Miralax for My 23 Month Old?

How long did you keep him off the milk? It will take a week or more to really see the full effects - and that means not just drinkng milk, but all diry products. Like another poster said, casein is in EVERYTHING!
You can try mixing rice milk and soy milk (enriched) in the meantime.

And to ditto what another poster said regarding food (prunes, etc.) we have found Pears to be very helpful with preventing constipation.
But what you are describing really sounds a lot like a food allergy or intolerance!
Good Luck!

My regular ped recommended dulcolax and other over the counter ped meds which the ped gastroenterologist said are too harsh for children. He recommended Miralax, which is very gentle and doesn't cause cramping. My son was on it for about 2 years but it's very effective.

My six year old had this problem when she was little. I can't believe your Dr. didn't suggest Prune juice or raisens. We gave her rasiens as a snack she loved them and they usually worked. If your child will eat baby food prunes they work alot faster also Prune juice works great just only give him about four ounces the first time to see how well it works for him. I made the mistake the first time I gave it to my daughter the Dr. didn't tell me how much to give she was severely backed up so I filled her 8oz bottle up (she was almost one at this point) Well long story short she sucked down the whole bottle and we went to Walmart about fifteen minutes into our shopping she blew out her diaper all over her clothes and carseat! So, it really does work it's just figuring out the amount for your child. At that age it may take more than 4 oz but I would start out there so you don't have the problem I had Good Luck!

Hi A.,

The Miralax is simply a laxative and it actually can cause issues down the road. I lived with life threatening digestive disorders as a child so I know what I'm talking about. The smell that is burning your eyes is a red flag that something is wrong. The intestinal tract puts out a truly toxic gas when it is trying to prevent damage from the lining of the colon. If anyone is eating right, their poop won't stink......

Keep him off milk even though you don't think that's helping. The milk will make it worse because it creates a residue that leads to mucous and that leads to all sorts of potentially dangerous issues. He definitely needs fiber in his diet. If you think he is getting enough he made need supplementation. If you go that route, please get it from a pharmaceutical grade health store and not Walmart, Costco or GNC. Vitamin Shoppe is great. Vitamin World is awful....Avoid processed foods completely. You can add a few back into his diet once things are normal but ONLY a few.

Slippery Elm Bark is safe for toddlers (you can google it to confirm) and will actually heal and balance everything from the esophagus to the anus. The capsules can be opened and put in food (because it is simply food) or you can get him some of the tea. The number of bowel movements he's having a day is GOOD. The type is not.

Hope I helped!

M.

PS I agree with A. about the Acidophilous!

before i would do the miralax i would go to mother earth or an all natural store and see what they have for the back up before i would use adult drugs on my child all my children use is pretty much all natural and i find it all very affective and i love it and my children dont fight me to take it because it's allmost all tastless and will dissolve in there mouth im sure they will have something for it.

Miralax is a stool softener for constipation. You can find excellent information here for conventional, alternative, diet & general recommendations for constipation. The reference book is Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child. My sister recently used this reference guide when my nephew was having some harder stools and found the information incredibly helpful. Just search constipation and you'll have a wealth of information.

http://books.google.com/books?id=kx42haNigX4C&dq=smar...

Liike previous posters have mentioned I would look to mother nature first before giving the miralax. Is he hydrated? Is he eating enough fruits and veggies?

sounds like they have a blockage they want to try to move, give it a shot it may help him poop less in the long run i know that sounds weird but give it a shot. also make sure since he is pooping so much to keep his butt COVERED in Vaseline.

It sounds like you have an intuitive mom feeling about this. Follow it! My daughter has numerous food allergies and the irregular bowls is consistent with that. Labels can be tricky. Read carefully because "casein" which is the protein found in dairy can be in vegan, dairy free products. You can always get a second opinion from another doctor too. Good luck!

