constipation

[Guest guest]

,  here are a few natural remedies that might help.  A drink of 2

parts tomato juice to 1 part sauerkraut juice often works well,  if you

can get it down!  Horseradish is also  good,  Don't take too much, or

cramping will happen, here are recommended doses,  fluid extract-1-4ml, 

infusion  2-3 Tbls,  juice  15-20 drops,  syrup  1-2tsp.,  tincture

2-5ml.  all 3 times a day, start with the lowest dose.  Ginger Root, the

fresh juice (1/2 to 1 tsp)  3-4 times a day a day.    Along the lines of

aroma therapy you might try 15 drops rosemary E.O, 10 drops lemon E.O,

and 5 drops Peppermint E.O in a base of 2 Tbls Olive oil.  Rub it on your

belly 3 times a day.  I hope this helps you out.  Oh, I'm sure you know

to drink lots of water, and eat plenty of fresh fruits and veggies. 

 

[Guest guest]

Cascara sacrada, not sure of the spelling, works wonderfully for this

aliment. You should be able to find this in your local health food store.

It is a powder (taken from the bark) that is taken in capsule form. This

causes spasms in the intestinal tract and over time will help to rebuild the

" muscle " tone so that the body is able to do this on its once again.

HTH

constipation

HI,

Does anyone have a blend for an oil or a salve for constipation that has

been tried and you know that it works? Lot's of the oils that I have used

said they would work but didn't.

Thanks for any help

[Guest guest]

At 06:56 PM 4/4/01 +0000, you wrote:

>Does anyone have a blend for an oil or a salve for constipation that has

>been tried and you know that it works? Lot's of the oils that I have

>used said they would work but didn't.

>Thanks for any help

A message elsewhere from a friend who is an aromatherapist in New

Zealand: (this was specifically a recommendation for medication/drug

induced constipation, hence the reference to tablets....

What I would recommend is massaging your abdomen clockwise. I use a blend

of a few drops of black pepper which is good for sluggish

digestion,rosemary is also good, and will help with the cleansing of the

liver due to the tablets,cardamon, which is not only good for

aiding digestion, but also helps with the bloating, and wind which can

occur. I also use ginger to help increase the flow of things.....

Now in a teaspoon of carrier oil, put about 4-6 drops of your selected

essential oils, and massage your abdomen clockwise. If you go

really slowly at first you will feel where the large intestine is

blocked. I often find it is under the liver or stomach area. After massaging

for a few minutes, use your 2 fingers nearest your thumb, (sorry about

the descriptions) together and do small circles right around the

abdomen, one after the other, then repeat the clockwise large circles.

This should get things moving, do this for about 10 minutes, and then

if you can, try to bring your knees in and hug them for about 15

seconds, then repeat. The last step is more to help get rid of trapped gas

which can make constipation even more uncomfortable.

This blend is a stronger dilution that you would normally use, but you

are only using it topicaly, so that is fine. If you are feeling nauseous

as well, then you could add some peppermint. You will find that the

" lumps " of faecal matter will move with this massage, and once you

gets things moving ...

Your source for superb Essential Oils, Aromatherapy

Accessories, Information, Books and more!

Visit us at: <http://www.naturesgift.com>

[Guest guest]

I have used this massage on babies (very gently) with great success. Also, I was

told to do the 'bicycle' exercise with your legs at first, for as long as is

comfortable for you. (Or just walk around the block if you can) I did this to my

grandson Saturday & w/i 15 min he had a bowel movement (he hadn't had one in 3

days). His other grandmother suggested (at 6wks) to give him straight prune

juice. Well, needless to say - he is miserable & so is his Mama from staying up

with him.

A message elsewhere from a friend who is an aromatherapist in New

Zealand: (this was specifically a recommendation for medication/drug

induced constipation, hence the reference to tablets....

What I would recommend is massaging your abdomen clockwise. I use a blend

of a few drops of black pepper which is good for sluggish

digestion,rosemary is also good, and will help with the cleansing of the

liver due to the tablets,cardamon, which is not only good for

aiding digestion, but also helps with the bloating, and wind which can

occur. I also use ginger to help increase the flow of things.....

