painful poop

[julie128]

Trying not to be too graphic here. My nearly 4y.o. DD is having some poop issues. I think what happened was that she had a painful B.M., and she is now tense and scared that it will happen again, which is really a self-fulfilling prophecy because she's holding back, which makes her poop firmer and more painful to pass, and so on. Today, she had an accident because she was trying to hold back and couldn't. (Also, she's sick, which is another story.) DH, who cleaned her up, said that DD's butt looked red and irritated. I think that if I giving her a glycerine suppository every night will make her poops soft in the morning (when she usually goes), which will help her get over the pain-fear-withholding-pain cycle. The trouble is that she will not let me put it in, and she will not do it herself. I have tried giving her prunes, but she would only eat one. She is not letting us put ointment on her and won't do it herself. She eats plenty of fiber, so that's not the trouble. Probably a fissure. Any suggestions?

[Marsupialmom]

Flax seed/oil/meal in her diet.

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/t081100.asp

[stafl]

DD's butt looked red and irritated

sounds like a food allergy to me. That's my DD's problem. Many of her food allergies actually bind her up. Eating certain foods makes her bottom hurt, so she holds the poop in, which binds her up even more. I wouldn't do the suppositories if her bottom is already red and irritated, that will just be traumatic for her. I would, though, make sure she isn't eating anything containing rice, bananas, apples, carrots, oatmeal, or any possible allergens (for my DD, the biggy is dairy). I would make sure she's drinking lots of water. Grape juice is a good loosener, along with prunes, apricots, peas, pears, peaches, grits, cream of wheat, and so on.

[julie128]

Gads, this has only gotten worse. Her anal and vaginal areas are really red and irritated and look as though she has been scratching, which she has been doing, though not so much since I have been putting ointments on (an anti-fungal in the vaginal area, as per her ped's suggestion, and either Neosporin or Preparation H in the anal area). Twice today, she sat on the toilet to go poop, but wouldn't release more than a little bit because it hurt so much. I have given her some dried apricots. She will not eat prunes. I will try some flax oil in a smoothie. She does not generally eat constipating foods, so I do not believe that diet has anything to do with this. I am surprised, though, that carrots or oatmeal can be constipating. They are both very fibrous. She's been drinking water and smoothies, and I will add some grape juice. I'm afraid to send her to school because she might have a bad accident. *sigh*

Do you remember stuff like this from when you were a kid? I do, though, it really was not what I was thinking about when I told my husband-to-be that I wanted children! :LOL

[stafl]

some fiber is binding and some is loosening. I think there are like four different kinds of fiber, but package labels only break it down into two types. For people prone to constipation, certain things must be avoided at all costs. That's why I posted that list. And, if your child has allergies, the list will differ from what constipates my child.

forget the ointments! If it's not helping, it could be making things worse. Preparation H??? On a child??!!! ACK! Try something much more gentle, please! I make ointment myself out of beeswax, oils, and herbs. Don't use anything that has artificial fragrance in it. You need a barrier, not an antibacterial or antifungal. Try olive oil or vaseline or something you have handy around the house instead. Has she been eating lots of acidic foods lately? What has she eaten that doesn't agree with her? You need to find out, and eliminate it from her diet! Are there any food allergies in your family? That would be a great starting place.
Oh, and just plain water in her bath, no bubbles, no soap until the rash clears up. Yes, plain water will get her plenty clean enough!

[stafl]

breastmilk also helps tremendously with my 4yo DD's constipation problems. If you aren't still nursing, that's not an option, but if you are, you might try to encourage her to nurse a little more often than usual.