Mother needs help with her son's BM issues

[sherichance]

I do not know where else to turn. I have asked all my friends who are mothers, the doctor, my grandmother and so on. My poor son is terrified to have a BM. It started almost 2 weeks ago when I noticed he was a little constipated. This is thanks to his father who has been feeding him burger king every night when I am not home.

So my son tells me he has to poop and gets on the potty and screams and cries. He is only 3.5 years old so this breaks my heart when I hear this.

I sit on the floor and try to comfort him and rub his legs and tell him mommy is here its ok. Then he wont go. He has started to hold his BM's. After a few hours when he is in enough pain, he will go but he is crying at the same time.

I went out and bought some prune juice and mixed it with some juice because we all know how bad that stuff tastes and he doesnt mind it. It wasnt working so I put a little more prune juice in there and that was a mistake because he didnt even make it to the potty and had a BM all over himself.

Now, the other day I was sitting there with him as he was trying to poop and I look between his legs and his BM is SO large. Not like long large, but the width of it so so big that it seems to tear his bottom. I go to wipe his bottom and he clenches and cries and there is blood on the tissue.

I have been working on getting him to eat more greens, drink more water, and so on and it does not seem to be working. To top it all off, he is anemic and takes iron drops so that doesnt help his pooping problems.

I feel so horrible for him because I went through the same thing when I was little and still now go through it. I understand his pain but he is too little to be going through this.

Is there anything else that I can do to help him? The doctors tell me to give him more fiber but it doesnt seem to help. Should I ask about a stool softener or maybe a supository? This is just breaking my heart and I cry everytime he has to have a BM. Your help is appreciated. Sheri

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

I am so very sorry about your situation. However, we can not provide medical advice and I would advise you to immediately call your doctor again. This is too long to let this progress.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

iron medications often cause constipation. since your child in now fearful of having a bm, stool large, hard and difficult to pass appears that softener indicated. your pediatrician knows your child best to describe appropriate treatment, call them today.

resources:

constipation in children -- familydoctor.org

constipation and children - diagnosis and treatment