Now in a teaspoon of carrier oil, put about 4-6 drops of your selected

essential oils, and massage your abdomen clockwise. If you go

really slowly at first you will feel where the large intestine is

blocked. I often find it is under the liver or stomach area. After massaging

for a few minutes, use your 2 fingers nearest your thumb, (sorry about

the descriptions) together and do small circles right around the

abdomen, one after the other, then repeat the clockwise large circles.

This should get things moving, do this for about 10 minutes, and then

if you can, try to bring your knees in and hug them for about 15

seconds, then repeat. The last step is more to help get rid of trapped gas

which can make constipation even more uncomfortable.

This blend is a stronger dilution that you would normally use, but you

are only using it topicaly, so that is fine. If you are feeling nauseous

as well, then you could add some peppermint. You will find that the

" lumps " of faecal matter will move with this massage, and once you

gets things moving ...

[Guest guest]

Warren wrote:

>Thanks for the info. But, I know I won't be able to drink sauerkraut juice

>no way no how. The eo's are the way for me.

you can also try a small amount of senna leaf tea - guaranteed to work! mix it

with a bit of licorice root if you don't like the taste - the glycyrrhizic acid

is good for your digestion anyway, and tastes pretty good. :> senna caps will

also work but they tend to cause bowel cramps :/

details:

active constituents: senna contains anthraquinone glycosides known as

sennosides. these molecules are converted by the normal bacteria in the colon

into rhein-anthrone, which in turn has two effects. it first stimulates colon

activity and thus speeds bowel movements. second, it increases fluid secretion

by the colon. together, these actions work to get a sluggish colon functional

again.

good luck!

~risa

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the info. But, I know I won't be able to drink sauerkraut juice

no way no how. The eo's are the way for me.

With Joy,

Re: constipation

> , here are a few natural remedies that might help. A drink of 2

> parts tomato juice to 1 part sauerkraut juice often works well, if you

> can get it down! Horseradish is also good, Don't take too much, or

> cramping will happen, here are recommended doses, fluid extract-1-4ml,

> infusion 2-3 Tbls, juice 15-20 drops, syrup 1-2tsp., tincture

> 2-5ml. all 3 times a day, start with the lowest dose. Ginger Root, the

> fresh juice (1/2 to 1 tsp) 3-4 times a day a day. Along the lines of

> aroma therapy you might try 15 drops rosemary E.O, 10 drops lemon E.O,

> and 5 drops Peppermint E.O in a base of 2 Tbls Olive oil. Rub it on your

> belly 3 times a day. I hope this helps you out. Oh, I'm sure you know

> to drink lots of water, and eat plenty of fresh fruits and veggies.

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

, not to be butting in(no pun intended).  I have colon problems

myself (Crohns Disease found when I was 5, along with a burst appendix

from it).  A friend a few years ago introduced me to bee pollen granules,

which I take approx. 1 tsp.  with a small cup of water at least 30

minutes before eating.  I was told it strengthens the colon after

awhile.  After about 6 weeks I started to notice a small difference and

it seems that I no longer need as much medication as I used to for

inflammation, etc.  Hope this helps some. 

[Guest guest]

Thanks again Risa. I know that I will need to do this long term. I have a

very spastic intestine, and a very under working colon. It's a family

thing. My mother's colon busrst a few years ago. So I know how important

it is to be awhere of when and how much is cleaning out each time. I don't

think I have EVER been clean or empty. I just am not a natual girl and find

all this very new to me. But I am willing to try something new. What I

have been using so far just isn't working well enough.

With Joy,

--

--- Original Message -----

From: risa <lupa@...>

< >

Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2001 9:58 PM

Subject: Re: constipation

> Warren wrote:

>

> >Thanks for the info. But, I know I won't be able to drink sauerkraut

juice

> >no way no how. The eo's are the way for me.

>

> you can also try a small amount of senna leaf tea - guaranteed to work!

mix it with a bit of licorice root if you don't like the taste - the

glycyrrhizic acid is good for your digestion anyway, and tastes pretty good.

