Treating 2 Year Old Constipation

ok I had that trouble with my daughter-she was younger than two but the only thing that worked was apple juice-not the kids kind becouse that is not as "strong" it is more diluted. Seems silly, but I had tried everything, and this worked! I am the mother of three and that was the first time I had dealt with "child onset of constipation"...hope it works! By the way, she never had a problem like that again-she is six now and very "regular".

My youngest son (now 16) was constipated for three weeks when he was only a few months old. It was a terrible time. Neither of us slept. I would cry because he cried because he was so uncomfortable. We tried almost everything to help him. We added a bit of peppermint and white Karo syrup to his bottle; we had him drink diluted apple juice; we gave him warm baths. Because of his age, his doctor did not want to give him an enema, but she was going to have to if the last thing didn't work.... while giving him a very warm bath I had to put vaseline on my pinky and "massage" his rectum. I did this for a couple of days, and finally he was able to have a bowel movement. I continued to use peppermint and Karo in his bottles or diluted apple juice.

I have a 16 month old who struggled with constipation for a while, nothing worked, so her Dr. prescribed a stool softener (Miralax)which helps. If it goes untreated it could get a lot worse and cause problems in the lower intestine. For the last 2 months we have not had any issues with BMs, but I can not miss a dose or the problem will start over again. I hope this helps.

Hi B.,

We have used ground flax seed with great success! Start with using a small amount, like a tsp or so, in yogurt or in oatmeal and try that for a week. The flax must be ground though. Whole flax seeds do not work.

Hope this helps!
A.

gosh...the only thing I'd think to check is to make sure they're drinking enough water and not a lot of alternative beverages. But it sounds like you've tried a lot of solutions, so I'm sure you've looked at that. The allergy testing is a great idea. Have you tried a nutritionist or a naturopath? Might be worth a try?

You could also mix some flax seed (puree if need be) into their food for added fiber? We always used applesauce, but then a nurse told us that it just "burns" through their system and doesn't truly solve the problem, so we tried to up the fiber content and that helped. She also said white grape juice is wonderful -- and it is!

Our son was constipated very badly, one time that I can remember, around that age...to the point where he'd cry when trying to have a bowel movement in his diaper. We used a liquid suppository called Fleet. Worked like a charm. It said it'll work w/in a few minutes, but for us it was more like seconds...I barely got the diaper back on in time! I didn't even get to stick the tabs down! I held it in place while my son hugged me as he relieved himself. Yes, it was very humorous! But that little kiddo was so worn out after that he just fell right asleep. Poor baby.

I hope your little one gets relief soon!

My 3yr old has always had a problem with constipation. I have recently started grinding up flax seed with my Bullet and putting it in her yogurt or dinner or whatever I can. She likes it. I have been told that it's better to get the whole seeds and grind a little of it up at a time, then to buy it already ground. It keeps all the nutrients in it better. Always grind it up, though.
What about trying one of the yogurts or cheeses that says it regulates the digestive system. I've tried it on my daughter but I'm not sure if it is helping or if it's just the flax seed. Good luck!

well my mother had been dealing with this issue mixed with a few others for a while, until she was recently diagnosed with celiac(not sure if that is spelled right) disease. Which is basically a wheat gluten allergy. I have heard that it doesn't matter how old you are you can have it at any age. That might be something to look on to. I hope that you find out whatis going on soon so that you can help the little one, out.

Hi B. constipation can certainly be a scary/painful thing, especially for your little one. A couple of suggestions if I may, First drinking water helps the digestive system and helps keep things "moving along" The two supplemental products that I suggest would help are Ultimate Aloe Juice (Strawberry-Kiwi) and Digestive Enzymes with Probiotics. The Aloe helps aid in the digestion process, also contains over 200 nutrients, as well as enzymes, vitamins and minerals. aloe is very gentle and has several healing properties. The Digestive Enzymes aid in digestion and absorption of nutrients,help support the digestive tract, immune system, as well as helping with upset stomach, gas, indigestion, acid reflux. To find more information and learn more about these products please go to www.marketamerica.com/mmonce There are product info videos available and a ton of info, references, research for these products. If I can help in any way with questions please email me ____@____.com or call me at ###-###-####. Thank you and good luck! M.

