I've been there. I finally took Chris (who is now 7)to a pediatric gastroenterologist a few of years ago. We went through everything prior to taking away toys when he had an "accident" to charts. It isn't easy. I had to give him an enema, then 2 days of mag citrate then Mirilax. He finally got "regular" and we weaned the Mirilax, using only as needed. Well, a year and a half later, we wound up back where we started, with him holding and holding until leaking...you know how it goes. So I tested a theory. I can't remember exactly what it was, if it was going somewhere, or getting something, but, I told him if he wanted it, he had to poop on the potty. And lo and behold, minutes later success.
I've since run out of Mirilax, but, now knowing that it is psychosomatic, and it's a control thing with him, no longer truely medical, I've got the handy dandy chart going again. For every 5 poops, a happy meal with a toy. For every 10 stickers (including the first 5) he gets a car/plane/train collectible from our grocery store.
We started having issues with him when school started and he was there all day in 1st grade. So far, we're having moderate success with the charting etc. I even went so far as to buy him another potty seat like they had when they were learning.
It does take time for them to regain "feeling" again, after holding it so long, the nerves no longer sense the urge to go. I'd try the chart. When we first used it in conjunction with the Mirilax, everytime he sat on the potty for say 5 minutes, he'd get a sticker. Then for everytime something happened, he'd get someting out of a treasure chest I'd ordered from Oriental Trading Company.
With Chris, it is now a control issue. He feels like this is the one thing he can control. So, I don't make a big deal out of the "accidents". He cleans himself up and we go about the day. But, I've got the chart hanging up on the cabinet where he see's it all the time. Also, he gets to sleep downstairs on the sofa bed everytime he poops as an added incentive.
Sorry this got so long, but, I hope it helps.
Not sure what encopresis is.. but my daughter was constipated when she was 2 for about 8 weeks before they put her on lactulose. Her doctor said that she needed to be on it for several months (like 7 or 8). Eventually after 10 months she became regular again. The problem is that there is nerve damage and it takes a long time for the nerves to regrow. The doctor said that it depended on how long the intestines had been distended. She is 4 1/2 now and is starting to have problems again! I have a handy bottle of miralax now that I give at the first sign of problems. Best of luck, I understand what you are going through!!! I think that diet is huge for her. I think that liquids, fruits and LOTS of fiber are what help her the most.
Aloha, Renee
Is anyone either having trouble with encopresis or have had trouble with it. My son is 8 and still having trouble with encopresis..he is under a docs care and taking Miralax daily until tomorrow. i have him sitting on the toilet atleast every 2 hours but still no success yet...the doc said that he was functionally constipated and that it could take a while for the feeling to come back........I was wondering if anyone has been through this and how long it may take for the feeling to come back sothat he is able to know when he has to go and not after the fact. Any help of suggestions would be great. Thank you!
Ang
I have a friend who had that problem, & still does at times with her youngest Son, he is 5 y/o & severely autistic. Their doc told them to do all kinds of things, but the ones that come to mind, because they were weird to ME...was put vaseline around "there" & try to pull it out with a spoon!!! She did it, & it worked, but it hurt the poor lil guy, just for a bit, nothing long term...........I'm NOT recomending that by any means at all, just relaying what I know to have happened.
GOOD LUCK!!!!
God Bless you & your Family & keep you all safe!
Linda...aka Tony'sMom...aka MWN64
My heart goes out to you and your son. It is really miserable. The miralax worked for my son but it took almost a week and then went through two weeks before we could get everything (looking) like the doc wanted it to look. I still have to keep miralax on hand and the first sign things are not running smoothlyKarrie
http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/welcome/conditions/encopresis .html
[QUOTE=momof1]
Is anyone either having trouble with encopresis or have had trouble with it. My son is 8 and still having trouble with encopresis..he is under a docs care and taking Miralax daily until tomorrow. i have him sitting on the toilet atleast every 2 hours but still no success yet...the doc said that he was functionally constipated and that it could take a while for the feeling to come back........I was wondering if anyone has been through this and how long it may take for the feeling to come back sothat he is able to know when he has to go and not after the fact. Any help of suggestions would be great. Thank you!