:> senna caps will also work but they tend to cause bowel cramps :/

>

> details:

> active constituents: senna contains anthraquinone glycosides known as

sennosides. these molecules are converted by the normal bacteria in the

colon into rhein-anthrone, which in turn has two effects. it first

stimulates colon activity and thus speeds bowel movements. second, it

increases fluid secretion by the colon. together, these actions work to get

a sluggish colon functional again.

>

> good luck!

> ~risa

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/4/01 11:58:36 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

gwarren1@... writes:

<< Does anyone have a blend for an oil or a salve for constipation that has

been tried and you know that it works? Lot's of the oils that I have used

said they would work but didn't.

Thanks for any help

>>

When I was a kid my mom gave us castor oil or epsom salts.

E

[Guest guest]

constipation

.....But we are trying a product called, " Mirimax " , a stool softener that is a

powder for when Andy's *really* constipated. We've only used it once, but

it worked great and can be put in any of his drinks.

Hi Joan,

I appreciate any suggestions that you or anyone else might have, believe me!

Actually, one of 's doctors just suggested Miralax for because

Milk of Magnesia and Senekot cause him to cramp so badly. has chronic

pseudo-obstruction of the small bowel and has always had trouble pooping. This

past Memorial Day things reall got out of hand and we had to take him to the ER

to rule out a mechanical obstruction again. Of course his regular GI doctor

(whom he has seen for 12 years) was out of town! LOL Anyway, the upshot of it

was that he needs to be back on the Propulsid, which was taken off the market in

the US last year because of lawsuits due to side-effects. was actually

part of the original studies done before the drug was approved by the FDA and he

never experienced any negative side-effects from Propulsid (Cisapride). Now,

Janssen, the manufacturer, will make it available to patients who absolutely

need it on a " Compassionate Need " basis, but the patient has to go through a

whole work-up (including berium enema and small bowel study,etc.) to get it.

Our doctor tried to tell them that they already have all this info on

since he was part of the original study but they insist that he go through it

again. Our doctor said the only alternative is for us to go to Mexico to get

Propulsid where it is available over the counter! Can you believe it? So, the

short story is that we did! (and believe me, THAT is a whole other story! LOL)

We will be trying the Miralax over the next couple of weeks as well but

meanwhile is back on the Propulsid and not in pain anymore! Thank God!

There's something wrong with the picture of a " Compassionate Need " drug program

when the company is obviously more interested in their liability issues than the

welfare of the patient! I'll climb down off my soapbox now...I guess I needed

that vent! LOL Thanks for caring!

Terry

[Guest guest]

We've been using Miralax for a few weeks now. About a month ago, Ian was

complaining of stomach pains, so we brought him to the doctor, who

determined that Ian was backed way up -- he was feeling lumps of stool

around Ian's belly button. We were instructed to give him an enema every 12

hours until things moved along, and Milk of Magnesia probably for 3-4 months

until his colon redeveloped its elasticity.

Well! Ian won't even let me see his underpants, much less allow me near him

with an enema bottle. We managed to get Milk of Magnesia into him for a few

days, but he didn't like the taste and began to fight us.

So back we went to the doctor, and he decided he (or rather, his nurse)

would give Ian the enema. That took a while. Then we waited for a

reaction, and there was none. Gee, the doctor said, some kids absorb that

liquid. Let's try again. So we tried again. Nothing. By this time,

everyone was hungry, so we all went out to Denny's, where Ian did go to the

bathroom, and quite proudly (and he announced it loudly to everyone in the

restaurant).

Then we went home, where things were fine -- until late evening, when Ian

exploded, repeatedly, all over the house. Boy, was that fun. And Ian was

put on a single dose of Miralax a day -- up to the line in that little cap.

So we figured, at least he's cleaned out. But upon a repeat visit, he was

all backed up again. Now he's on two caps a day, and I'm not sure it's

working. Doctor says we might have to go up to three.

CK,

Mom to Ian (2/89),

(9/90),

and Rose (6/94)

[Guest guest]

has anyone used lactulose syrup? we have used a combination of senokot and

lactulose syrup (which really can be put in anything) for Nick with really good

success. will probably need something else soon as we are slowly but surely

going to a gfcf diet and lactose free. the lactulose has saved Nick from many

an enema.

good luck to you in finding the right thing for . constipation

.....But we are trying a product called, " Mirimax " , a stool softener that is a

powder for when Andy's *really* constipated. We've only used it once, but

it worked great and can be put in any of his drinks.

