constipation | Autism PDD

Both of my boys take glycolax daily, the oldest would hold it too, now he goes everyday even if it is just a small amount, I figure thats better than nothing at all. I think glycolax is generic for myrolax, which I think you can get without a prescription now. Poor guy has to be mieserable. Keep us posted.

Kim

WOW TY for the info - my has constipation too. I have been giving him Miralax as needed but he keeps telling me is going to the bathroom fine. The doctor told me to go LOOK after he goes to the bathroom, which I do at home (SO GROSS!!! OK sometimes I just dont do it because it really grosses me out & I hate having to tell him to wait so I can "check" his poo!) but I cant have the teacher go look at his stools at school!! I will try to keep on top of this, this is just horrible. I agree, your son should take the Glycolax everyday & i will ask my ped about it too! Our poor kids, this just breaks my heart!

My youngest son had trouble with constipation and withholding until he was about 3-1/2. He took lactulose daily, which is over the counter here but prescription in America still, I believe. He withheld his bowel movements as long as he could despite the treatment, so every once in awhile we'd have to give him a suppository. No fun for anyone! But my limited experience with it makes me feel sooo much sympathy for those of you dealing with it year after year.

Here are my constipation resources:

Constipation:

http://www.familydoctor.co.uk/htdocs/BOWELS/BOWELS_specimen.html - chart with illustrations of the 7 types of stool, so you can tell a healthy stool from constipated or loose, watery stools.

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/1 12/4/939 - Study showing that constipation in autistic children can be more severe than the usual symptoms suggest.

http://www.healthcare.uiowa.edu/cdd/patients/enco2.asp - very reader-friendly article about encopresis (bowel movement accidents)

http://www.autism-pdd.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=20562&am p;am p;PN=1&TPN=4 - topic on our forum with recipes for fruitlax and "get up and go cookies."

My wonderful son William is eleven and has been dealing with not having a bowel since he was five.
He just holds it and every three or four months, I have to put him in the hospital to be cleaned out. I don't know any parents of autistic children so I haven't had anyone who knows what my son and I go through.So if anyone has any advise I'd love to hear it.
Oh my goodness, that is awful for you and your son! Did you say he does not have a bowel at all? Does having it in his body for so long make him sick? Sorry for all the questions, you came for advice and I am asking a zillioin questions, just trying to understand and get background info. BTW, WELCOME to the board and visit often. There are many, many wonderful people on this board!My son will go without a bowel movement for months. he doesn't complain of pain except if he is on the toilet trying to go. The times he has gone it has been the size of a softball. And that rarely happens cause he will still hold it if I try to get him to sit on the toilet. The accidents he has are like smudges. I have tried enemas,so many different laxatives the only thing that has done anything is when I put him in the hospital to clean him out with a medicine called Golytle. So far we haven't come with anything to help him go.

Well, go back and search many of my topics! I'm dealing with severe problems. I'd be willing to hear everything you have tried.