My son in undergoing treatment for contipation right now. I took him to a gasteroenterologist (specialist) because he had constipation and a month later bloody diareah. Let's just say the treatment is pretty gross, but it seems to work. Many things can cause constipation. STRESS is one of them. I think potty training played a part for my son. Milk can also cause it. My son's specialist told me to not give him more than 2 glasses a day. The specialist told me to stop trying to potty train him until after the treatment is over unless he is expressly interested (my son will be 4 in july). There is a lot mre that I can tell you. Please send me a PM if you are interested in chatting. Good luck!

L.

Cheese causes a lot of constipation in small children.

I used Pear Juice, it always worked like a charm. I fed my boys prunes, gave them prune juice (but they wouldn't drink it). I tried natural laxitives from health food stores. I feel like I had been there, done that, and the only thing that was safe and that worked was Pear Juice. I used the Gerber Pear Juice in the baby aisle. I always had a small jug of it in the fridge. I gave him a bottle (or sippie) cup everyday. Try one cup and then if it doesn't work, give him 2 a day.
Why kids get constipated? I don't know. Every kid is different.

Good Luck!

Constipation at such a young age can mean a lot of things. My daughter(now 9yrs.) started having problems with it when she was only 4mos. old and only breastfed. It turned out she has celiac disease (allergy to gluten; wheat, rye, barley, etc...). We treated her with myralax for a number of years untill we got her diet cleaned up and she realised the importance of going regularly. I would take her to a gastrointerologist, they specialise in intestinal problems. My daughter is the only one of my three childern who has experienced this problem. I know there are could be other reasons for constipation and from experience know that once a child has pain going they tend not to want to go again for fear of the pain. I would follow up with a specialist just to rule out any medical problems. I think it is always to be safer than sorry.

Have you tried blueberry juice? my grandma used to always use blueberry juice after she found out from a friend when my dad had constipation when he was younger. She was actually told that it not only works for constipation but also diareah*(sp) and if you give a juice (6 oz glass) glass of blueberry juice to your kids once a week it is supposed to keep them regulated so they don't get either ailment. I am a firm believer grandma gave some to my daughter when she was small and "it all worked out in the end".

I don't want to second guess you, since your an experienced mama, but I just want to clarify that his bowel movements are hard and dry, not just infrequent. Sometimes I've assumed a child is constipated because they haven't had a poo in several days.

That said, perhaps probiotics would help? Check with your doc or naturopath first.

The way it was explained to me was some children have slow moving bowels that cause constipation and this usually normalizes after age 3. My son was "regular" until I stopped breast milk at the age of 1. He was encouraged to drink more water and I started him on Miralax, a gentle medicine for constipation that is not a stimulant. He took Miralax for several months and was slowly weaned off of it. Now he's 2 1/2 and regular most of the time. Miralax was available by Rx only because it's an odorless and tasteless powder. Recently it was approved for OTC sales. It's a worthwhile discussion to have with your child's doctor. Good luck! -A.

i have read that bananas give constipation...there may be other foods that you can cut out of his diet to prevent constipation. I have also heard about terating constipation with brown sugar and water mix....look into it before you do that.

My granddaughter struggles with the same thing. She is 7 now but it has been a struggle every since she started eating solid foods. With her we have found that the more fresh fruits she eats the better. Vegetables are good but the fruits seem to do better. We limit things like pasta, cheese, and other things that seem to bind. We tried prune juice but she just doesn't like it and we have used mineral oil but it is such a struggle for her to get it down. I hope this helps as I know how terrible she feels.

I have not read what everyone else wrote but my son went through a period where he was constipated and when I called hte nurse she said all the usual stuff like plenty of fluids and eat lots of things that start with a "P". And interesting enough. . She said Pear juice works better than Prune. So I gave him a 50/50 mix of Pear juice and water and Viola'! I am glad I did not give it to him straight! the 50/50 was good enough, more and I think we could have had a REAL mess! Ha, Ha. . .Good Luck. And of course if the usual home remedies don't work definitely call your doctor.
S.