Hi Joan,

I appreciate any suggestions that you or anyone else might have, believe me!

Actually, one of 's doctors just suggested Miralax for because

Milk of Magnesia and Senekot cause him to cramp so badly. has chronic

pseudo-obstruction of the small bowel and has always had trouble pooping. This

past Memorial Day things reall got out of hand and we had to take him to the ER

to rule out a mechanical obstruction again. Of course his regular GI doctor

(whom he has seen for 12 years) was out of town! LOL Anyway, the upshot of it

was that he needs to be back on the Propulsid, which was taken off the market in

the US last year because of lawsuits due to side-effects. was actually

part of the original studies done before the drug was approved by the FDA and he

never experienced any negative side-effects from Propulsid (Cisapride). Now,

Janssen, the manufacturer, will make it available to patients who absolutely

need it on a " Compassionate Need " basis, but the patient has to go through a

whole work-up (including berium enema and small bowel study,etc.) to get it.

Our doctor tried to tell them that they already have all this info on

since he was part of the original study but they insist that he go through it

again. Our doctor said the only alternative is for us to go to Mexico to get

Propulsid where it is available over the counter! Can you believe it? So, the

short story is that we did! (and believe me, THAT is a whole other story! LOL)

We will be trying the Miralax over the next couple of weeks as well but

meanwhile is back on the Propulsid and not in pain anymore! Thank God!

There's something wrong with the picture of a " Compassionate Need " drug program

when the company is obviously more interested in their liability issues than the

welfare of the patient! I'll climb down off my soapbox now...I guess I needed

that vent! LOL Thanks for caring!

Terry

[Guest guest]

I use plain old mineral oil for danny. Senekot seemed

to make danny more agressive.

Carolyn

=====

Carolyn Treadwell

Single Mother of Danny

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi,

Although it may be very premature to be considering a

surgical procedure at this time, I thought I might

pass this along.

A close friend of mine has a son with DS and chronic

constipation. To make a long story short, surgery,

enemas and laxatives did no good. He had an xray that

revealed his entire colon was impacted yet again.

There is a new surgery called a Cecostomy which

involves a tube being placed into the top of the colon

(cecum) which will have a trapdoor effect. She told

me he now has a stoma, which looks like a colostomy,

and a skin flap trapdoor. When needed, they attach

another tube that has a bag attached at the top of it

(much like an enema bag) which gets hung somewhere

close to the toilet and enables them to irrigate him

from the top of his colon to the bottom. This was a

new procedure at their hospital, which sent someone to

Canada to learn it, as several parents of children

with Spinabifida whose children are paralized were

leaving the region and going to Canada to have it

done. I'm told this surgery can be done laprascopic,

and most often is. The child, who once had no

appetite is now eating better. And the procedure

seems to be working well. The hope is the colon will

regain elasticity, and the surgery be reversed.

Deb

--- CK <ckc@...> wrote:

> We've been using Miralax for a few weeks now. About

> a month ago, Ian was

> complaining of stomach pains, so we brought him to

> the doctor, who

> determined that Ian was backed way up -- he was

> feeling lumps of stool

> around Ian's belly button. We were instructed to

> give him an enema every 12

> hours until things moved along, and Milk of Magnesia

> probably for 3-4 months

> until his colon redeveloped its elasticity.

>

> Well! Ian won't even let me see his underpants,

> much less allow me near him

> with an enema bottle. We managed to get Milk of

> Magnesia into him for a few

> days, but he didn't like the taste and began to

> fight us.

>

> So back we went to the doctor, and he decided he (or

> rather, his nurse)

> would give Ian the enema. That took a while.

> Then we waited for a

> reaction, and there was none. Gee, the doctor said,

> some kids absorb that

> liquid. Let's try again. So we tried again.

> Nothing. By this time,

> everyone was hungry, so we all went out to Denny's,

> where Ian did go to the

> bathroom, and quite proudly (and he announced it

> loudly to everyone in the

> restaurant).

