxative and enemas could have supressed his natural urge to go by himself. They can become 'addicting' like that. I would stop them immediately, and try to get his natural elimination system back on course. I'd suggest in the morning skipping any solid food until he's had some sugary juice (pref. Prune Juice) followed by warm water or tea. Let this sit and work it's way down for a while before giving solids. Personally, if I don't do this for myself (i have coffee with cream after a glass of water), I'm messed up for a week. What color is his urine? If not clear, he's not getting enough liquid which also promotes this problem. Start pushing liquids!!! Not drinking enough can be a chronic problem. Finally, try a stool softener. He may be holding back because of discomfort. The softener could get him going again, thus avoiding a trip to the dr. Don't make this a big issue around him or he'll hold back unintentionally. If nothing emerges for a few more days or he starts to experience pain in the abdomen, then go see the doctor. Good luck!

My son also goes between 9 - 11 days between BMs in his "natural state". We give him Magnesium Citrate supplements to get his bowels moving, Calcium Citrate supplements to make sure the Magnesium goes to his bowels and not his bones, and something called Ultrazyme (which is a digestive enzyme to help with digestion, pineapple and papaya also are great for digestion). With this regimen, he now goes every 4 - 5 days (which, of course, is still too long for most people, but for him is awesome - I'll take that over 9 - 11 days). We had docs tell us to try Miralax, he even got prescription strength, but it did NOTHING. He eats fruits and veggies, so getting more fiber is not the issue. He doesn't drink milk because he's allergic to it, so that's been eliminated as a reason. My son just has a super slow digestive tract and almost never gets "the feeling". We've been told that digestive problems go hand in hand with Autism Spectrum Disorders, which he does have. Our current approach seems to be the most effective. He's almost 13 and we've been dealing with this issue since he was about 3, so we've had lots of experience with "ways to get a kid to poop". We tried an over the counter laxative once (disastrous results), enema (didn't work at all, shockingly), and several other methods (including something my Italian MIL suggested which involved a sprig of parsley dipped into olive oil and briefly inserted you-know-where when we were desperate, also didn't work at all). The best thing we did was take him to a naturopath. She's the one who recommended the supplements which have done more for him than all the docs' recommendations combined. Good luck!

We've been through this, too. It had been two weeks between BM's with my four year old a few weeks ago, and when she did finally go it was terrible for her.

I would give him the enema to get things moving before it gets worse (harder), but you've got to figure out what works for him to keep things moving, because enema's aren't a long term solution. Prescription strength Miralax didn't ever work for us, and I found these vitamins called PediaLax. They're gummy vitamins and she takes one after each meal. This has gotten her to having a BM about every other day. Not sure why they worked for us when the Miralax didn't, but it's worth a try for you.

Good Luck, I hate that you're little guy is having this problem!

My children have never had huge constipation problems, but whenever there were any issues, prune juice worked 100% of the time. I personally hate the taste, but three of my kids don't mind it, and for the other one I mixed it with apple juice. Obviously this is a big issue for a long time for you guys, so maybe you have tried it?

Interesting story- I was a nanny to a girl who has had big constipation issues, and for SOME REASON, they have chosen to not try prune juice after many suggestions of mine (???) ...But, they have given her enemas... confuses me... FYI, prune juice is entirely healthy and OK to give to even the youngest of babies in need of "relief".

Our doctor gave us the advice with our older daughter, when she hadn't gone in a very long time, to increase the Miralax (which is not, of course, a laxative, just a stool softener), and then to give her ~2 tablespoons of mineral oil twice a day until she went. (If he won't drink it, put it in some orange juice, that helps disguise the taste.) You want to make sure that once you start the mineral oil regimen, that you stay at home because when he goes, he'll REALLY go. Once he finally goes, you can stop with the mineral oil and then just keep going with the Miralax. We did that and it worked like a charm.

If that doesn't work in 12-24 hours, call the health department and see if there is a free clinic you can take him to, just to make sure nothing is seriously wrong.

Good luck, this is such a miserable thing to go through with your child. =(

Sounds like he could be developing Encopresis, a serious condition in which the bowel becomes so distended the nerves go to sleep. He has no urge, but at some point moist feces will start to push past the blockage, and he'll start soiling himself because he can't tell it's happening. OR, he could become so backed up he'll start vomiting, since his little system can't ingest any more food.

Be sure he's getting as much water as he can hold, because without it, added fiber can add to the blockage.

Money problems or not, this could seriously use medical attention if your son doesn't start pooping really soon. A specialist may not be necessary if you take him to a pediatrician who can guide you.

In the meantime, I'd give him a liquid children's suppository – probably somewhat less traumatic than a fullscale enema, and it may be enough to kickstart his little guts. Both supports should be used only occasionally, and for no more than a few days at a time.

LA has awesome free clinics. Look up LA Free Clinic to find the one nearest you, and then call them to see how you can show up as a "walk in." I have used the free clinic many times. You may have to wait around an hour, but you would do that at the "regular doctor" anyway.

Check with the state of Nevada about health insurance for children. California has no cost or low cost health insurance for women and children that can't afford insurance on their own. Meanwhile your son should see a doctor - emergency room, clinic, anything you can do.

Good luck.

