Pale Undigested Poop in 20 month baby-Need help!-Update, still need help :(

[maryamb]

I have been struggling with constipation with my 20 month baby for  months now.  I have been working with his doctor and we took the food sensitivity test and so far have eliminated gluten, corn (90% since it's almost impossible) and dairy for a month and half now.  His results showed that he has a leaky gut and the doctor said that the elimination diet should help heal his gut.  I suggested the GAPS diet but she said I don't need to go that far since his condition is mild.   I have seen improvement in the sense that he sleeps much better at night and his eczema is gone however we are still dealing with the constipation. For his constipation she recommended magnesium.  After one week of taking it (orally 100mg) daily he started to have pale, loose, undigested poop three days in a row.  I stopped the magnesium and he didn't go for two days (just can't win!).  I started it again yesterday at half the dosage and today he had the horrible undigested poop again.  Is the cause magnesium?  Or am I dealing with a much bigger issue such as not having enough acid or zinc?  Am I even on the right track?  It's very very discouraging at times :(  Constipation was easier to deal with than this messy messy poop as now I am concerned about malnutrition.

[DevaMajka]

I know that mag can cause loose stools, and the timing is right, so I'd say it's the mag. But..that seems like a low dose to have loose poo from mag. Let me think...I'm fairly certain that for 1-3yo's, the (mainstream) safe upper limit for mag supps is 65mg. Lots of people here supp way higher than that and have good results. I'd still give it, but start low, and slowly increase to bowel tolerance.

b12 and zinc both help with digestion. b12 is quite safe to supp, and easy if you get sublingual. Are you on probiotics? Those are pretty much a must for gut healing. You could also try bone broths- they are supposed to be good for healing guts.

Ds2 had loose, undigested poop for a while. Sometimes, it was largely mucous and undigested food, with a very small amount of actual poo. We've removed lots of foods (slowly trialling to add stuff in), added b12, daily probiotics, and a multi-vitamin (with zinc), and his poop is overall much better.

Another thing I did was remove the foods that came out mostly undigested. I've never heard it recommended, but it helped firm up his poo a little bit. Maybe it also helped with the gut healing? I don't know.

[maryamb]

Thank you so much for the reply!  I am hoping it's the mag because after all of this hard work I want to finally see results not setbacks :(  I do  give him probiotics every day along with cod liver oil.  I read a lot about zinc, is it a supplement that I can safely give him or should I be concerned about overdose?  If so, would you know how much?  Same for b12.  

[DevaMajka]

I'm conservative when it comes to supps for ds2, 19mos. Like I said, a lot of people give their kids higher amounts, and see positive results from it. So keep that in mind. This link might be a good reference point for you: http://www.puristat.com/standardamericandiet/rda.aspx

b12- I don't worry about an overdose. I give ds2 250mcg (half a tablet) a day, in sublingual form. I may increase it to 3/4 a tab, or 375mcg/day. Here it says this:

 Quote:

 The IOM did not establish a UL for vitamin B12 because of its low potential for toxicity. In Dietary Reference Intakes: Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, and Choline, the IOM states that "no adverse effects have been associated with excess vitamin B12 intake from food and supplements in healthy individuals" [5].
 

in that link, you can search for other vitamins and minerals to get info on them too.

Zinc, I'm more conservative with. I'd be happy with giving ds2 3mg/day, but currently he's getting only what's in his multi (I give him half of one per day), which is 1.5mg.

I do have a holistic type medical advice book for kids that says you can give therapeutic short term doses of either 10 or 15mg (I'd have to check to be sure) to 1yo's.

[maryamb]

Thank you, that link and the information is very helpful.  I checked his multi vitamins ( I haven't started giving it to him) and it does not include zinc.  So I have to find another one.  I am definitely going to look into getting both of these.

[maryamb]

I am totally freaking out now :(  This morning he went with bright green diarreah poop with lots of food in it.  He did not go in the past two days.  I am wondering how he could NOT go for two days and still have watery, undigested, green poop?  Is this something serious?  The internet is making me more scared.  I did not give him anymore magnesium so is that ruled out?  Could this be caused by a blockage?  Unfortuntely his doctor is on vacation until Wednesday (we have an appointment for Wed.).  I made a call to the backup doctor but I don't trust her as I have been given wrong information from her more than once.  Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

[joybird]

It's probably either a tummy bug (they often cause green, loose poop) or a bacterial imbalance/infection.  Either way, I think you're probably safe waiting until Wednesday unless he's having actual diarrhea several times per day.  If he's still peeing a lot, he's not dehydrated.  Is he nursing?  If so, nurse him as much as you can.  You could also try eliminating fruit for now.