>

> Then we went home, where things were fine -- until

> late evening, when Ian

> exploded, repeatedly, all over the house. Boy, was

> that fun. And Ian was

> put on a single dose of Miralax a day -- up to the

> line in that little cap.

>

> So we figured, at least he's cleaned out. But upon

> a repeat visit, he was

> all backed up again. Now he's on two caps a day,

> and I'm not sure it's

> working. Doctor says we might have to go up to

> three.

>

> CK,

> Mom to Ian (2/89),

> (9/90),

> and Rose (6/94)

>

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

We also use a 1 & 1/2 teaspoon of mineral oil twice a day in whatever

he is drinking. It is flavorless and tasteless and he doesn't seem to

care at all. My son is 4 years old.

[Guest guest]

I have ordered some. Thanks, Pat K

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 6/7/2003 9:15:55 PM US Mountain Standard Time,

deads@... writes:

> When any of my kids had troubles with #2,

LOL....on this subject, I need to share that my 7 yr old told me he had # 3

yesterday. Both my daugther and I were confused and I asked him what it was

and he told me it was diareaha. Pretty ingenious, I think. He is a foster

child and I am trying to get him away from certain GROSS terms and use gentler

terms....like " passed gas " instead of Fart....so I guess he thought that Number

3

was appropriate....... It will certainly be the term used in our home from

now on!!!

[Guest guest]

Hey Tonya-

I have to say constipation didn't cross my mind much with my older two boys.

They never had a problem with it.

It was obvious though that Blake had A LOT of trouble with constipation from

the time he was a few weeks old. He would get fussy just before a bowel

movement. At its worst (around 3 months - 9 months of age) he would get

bound up to the point that he screamed and his whole body would shake when

he pooed. He also would bleed.

Initially, we tried a few things like white grape juice. After 2 or 3

episodes like I described above we turned to baby food prunes and fiber in

his baby cereal (like metamucil or benefiber). That took care of the

problem.

Schulte

Mom to Blake-2wds, Ben-14, Brendt-12

-mom to Harley -10, Brady-8

> Hello,

> I'm have read some emails about people talking about their son or daughter

> having problems with constipation. What really is constipation? I was

told

> that as long as they are able to go to the bathroom everyday that it is

not

> considered constipation. However, some other people have told me that if

always

> looks like rabbit pebbles that is considered to be constipation.

> Is constipation very normal in children with DS? I though that it was

just

> the type of formula that I am using. I was even told to put Karo syrup in

his

> bottles. Has anyone else done this? Is this ok or not?

> Any suggestions would be appreciated.

> Tonya

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

When any of my kids had troubles with #2, my pediatrician told me to give them

Karo syrup and water. It always helped. If that doesn't help then you move on

to other steps. Darcy

Constipation

Hello,

I'm have read some emails about people talking about their son or daughter

having problems with constipation. What really is constipation? I was told

that as long as they are able to go to the bathroom everyday that it is not

considered constipation. However, some other people have told me that if

always

looks like rabbit pebbles that is considered to be constipation.

Is constipation very normal in children with DS? I though that it was just

the type of formula that I am using. I was even told to put Karo syrup in his

bottles. Has anyone else done this? Is this ok or not?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Tonya

[Guest guest]

Tonya,

We have been dealing with this issue since birth with Ethan (17 months), and I

would agree with all the advice that Judi gave. Another thing that is very

helpful is exercise! Ethan is in U of M's treadmill study, and I have noticed a

great improvement since he began it. He has been sick a couple of times since

he began the program (once with the rotavirus) and missed about a week of his

treadmill time, and he started to have a bit of a problem again. Prunes are a

great idea, Ethan gets prune juice every day, and we have found that about 4

ounces does the trick. You can also buy regular prunes and cook them in the

microwave to add to oatmeal or baby cereals. That also works well.

Ethan's gastroenterologist wrote a prescription for Miralax the last time he saw

her, and I filled it but have never had to use it. Miralax makes water migrate

TO the intestines, to keep the stool from becoming too hard. That is

essentially what Karo syrup does, as well, although not as effectively. I feel

strongly that it is a good idea to avoid medication whenever possible. I can't

remember how old your child is, but if they are young and you are interested in

the treadmill information, I would be happy to share it.