Both of my daughters have had issues here, and it was realted to new foods, so yes, it could be a sensitvity to some food (My girls eventually got used to the new food, I just had toback off and slowy introduce it, and considering your childs age, this may point to an allergy, not sensitivity). Lots of water is also important for healthy bowel movements, so maybe try having him drink an extra 8 or more ounces a day to see if it helps. Lots of foods are more constipating than others too, rather than list them all, a simple google search will give you all you need to know. You can also try an elimination diet where you take away one allergen at a time to try the results (the biggies are dairy, wheat, soy, nuts)

Try some Miralax, it is mild, gentle, works very well and is now available over the counter. It has NO taste, and if stirred into chocolate milk a child will NEVER know it is in the drink. I have a set of twins who are 11, they both have had encopresis(chronic constipation) for years and see a gastrointerologist up at Doernbecher, this is what they were put on back when they were 3 years old.

Hi B.,
My son has some issues sometimes, and did when he was younger. A nurse friend of mine told us instead of drinking apple juice or whatever kind of juice to get juice "nectar". It has alot of fiber in it and we haven't had much of a problem since then. Usually sold in the grocery store either by the rest of the juice items in cans, or you can find another brand in the mexican items also. I just give him that with 1/2 water instead of anything else. Its worked for him for the most part!
Hope that helps!

my second child had this problem at 2 also. We finally figured out after several trips to the doctor and the ER that she was holding back. We also used mineral oil and it worked but it takes awhile. We got a prescription from the doctor for 'Mirlax'. You just mix it with water or juice. Works great. Do NOT give over the counter laxatives to a child, even if it says its for kids. They cause terrible stomache cramps!!!
D.
SAHM of 3

Our son struggled with constipation and has since grown out of it but our doctor reccomended a tablespoon of Karo syrup. It is sweet and worked like a charm for us...Good Luck
H. H

B., my now 17 month old has been constipated ever since I stopped nursing at 7 months. We are using Miralax to treat her and it works great! Try white grape juice too. Stay away from bananas, too much of any foods from the b.r.a.t. diet and push lots of fiber foods and fruit/vegies. Hope this helps.

S.

My 10 month old son struggles with constipation and has ever since we started him on solids. He also has struggled with reflux since he was 6 weeks old. The gastro said these go hand in hand a lot of the times. We have Andrew on a daily dose of Miralex which is NOT habit forming. It simply helps hold fluid in the bowel to help the stools remain soft. Even with this he will still get constipated. When I see his stools beginning to get harder I up his Miralax dose and try to add foods known to help constipation. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. When I see him struggling with little or no result I then give him a suppository as directed by the gastro. She said that some children just are more prone to have constipation than others. It is usually not diet related and most times they will grow out of it. She has stressed the importance to not let them struggle to long or be in pain because they might start associating pain with going to the bathroom and then just stop, which then of course is a set up for a lifetime of problems.
T.

Try feeding more fresh fruits and veggies and less bread, and crackers, and less cereal. A lot of cereal is too low in fiber. Also, you can ad ground flax seed (which has a great taste) to almost anything to give him more fiber.

try soybeans. My daughter loves them because they are fun to eat and they make her really regular. They taste good too. you can buy then frozen in the grocery store. They are call edemame.

Hi B.,
My 1 year old has constipation and while we gave her pears, prunes, etc, it was not enough. My pediatrician said we should buy some BeneFiber (like Metamucil) which is soluable fiber. It is a powder and disolves instantly in liquid or jarred food. We try to give her 2-3 teaspoons per day. We have done this for 2 months now and it has worked perfectly and constipation is a thing of the past. My peditrician said that we will probably have to use this solution for maybe even a few years, which is a bit of a bummer, but totally worth it if it helps her.

By the way, dairy seems to be the thing that makes it a little worse, but having dairy is so important that my pediatrician said she would rather have my daugher take the fiber than eliminate dairy, as the nutrients are so important at this phase of life.

Good luck and hope it helps!

I have also struggled with constipation a lot, and my son did for a little while (though now he deals with harder poo) but we realize it has a lot to do with diet. I would find out what some trigger foods are like dairy- cheese especially can cause people to get a bit constipated. A good diet of fiber, maybe in his drink or as naturally as possible might work.
Some people are more sensitive to certain types of food too.

If you honestly feel that his diet is good I would definatly take this to a doctor to rule out anything serious. Especially if everyone eats the same things and are not dealing with the same problem.