I did not read the other posts, so sorry if a repeat. Go to the doctor. This is too long and your child may have an obstruction.

Are you sure he isn't going without your knowledge? 2 1/2 weeks is a long time!

You need to take him to a doctor. I know you don't have insurance right now, but this is his health and that must take priority.

Oh my you poor things. I think you def need to find a way to get him to the dr. but my instinct says that the first thing the dr. will tell you is to follow through with the enema. It is super unhealthy for a child to go that long without pooping. You may need to give him the miralax on a daily basis and also up his water, fruit and vegetable intake. I would cut out all cheese and red meat if you have not already done so. Also I have read that mandarin oranges in the can are a natural laxative as well. Good luck to you!!!

Increase the Miralax - a doctor even suggested giving the entire bottle in one day - multiple doses, of course, to get a severely constipated child cleaned out. I'd check with a pharmacist on this, but I know it is not harmful to use a higher dosage of Miralax until things are regulated.

What about a suppository? That may be a bit easier for your son to handle and will soften everything enough to get his bowels moving.

I'd go to the emergency room.

Is he eating fruits and veggies? Add flax seed oil or toasted flax seeds into his foods or try giving him castor oil. It is much better than miralax. Another super easy thing to do is to buy one of the pure psyllium powders it costs around $4 for a container at most drug stores and sprinkle a table spoon into his food. It is tasteless and is fiber in it's natural source. Also you need to make sure he is drinking enough water. If he drinks sodas and sugary beverages decrease them immediately and eventually get them out of his diet. They usually contain high sodium and that causes the body to retain fluids.
I am a Holistic Family Food Coach so I suggest all the natural alternatives. Hope you find something in my post that is helpful. Also check if you state has a Healthy Family's program for insurance. It is just for children and it is tailored to those parents who have middle incomes. California has this and our daughter is insured for $11 a month with a $10 co pay. Also you may have a free or sliding scale clinic that you can go to for you and your son.
Good luck,
S. Stein-Lippman
CHHC- realisticholistic.com

2 1/2 weeks is no good. Give him a liquid suppository. His muscles could be damaged from chronic constipation, this can cause bowel movements to grow larger and larger and eventually cause damage. I know someone who had to have sections of their intestine removed because of it.
Imagine the cost of that. A liquid suppository should work just fine. I also use benefiber everyday in my daughters cereal and juice. If this does not help, he could have a more serious problem and should see a doctor right away.

Sometimes certan foods make you go look it up in the library there are also public health clinics you could take your child good luck A. no hills

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SOMETIMES CERTAN FOODS MAKE YOU GO LOOK IT UP IN THE LIBRARY THERE ARE ALSO PUBLIC HEALTH CLINICS YOU COULD TAKE YOUR CHILD GOOD LUCK A. NO HILLS

What about a glycerin suppository? They have kids ones and they are much nicer than an enema. Good luck! That seems like WAY too long to go without poop! I feel for your little guy.

Our Dr. told us to use Magnesium Citrate.
You can get it at Walmart, Publix, Walgreens, well almost anywhere. It is real cheap and it really works.
Take about a quarter of the bottle and put it with
Sprite and have him drink it real fast. Stay home because it will make him go in about 15 to 30 minutes. The directions will guide you.
Our Dr. said that it was safe for children, that's why he wanted us to give it to our daughter.

I wish you all the best.

Hello, Do you have a Health Clinic near you? We have one in Lakeside on Vine Street. When my husband and I had custody of our grandson several years ago, his MediCal was a mess. We had taken him to the emergency room thinking that he was having an asthma attack. They were very patient while we tried to get the MediCal straightened up (it took two months) and didn't charge us until MediCal kicked in. Anyway, he ended up having an ear infection as well as other health issues (at the time). When he needed to go in for a recheck, we took him to the Clinic and they were great. They gave him a real good checkup and were great. They also used to charge by your income. I don't know if they still do this, but I do know that there used to be one on Polk Avenue in San Diego city.
I would try to have someone check your son, if possible. Our seven year old grandson went through bowel issues and it is just so sad to watch them struggle. It seemed as though he would put off going because it hurt so bad and then it would hurt more.
Good luck with your precious little boy.
K. K.

If you need to, you can get insurance from the state for your son...this is not just a cold we are talking about. Also, do you qualify for the COBRA program where you only have to pay 30-40% of your healthcare costs? Anyway, to answer your question, I think this situation is kinda serious. It sounds like his body has come to rely on the stool softener...poor little guy! Do you know why he gets to constipated? My son had bouts of constipation as well as eczema until I stopped giving him any dairy, especially milk. I would cut that out since that is a common constipator, as is chocolate and bananas. Then give him lots of prune juice mixed with probiotics. You can get the probiotics at the health food store. They are capsules filled with what looks like powder but really is "good" bacteria to help heal him and bring on a bowel movement. Good luck, you must be so worried!!

I was reading an article in parenting magazine, remembering your question, and the thing they said was that kids can get so impacted in their bowels that it takes months to get properly cleaned out and (with doctor's help) they should be on laxatives for a much longer term than a parent would think. With him having autism, I would think that would be less stressful than a supository... a lot of pediatricians can help you get him onto presumptive medical when you go in.

good luck
R.