DP and I can hardly talk about it now without both wanting to cry really and despite consulting all sorts of professionals it's not really got any better in over 2 years.
DS1 is 5.4 now. He soils his pants most days, today it was about 4 times (I lost count). He was diagnosed with chronic constipation nearly a year ago after problems soiling since he was 3. Dr prescribed Movicol, firstly to clear an impaction and then as maintenance until his colon recovered sensation. He started school last Sept and had a 3 week run of no soiling at all. Which made us all think that colon was ok, and he could control his poo. Accidents started again after that though, and nothing that we do makes any difference for longer than a week e.g. increasing Movicol dose, decreasing dose, huge congrats if he poos on the toilet, special toy for sitting, rewarding sitting, star charts, confiscating toys, daily chats. We kept a diary of his diet for 2 weeks and were told it was near perfect. All they've suggested is more drinks during the day which he largely won't have.
He usually refuses to go to the toilet after a meal. He sometimes refuses to acknowledge he's had an accident, he rarely volunteers it, occasionally refuses to go and clean it up or be cleaned up. He admits he's not trying very hard and promises to try harder (but doesn't). He seems to think that other boys his age do the same thing.
We have seen to date two paeds (one specialising in this, one endocrinologist to check that he didn't have coeliac disease etc), Bowel clinic, school nurse, GPx2 and a Constipation diet clinic. They all say to keep him on Movicol even though with even half a sachet a day he has such loose poo that it's leaking everywhere. We took him off it entirely a few weeks ago and he now has an impaction which seems to have cleared now. Everytime I see a professional about it I get even more confused and frustrated - they all keep saying be positive, reward good behaviour (there isn't any really to reward), it will come right. Try movicol in the evening, try movicol in the morning, try splitting the dose, what about a hot drink the morning (won't drink it), do you have a start chart, reward sitting etc etc etc.
We have 3 other children under 5, our dt's are only 7 months and we are really struggling. Everywhere we go we have to change his pants, I always take several pairs. Half the weekend is taken up with him being sent upstairs to clean up. I don't think any of his friends' mothers want to have him over because they don't want to clean him up. It's dominating our lives and sometimes dp and I both get SO angry with him one of us has to leave the room and leave the other to sort him out. My father, who is a paed, insists that it's behavioural and that if he can hold the poo in once, he can do it every day. Last week, when we said he couldn't have his lego or any computer time if he had an accident, he didn't have any for 2 days. But then started all over again despite the same punishments.
I'm crying now just writing this. I have 3 others in nappies and I'm SICK of cleaning up bloody poo ALL day every day of my life. I'm sick of arguing with him bout whether he needs a poo, then that he's had one and needs to clean up all when I'm trying to feed a baby or get dinner on or spend some time with him. I don't want to punish him, DP sometimes refuses to read him stories if he's had an accident, we stopped him having an evening bath when he pooed in the toilet 4 days running. He's a lovely, sweet, funny little boy and all school see of him is poo. The nursery nurse glares at me most days (she has to clean him up and twice last week had to shower him down). I struggle to send enough clothes in every day when he can get through 2 pairs of trousers. I just want it to end.
Please, any advice?
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General health
Advice on 5yo and ongoing, seemingly insolvable chronic constipation
68 replies
accessorizequeen · 26/04/2009 19:56
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