Also, constipation can be a real issue when it gets to be time to toilet train,

because if children associate toileting with pain, then they will hold it.

Dealing with this issue as early as possible will help to avoid that possible

problem. Good luck!

Tonya,

Jordan has seen a gastroenterologist forever now. This is what was explained to

me:

Since children and adults with DS have low muscle tone, it effects the whole

body. The intestines are a muscle, which is effected as well. Normally,food

moves through the intestines, turning into waste. In persons with DS, the food

moves at a slower rate, causing loss of water in the waste, thus giving them

hard, pebble-like stools. Putting the person on a high fiber diet will help

some. Avoiding drinking and eating lots of dairy problems also helps to

alleviate the problem as well. In some, it's so severe that they are put on

medication to help.

It's been my experience that because Jordan has had this problem, what we've

done to " fix " it has been wonderful. Jordan drinks pediasure with fiber (per

dr's orders because she has feeding issues, not because of constipation.) She

gets as much popcorn as she wants, being there's a ton of fiber in it. I've

received a list from a dietician of things being high in fiber. I also watch to

see when she's constipated and give her the Gerber stage 2 Prunes. She just

loves them! She's not a fan of water tho I do trick her into drinking out of my

cup from time to time.

Plenty of water, high fiber, sweet prunes should do the trick. If not, then you

might consider seeing a pediatric gastroenterologist about the problem. Lots of

FRESH fruit is good, though watch the amount of Juice you give on account of the

high sugar content.

Judi

[Guest guest]

Tonya, just a couple of thoughts I had after I hit the send button. I found

your original post, and although it doesn't mention your child's age, I noticed

you said your child is still getting formula. Just a caution about using the

prune juice, make sure that the prune juice is a supplement - don't substitute

prune juice for a formula feeding as it isn't even kind of nutritionally equal!

Also, iron can be constipating, so you might want to think about that. My

little guys is taking a liquid infant multivitamin without iron, because he gets

adequate iron from his infant cereal, and the additional iron in most of the

supplements would just bind him up. So if you are giving some kind of vitamin

supplement with iron, that could also be a problem. The supplement we buy is

made by Twinlab and I get it online at www.vitacost.com

Tonya,

We have been dealing with this issue since birth with Ethan (17 months), and I

would agree with all the advice that Judi gave. Another thing that is very

helpful is exercise! Ethan is in U of M's treadmill study, and I have noticed a

great improvement since he began it. He has been sick a couple of times since

he began the program (once with the rotavirus) and missed about a week of his

treadmill time, and he started to have a bit of a problem again. Prunes are a

great idea, Ethan gets prune juice every day, and we have found that about 4

ounces does the trick. You can also buy regular prunes and cook them in the

microwave to add to oatmeal or baby cereals. That also works well.

Ethan's gastroenterologist wrote a prescription for Miralax the last time he

saw her, and I filled it but have never had to use it. Miralax makes water

migrate TO the intestines, to keep the stool from becoming too hard. That is

essentially what Karo syrup does, as well, although not as effectively. I feel

strongly that it is a good idea to avoid medication whenever possible. I can't

remember how old your child is, but if they are young and you are interested in

the treadmill information, I would be happy to share it.

Also, constipation can be a real issue when it gets to be time to toilet

train, because if children associate toileting with pain, then they will hold

it. Dealing with this issue as early as possible will help to avoid that

possible problem. Good luck!

Tonya,

Jordan has seen a gastroenterologist forever now. This is what was explained

to me:

Since children and adults with DS have low muscle tone, it effects the whole

body. The intestines are a muscle, which is effected as well. Normally,food

moves through the intestines, turning into waste. In persons with DS, the food

moves at a slower rate, causing loss of water in the waste, thus giving them

hard, pebble-like stools. Putting the person on a high fiber diet will help

some. Avoiding drinking and eating lots of dairy problems also helps to

alleviate the problem as well. In some, it's so severe that they are put on

medication to help.