I wonder if your little one is Constipated or merely preventing himself from having a b/m.
My Daughter who is now in high-school experience a bout with this for around six to eight months between ages 1 and 2.
She never had a b/m in her pull-ups. So consequently, she would prevent herself from going. If she was playing outside and she felt the sensation of having to go to the bathroom, she would lock her legs together, tighten her stomach muscles and prevent herself from the sensation. Soon....the sensation would pass and she would be on her way!
However, what was happening was that she was impacting herself. Then it would be more difficult for her to release.
She would scream and raise up of the toilet,trying to climb away. Prune Juice did not help her, periodically we would have to use suppositories...NOT FUN TIMES!
Is your soon in Pull-ups,Diaper or ???
This is what my Pediatrician had stated to me that because my daughter was in pull-up and I was trying to potty train her, she knew she should not go in her pull-ups. She had great control over her system to be able to prevent herself from going.
So I began the education process of the body with her at her level. My daughter was fully potty trained at 19 month. She was just ready!!
Guess long story short is this....I would watch the signs you son has...Is he complaining of Tummy Aches?...Does this occur when he appears to be busy?... If he is not using the toielt regularly, maybe that is what he wants, not the mess in his pants!! And most importantly keep talking to your pedicatrician...Keep in mind though MOM sometimes if is the easy things and you know whats best!
I remember those times like they were yesterday, not fun. Sorry!
Good Luck!
Both of you Take Care.

My 16 mo old has constipation problems. i have yet to talk to a dr, although I probably should. Yogurt with more active bacteria, yobaby rather than yoplait for example, has helped. Also 1/2 tablet of chewable fiber choice. It's fruit flavored so she sometimes likes it.

My pediatrician suggested pureed pears. We use them and they work like a charm every time. Avoid cereal too because it can bind your baby. Oh, and chiropractic. Honestly, I didn't believe it but every time I take my baby in he has a blow-out poopy diaper.

B. - Take your child to a chiropractor. Oftentimes if there is a subluxation in the mid to lower back region it will block messages from the brain to the intestines. I dealt with constipation in my two year old for about a week, but my chiro was on vacation. I made sure to get her in as soon as he came back and sure enough, she was out in that area. He adjusted her and she became regular within two days.

I just went through this with my 3 yo. I took her to the Dr. who sent us to the specialist, spent a lot of time in the ER as well. It was horrible, I hated to hear my daughter cry like that, she was in real pain. When we went to the specialist he suggested we use miralax. You can buy it anywhere, I got it at Costco. I gave her i think 4 tsp a day for a week and after she eats to wait about 5-10 min and set her on the toilet to help her body adjust back to going to the bathroom on a normal basis. I did this for at least 2 weeks (the miralax, i reduced the amount anywhere from 1-3 a day depending on my little girl) and then whenever she would complain of her stomach hurting I would give her some more. She now has NO problem with constipation.
Hope this helps!!!

My daughter also struggles with this as well at times. I would put a couple of drops of the little ones stool softener in some choclate milk. ITs natural senna that is not h*** o* their system. She has out grown it I think now but I keep an I on it. She would even ask for it at times saying " mom I need my poop medicine.
L.

My daughter just turned 3 a couple of days ago. She was/is constipated since she was about a year old. We been to the doctor a number of times and tried many different things. Miralax seems to work well for her. It dissolves quickly and doesn't taste like anything. We add a half of a cap full to her juice in the morning and another half in her juice at night. We've also cut back on her dairy intake and increased the amount of water she drinks. Miralax is very mild and was recommended to us by her pediatrician. I hope this helps, if not bring your 2 year old back to the doctor and they should be able to prescribe something. Good luck!

Hi B.~
I have glanced through some of the responses and I think I have something different than what others haven mentioned. My daughter had serious bouts of constipation soon after she started potty training and then had bouts off and on up until she was 7 or so (She is 10 1/2 now.) Our neighbors at the time, a pharmacist and pharmacy tech, recommended Fletchors Castoria. It was a miracle!! It tastes yummy, like a root beer syrup so it's easy to get the kids to take and it works very naturally! It is not a super stimulant like most of the suppositories so your little one won't get the cramping and sudden, often uncontrollable, bowel movements that can occur with suppository use. It is very natural, no cramping at all, gets the bowels moving and acts as a stool softener as well. We used this with our daughter from the time she was about 3 until 7 or 8. You will probably need to ask your pharmacist for it. It is not kept on the shelves at very many places. Because it tastes good and is very natural (again no cramping) it is a favorite laxative for those with eating disorders. Good luck!