Ang
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Yes - same problem - in fact, I had to look twice to make sure this wasn't some post from me that got copied from somewhere else. My son is actually 7 though, he's had encopresis since he was 4 and been on Miralax since then. Sometimes success, then backward. He wasn't diagnosed with the High-Functioning Autism until just last month, so along with the control issues, his already diagnosed ADHD, his natural consitipation, and now his autism, it all makes a little sense. The Pediatric GI gave us a cleanup regimin one weekend then put him on Miralax twice a day. Somehow it's hard to get down him - he seems to sense it in water, see it bubble in milk, decided he doesn't like O.J anymore. Lemonade is the only thing he'll drink with it, but we can't seem to get both doses down. If he skip a day or something, he will complain that it hurts, so we either wait it out, give him a bath, or a small suppository. Believe it or not, when he goes to the chiropractor, he ususally does better for about a week. she said usually when he is having a bad week (even before we tell her), that he is out where the vertabrae corresponds to the large colon or the bladder. When he is aligned, his nerves signal better and he has less accidents. The GI said 'We are not supposed to believe that chiropractic stuff, but by all means, keep going to see that Dr. if it helps'.
We don't know now whether to get him allergy tests for Gluten/Casein. I also heard from some other forum about 'Irlen' lenses helping. We don't know which way to run, but we getting tired of cleaning underwear.
- Kim
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My little girl Emily has always had problems with constipation since she was a baby. We changed her milk to lactose and it help alot with her crying, but not her constipation. Now she is 4 1/2 years old and she use to take some medicine to go to the bathroom, maybe miralax, can't remember. Anyway, she still struggles with going to the bathroom. She is still on diapers and sometimes she doesn't poop for a few days and when she has to go she cries and doesn't even go. We feel so bad for her because of this. We have mentioned it to her pediatrician who will find a specialist who deal with the stomach/intestines and so on. I don't know what to do. She eats the same things day in and day out. She has a sensory issue when it comes to food, so it is really strick. She doesn't drink juice or milk, just water and more water. I sometimes help her poop by helping her push, even though I know she shouldn't push so much. It is painful and really hard for her. I can't even imagine potty training her. ROSIE |
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My little girl Emily has always had problems with constipation since she was a baby. We changed her milk to lactose and it help alot with her crying, but not her constipation. Now she is 4 1/2 years old and she use to take some medicine to go to the bathroom, maybe miralax, can't remember. Anyway, she still struggles with going to the bathroom. She is still on diapers and sometimes she doesn't poop for a few days and when she has to go she cries and doesn't even go. We feel so bad for her because of this. We have mentioned it to her pediatrician who will find a specialist who deal with the stomach/intestines and so on. I don't know what to do. She eats the same things day in and day out. She has a sensory issue when it comes to food, so it is really strick. She doesn't drink juice or milk, just water and more water. I sometimes help her poop by helping her push, even though I know she shouldn't push so much. It is painful and really hard for her. I can't even imagine potty training her. ROSIE |
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Over the counter mineral oil once a day was also suggested for a while from our pediatrician, which helped in the beginning. Our Drs wanted our son to go every day so it didn't make it worse (like a cycle). I do the same thing with the pushing. I feel like a birthing coach in the bathroom. Counting, saying push, saying okay, take a break, then lets start again....... I can tell when he's had enough and I don't want him to hurt or get hemorroids, so we just try again in a couple hours...
The miralax is prescription only, because it doesn't get absorbed by the body - it only draws water into the intentines. That's why its been safe for him to be on it so long. We went to Dr. Lichtman at the UNC Pediatric GI center. He says they deal with this all the time, but it takes time. He had talked about a last resort hospitalized cleanout (could take a couple days up to to a week) - but we have yet to update him with the new diagnosis of HFA so I'm anxious to see if he changes his strategy.
My son also has constipation problems and will hold it until he has an accident. We keep a calander of when he does go. He is 11 now. We give him BeneFiber everyday. That seems to bulk up the boop and make it easier to feel. I was told it was a sensory thing, and he can't feel when he has to go. By bulking it up it makes the sensation stronger and he goes more often. If he doesn't go for a few days then we have to give him MOM until he goes. It also helps that he drinks bottled water during school. More liquids the better, but it was hard to find something he would drink.