It's been my experience that because Jordan has had this problem, what we've

done to " fix " it has been wonderful. Jordan drinks pediasure with fiber (per

dr's orders because she has feeding issues, not because of constipation.) She

gets as much popcorn as she wants, being there's a ton of fiber in it. I've

received a list from a dietician of things being high in fiber. I also watch to

see when she's constipated and give her the Gerber stage 2 Prunes. She just

loves them! She's not a fan of water tho I do trick her into drinking out of my

cup from time to time.

Plenty of water, high fiber, sweet prunes should do the trick. If not, then

you might consider seeing a pediatric gastroenterologist about the problem.

Lots of FRESH fruit is good, though watch the amount of Juice you give on

account of the high sugar content.

Judi

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 6/8/2003 8:20:24 AM US Mountain Standard Time,

laurasnowbird@... writes:

> , I noticed you said your child is still getting formula.

Also.... regarding the formula... powder formula constipates my little guys.

[Guest guest]

Another tip that I heard recommended was to make sure the kids have a foot stool

to rest their feet on while sitting on the toilet. It helps get the muscles

working. Darcy

Re: Constipation

Tonya,

We have been dealing with this issue since birth with Ethan (17 months), and I

would agree with all the advice that Judi gave. Another thing that is very

helpful is exercise! Ethan is in U of M's treadmill study, and I have noticed a

great improvement since he began it. He has been sick a couple of times since

he began the program (once with the rotavirus) and missed about a week of his

treadmill time, and he started to have a bit of a problem again. Prunes are a

great idea, Ethan gets prune juice every day, and we have found that about 4

ounces does the trick. You can also buy regular prunes and cook them in the

microwave to add to oatmeal or baby cereals. That also works well.

Ethan's gastroenterologist wrote a prescription for Miralax the last time he

saw her, and I filled it but have never had to use it. Miralax makes water

migrate TO the intestines, to keep the stool from becoming too hard. That is

essentially what Karo syrup does, as well, although not as effectively. I feel

strongly that it is a good idea to avoid medication whenever possible. I can't

remember how old your child is, but if they are young and you are interested in

the treadmill information, I would be happy to share it.

Also, constipation can be a real issue when it gets to be time to toilet

train, because if children associate toileting with pain, then they will hold

it. Dealing with this issue as early as possible will help to avoid that

possible problem. Good luck!

Tonya,

Jordan has seen a gastroenterologist forever now. This is what was explained

to me:

Since children and adults with DS have low muscle tone, it effects the whole

body. The intestines are a muscle, which is effected as well. Normally,food

moves through the intestines, turning into waste. In persons with DS, the food

moves at a slower rate, causing loss of water in the waste, thus giving them

hard, pebble-like stools. Putting the person on a high fiber diet will help

some. Avoiding drinking and eating lots of dairy problems also helps to

alleviate the problem as well. In some, it's so severe that they are put on

medication to help.

It's been my experience that because Jordan has had this problem, what we've

done to " fix " it has been wonderful. Jordan drinks pediasure with fiber (per

dr's orders because she has feeding issues, not because of constipation.) She

gets as much popcorn as she wants, being there's a ton of fiber in it. I've

received a list from a dietician of things being high in fiber. I also watch to

see when she's constipated and give her the Gerber stage 2 Prunes. She just

loves them! She's not a fan of water tho I do trick her into drinking out of my

cup from time to time.

Plenty of water, high fiber, sweet prunes should do the trick. If not, then

you might consider seeing a pediatric gastroenterologist about the problem.

Lots of FRESH fruit is good, though watch the amount of Juice you give on

account of the high sugar content.

Judi

[Guest guest]

I am interested in the answer to this also. Micah has been straining to go

and has very hard poops, sometimes there is streaks of blood. His pediatrician

keeps telling me it is because of low muscle tone and not actual

constipation, so what's the answer guys?

Loree

[Guest guest]

My stepson was a teenager when he came to live with us so some things

were kind of delicate. I knew he had some problems with constipation so I

kept things on hand so he could help himself when needed. One day he told me he

had taken that stuff a couple times and 2 or 3 days later nothing had

happened. So I asked him what he had taken and it turned out to be Kaopectate.

We

had a lesson on reading labels. Kids!!!

Jessie