My daughter had this problem before there was Miralax. An old fashioned remedy is 1/2-1tsp of white Karo Syrup. It is slightly sweet and she never complained about taking it. She usually had a bowel movement within 3-4 hours. If she didn't go by then I would give her another 1/2tsp.
Also bananas, white rice, and applesauce can all cause constipation. Try to add more fresh fruits and veggies. If she eats oatmeal, mix it with apple juice instead of water. Apple juice can cause dirreah in some kids, so it might relieve her constipation as well.
The Karo syrup really does work well and tastes a lot better than Mineral oil!
B.

My daughter had this - we actually had to use MiracleLax - the pediatrician recommended it. It's just a natural laxitive. Eventualy we were able to have her drink much less milk and drink more water. Carrots help a lot too.

I have found with my daughter that hydration and little if any white flour and white sugar emphasizing more fiber are keys. If she does get constipated I give her the hydrations drink that goes with our nutritional shakes we take every day and it does the trick. I also know of a mom with a child with severe constipation that got life changing results on these nutritional shakes. Let me know if you want more information about them by emailing me at ____@____.com

My daughter suffered as well. We tried everything and brought her to a gastro (I think that's who it was) specialist. Most often they are holding it and then it becomes inpacted. Miralax was our miracle drug! It's a powder you can mix in their juice or milk. It changed our lives - as dramatic as it sounds but it truly brought relief to everyone. :)

Does your son drink alot of milk? My son has always been HORRIBLY constipated, Im talking painful bowelmovements to the point we had to "help"... Once he turned two though, he decided he didnt like milk anymore and once he cut back, the whole propblem dissapeared. He will have milk occasionally now but its still SOOOOO much better. Maybe try eliminating that and see what happens but just make sure hes getting his calcium other ways. Good luck!
A.

Hi B.-
You mentioned prune juice. This worked for us with our daughter. Soon she wouldn't drink it. Then we had problems again. So, we introduced her to prunes. I find when she is getting constipated, I give her a couple of prunes daily and the problem goes away. I think if you can incorporate this into meal time or as a snack you may have some success. Hope this helps- God Bless-

We give my daughter fruit with every meal and fig bars for snack time. She is doing a lot better and usually has a BM every day.

Both of my kids struggle with this. We have a prescription for Miralax and it works like a charm. I think they just approved it over the counter though so you probably don't even need a prescription. It's a powder and I just put some in their OJ in the morning.

L.

PS I'm a 38 y/o sahm to 9 and 5 year old girls.

My daughter has the same problem when I get lazy about making her oatmeal or another type of whole grain cereal. The super Babyfood book suggests the Super porriage which is basically cooked pulverized oats. It's amazing how this one change can make such a big difference.

My 3 yr old daughter has constipation issues, too. Our pediatrician started her on Miralax, and it has worked beautifully for her. I would take your child to the pediatrician and talk with them about it- constipation has many causes and people have different ideas about what it means to be "constipated". It's different for different kids- my other daughter who is also 3 (they're twins) has never had a problem with constipation.

My son (now 12 yrs old) has had constipation problems since he was little, getting worse around age 4. We had to use enemas & baby suppositories to get him "moving" and then had him on a prescription stool softener. Over the years I've had to be very diligent in making sure he gets enough fiber and water (which means very few school lunches allowed, which is fine, because food from home is much better for him anyhow). Pears & Pear Juice does help quite a lot. We use whole grain products (100% whole wheat bread, whole wheat pastas), I also add flaxseed meal (ground flax seeds) to his oatmeal, pancakes, etc., and we eat a lot of fruits & veggies. One of the things that has helped tremendously has been a fiber "shake" powder called "Figure Eight: Just Go!" by Arbonne. I add it to orange juice (it tastes better this way) & shake it in a shaker, it's not cheap, but I only use 1 scoop instead of 2 so it lasts 2x as long and this has really helped with going to the br A LOT. The powder is made from fruit & veg fiber, so I like that it's more natural and has a lot of vitamins and minerals in it as well. You can find Arbonne online or through a consultant. If you don't know anyone who sells it, here's the link directly to the powder: https://www.arbonne.com/shop_online/showitem.asp?ProductId=
1835&menuId=57&withLinks=1

For a 2 year old, you're not going to even need a full scoop, typically (if I'm remembering correctly) kids need 5 grams plus their age per day - so for a 2 year old, he or she will only need about 7 grams per day. This powder has 6 grams per scoop, so I wouldn't try more than 1/2 scoop per day, and you may need even less for now.