Miralax is only a softener. It is not a laxative. My 2 year old has had similar problems since birth. No doctor has come up with a good reason for why. We sometimes have to do a full dose for him , we split it in the am and pm. When he gets cleaned out I go back to half a dose until he goes with out a bm for a day. I have tried the on and off thing as well, nothing works. If he doesn't get the miralax daily he will get very constipated. We have also experienced up to 5 days with no poop, and we have experienced all the in betweens. Milk does not phase him either way, nor does any food pattern seem to matter. Like I said , I have tried everything the doctors have said and kept food diaries etc. Nothing seems to pattern out and nothing they say helps. It is very frustrating, but I can't stand to see the pain my little one gets in when he is not going regularly. Check with your doctor about the miralax dose, but if it helps go with it. We have used it like I said for two years now. Good Luck

I know it's milder than most laxatives. I believe it's more like Metamucil or a 'bulk' (fiber) stimulant that softens the BM's. Probably feeding him more fiber and having him drink more would do the same thing (prunes/prune juice, spinach/greens, raw fruits w/peeling or pulp (apples, grapes, oranges, grapefruit), celery, broccoli, etc.

Most things that are really good for us either give us bad breath (onions, garlic), gas (beans, cabbage, popcorn), or stinky poop (all of the above)! LOL

Are you potty training yet? Just wondered...

God bless!

my 3 yr old is on it and it just helps him have more regular soft stools. he still doesn't even go daily, sometimes it is a day in between. i would try it and see how he does

I have recently used it b/c my ped recommended it for my 4 year old.. it makes her have soft easy poops.. and helps her from not getting backed up. it is better than her being backed up.. I don't use it every day.. just when I notice her poop is very hard ball like.. The first day u use it u will know if it works.. just try a little bit.
Lenc

I have never used miralax, never really heard of it. But if you are looking for a natural laxative for your daughter, prune juice generally does the job. This is what I always use whenever my children have bowel movement issues. I don't know if this will help you, but it could be worth a try.

I know you have already had several responses , but just wanted to add. Miralax is a softner rather than a laxative that makes you need to go all of a sudden , it is colorless and odourless , it can take a few days to work , but once you go it should be of normal consistency. I have had to use this on my son , he has problems with constipation which is not helped by how picky a eater he is , so I give miralax 1-2 times per week just to help. I don't think it is intended to be an every day use , especially in kids as young as yours but it won't do any harm using it to help every now and then. If your son likes a good selection of fruits , then things like plums , prunes , grapes , clementines will help to keep him softer , also if he is willing to drink water then give him plenty.

I hope this helps

My understanding is that Miralax is a more natural bulking fiber, not a chemical laxative. My neice had bowel problems and she had to use it and it really helped. Hard poop like you desribed is not really the norm...perhaps he got constipated once and now he holds it out of fear of pain (which, of course, it DOES hurt), so next time he hold it longer. In your son's case, I would imagine it would help him go a little more frequently, but make his poop more consistent.

If I were in your shoes, I would try the Miralax now, but also try to add more natural fiber to his diet.

Good luck!

My son is 3 and he "holds" his bowel movements sometimes for days until he constipates himself. Our Ped said it is normal for children this age to hold it because they don't want to stop playing. She suggested Miralax (1/2 the adult dose) and we have used it several times- he actually likes to take it because it makes his belly feel better. We call it his belly medicine and use it only if he complains that his belly is hurting. It doesn't seem work like a regular lax because he never complains or has gas after he drinks it. It just seems to make it easier for him to go. Good Luck!

Miralax is not a laxative. It does not stimulate a bowel movement. It is a bulking fiber. The extra fiber makes the intestines "feel full" which help the intestines do their natural thing. It also helps retain some water which makes the poop softer. It is not absorbed into the body. This may take a few days to regulate your sons poop. Increase fluid intake as well as natural fiber. For the short term I would use the Miralax as the doctor suggested in order to get the blockage out. A lot of damage can be done by a blockage of poop.

Second the Acidophilus. My daughter's GI doctor put her on Miralax for constipation. Like you, we were not thrilled with "drugs" for our infant. The acidophilus we bought is from Vitamin World & has other probitotics in it. It has worked far better than the Miralax ever did!!!!!

ACIDOPHILOUS!!!!! It is all natural, and it contains the same good bacteria that is in yogurt, but more. I have been giving my son acidophilous since he has been 6 weeks old and he has NEVER NEVER been constipated. We use Udo's Choice, in a powder form (you can get it at Fruitful Yield, but any health food store should have it!). I put 1/2 teaspoon in his morning drink every day and he poops regularly. Please try this, you will not be disappointed and your son will be happy as well.