Just so you know, my daughter has never had a constipation problem, just my son. I have found that it hasn't seemed to be just a phase as I had hoped, but continual. His body must just either have a slower functioning digestive system, or must just require more fiber. He seems to get enough water.

I hope this helps you, just know you are not alone in this! It will get better, you'll just need to be diligent with it. It can cause problems later if he/she decides it hurts to have a bm, and then tries to hold it, only making it worse. Good luck! I know what you're going through! :)

We have the same problem. Now we are using Miralax and the things seams better, even I'm not happy about loading my son with any medications. Let me know if you find a better solution. I did try high fiber diet and it didn't work. Prune juices worked only when I made them at home but I keep that for bad times.
Daniella D:
I will add something here as I can't edit my own respond (got no idea why). Yes, there is something in the food here in the States. We do spend the summer in Europe and my son has no problems there. Our pediatrition was suprised to hear that but that was it! We are talking about the same diet and no constipation there, only when we are here. Plus he takes more sugars there, because of grand-ma and grand-pa and still has regular soft BM. I do think that are the preservatives that are used in the foods here and there as his diet is absolutely the same. Here he takes Miralax and I just put it in his water, has no taste at all.

My son was first constipated at 10 months old...about the time solids became more of his diet. He drank plenty of water, was still breast feeding and ate plenty of whole grains. Prune juice had no effect on him. Like many, my Ped gave me Miralax. My son is now 6-1/2 and still taking it once a week or so. He was almost four before we had to get radical...his body was actually addicted to being constipated which made potty training a NIGHTMARE. We had to get aggressive and took an inspired course of action which included daily enema's for 2 weeks...he finally started to feel it when he needed to go...he was so impacted he didn't feel his rectum. Anyway, I wish I'd pushed my Ped into checking things out more thoroughly. I wish I'd pushed her into having us see a specialist. I started to feel and still do, that he had some mechanics issues that he has since outgrown but his body is still prone to constipation.

So my advice is to do whatever it takes now to solve the problem. The longer it goes on, the more it will develop into a physical and emotional behavior.

The thing that is starting to bother me, this issue is coming up A LOT and Miralax is not over the counter. It makes me wonder what is going on in our food that makes some kids have trouble.

I would consider something he is eating. My children and I have a whey intolorance. It makes me constipated but gives them diarrea (just shows how different bodies react). I dont know if I would pay for an allergy test because it could just be an intolorance. I would up his fruits/veggies avoiding bananas/applesauce and see if eliminating certain foods helps. I would try dairy OR wheat first for at least a week, better for 2-4 and see if you get any results. He also might be withholding if he is just recently potty trained which is a whole different story but one I am sure you can find past questions on here about. Good Luck, Jen
p.s. Sunsweet is the only not from concentrate prune juice I have found and it works 10x better then the concentrate/reconstitute

I give my youngest a snack container of diced fruit- especially the ones with cherries. I think they're by Dole. She loves them, eats all of it, and promptly poops a few hours later and again later if needed. It's been great for her!
Hope it helps!

What's the diet that your child is on? I've been around many 1-5 year olds that have constipation and when moms change their diet, they begin to 'go' on a daily basis.

Try feeding your baby raw vegetables and fruits for 10 days, cut out meat and dairy and grains to let his system catch up and see how they're feeling. Dairy and grains especially gunk up our intestines and meat takes longer than veggies and fruit to digest.

You can also rub their belly in a clockwise direction to help break up what's in there and get it moving.

Hope this helps and your babe is feeling better soon

~C.

You are not the only one out there! I too have a child that struggles with this issue. My 6 year old takes Miralax on a daily basis. We have tried to stop using it but he just doesn't go without it. I don't know if he will ever be able to stop taking something to help him with his bowel issues. Just don't let your child get backed up...that's even harder on them!

One of my boys struggled with this. We cut down the amount of milk he drank & dairy he ate (he loves milk) & that did the trick. We limited his amount of milk to only with meals.