Constipation

[Guest guest]

Dear Del,

Herbert said it should be " sodium ascorbate " powder, not calcium

ascorbate. Was that a typo in your post?

Your friend may not have good success without " good " fats, which are

very important for good bowel function and digestion.

Bee

Del wrote:

> This is interesting. I have a friend that has MS and is struggling

> with constipation. I passed on to her what you said in your post

> here and she told me that she tried that last year. Getting up to

15 > grams of calcium ascorbate to reach tolerance!

[Guest guest]

No, it wasn't a typo in my post. I will ask her if she meant to say

sodium ascorbate and get back with you.

Del

> > This is interesting. I have a friend that has MS and is

struggling

> > with constipation. I passed on to her what you said in your post

> > here and she told me that she tried that last year. Getting up

to

> 15 > grams of calcium ascorbate to reach tolerance!

[Guest guest]

I was away from home for 3 weeks recently and had to eat " normal food " . I

tried to eat as much salads and things that would conform to a diet for

candida but it was pretty difficult. As a result, after a couple weeks I

developed a horrible rash, mostly on my legs.

I've been back on my restricted diet for a couple weeks now and the rash

has subsided but now I have a horrible case of constipation. I'll take

diarrhea over this any day! I'll have to try the calcium-magnesium in

more volume; I've been taking some but probably not enough. I might also

try the coffee enemas, which I've never done before. That should be

interesting! :-)

Zack

On Mon, 21 Mar 2005, Jeanne Vaughn wrote:

>

>

> --- Barb <barb1283@...> wrote:

> > I

> > have to be careful as small amount or certain types

> > of magnesium gave me diahrea.

>

> That certainly solves the mystery.

>

> I've been taking extra magnesium for three days now,

> and I have diahrea. If it doesn't go away in a week or

> so, I'll cut back on it. I started taking a gram of

> magnesium to try and achieve a 2:1 ratio with the two

> grams of calcium I take (for osteopenia).

>

> Thanks!

>

> Jeanne

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Zack,

Mega doses of vitamin C might work better for you than a combo of cal

& mag. Take 1,000 mgs. every hr. until you get loose stools. It

worked within 1 day for my mother when she was 83 years old.

Bee

[Guest guest]

My magnesium that I have no problem with has more magnesium than

calcium but I know balancing these two minerals can be tricky and

different with different people (and maybe different times?).

>

> Hello H,

>

> This is interesting. I have a friend that has MS and is struggling

> with constipation. I passed on to her what you said in your post

> here and she told me that she tried that last year. Getting up to

15

> grams of calcium ascorbate to reach tolerance!

[Guest guest]

and Patty,

I have tried initially the mild of magnesia, then the Mirilax, and

now the magnesium citrate - Kirkmans. On the back of my Mirilax, it

stated " not to be given to children. " I was reccommended the

Mirilax by my son's pediatrician about three months ago, also it was

the generic type (Glyco) so you might want to check to see if your

prescrption is different. We had some negative effects from the

m.o.m. (perhaps the saline in it, not sure) and also the Mirilax,

caused a fair amount of dehydration, something we were already

battling. The magnesium citrate is working well, not too much to

start - we are using 1/4 tsp.- at night in juice. OJ works good but

quite acidic. My niece, who is neurotypical, took about six months

to regulate, who knew!

Karey Heim, mother to Luke, 5.7, Carson, 4.1, and Madeline, one year

today!!!!!

>

> Patty ( I hope that is right)

>

> My son has just turned five and we have had the same problems with

pooping. I took him to a gastroenologist last April. She suggested

giving my son 1oz. of magnesium citrate a day. This will make his

stool softer and he would be unable to hold it. We did this for 10

months. We recently moved to Denver and I went to a new gastro. He

suggested Miralex. I was scared to put him on it because I have

heard the negative things also. But my son was still able to hold

his BM and I was getting so worried. We started him on Miralex in

February. So far so good. He has a BM daily and even though he

tries to hold, I can usually get him on the potty and he will go.

It's a step but both gastros that I've talked to say it can take 1-2

years to get these children regular. It is a long battle that I am

still in.

>

> Good Luck,

>

>

> mom of 5yrs.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Karey,

Constipation appears to be the up till CHERAB one of the unspoken

signs of today's children with multifaceted communication

impairments like apraxia. First late to potty train, possibly due

to low tone or motor planning or other reasons beyond the child's

control -then constipation once they are trained/training. I now

really suspect that the constipation we are seeing in many of the

children here may be due to the motor planning impairment aspect.

On command it's hard for apraxics to task. Due to this, they sit on

the toilet and can't go which leads to the constipation. The

constipation may be based on physiological aspects, however once

they go through the pain of being constipated even once, it also

probably becomes partly psychological -so behavioral methods do

appear to work with this aspect partly.

For the motor planning aspect, one way I taught Tanner to push,

which again appears to be hard to do on command for apraxics -is to

tell him to take a deep breath -then try to push the air out of his

belly button.

I can report that after years of the horrors of dealing with

Tanner's constipation -that he appears now to be 100% resolved at 8

years old for over a year! Being you all can track this in the archives (if you

were really bored) you will find that this appears to be 100% due to

the advice of Lawrence MD (pediatric gastroenterologist)

that I share below in the archive.

Lawrence MD (pediatric gastroenterologist)

5325 Greenwood Ave

West Palm Beach Florida

561 840 1960

The only thing that Tanner drinks just a little bit of each day to

help prevent constipation for about a year now is POM juice -which

we went to from the nectars. Have never discussed this with Dr.

yet who we don't have to see anymore -but there really is some very

interesting information on

POM.

Main website

http://www.pomwonderful.com/

History

http://www.pomwonderful.com/history.asp

Scientific Studies using POM Wonderful pomegranate juice

http://www.pomwonderful.com/health_studies.asp

Not sure why POM's working to prevent constipation -perhaps it

really 'is' magical!

So wanted to let you and everyone know that there is much hope for

this aspect to be overcome fully -and..even without drugs. (which

may be best)

You wrote:

" We had some negative effects from the

m.o.m. (perhaps the saline in it, not sure) "

' Milk of Magnesia (MOM) also known as MAGNESIUM HYDROXIDE

and magnesium citrate that you are now using are both examples of

saline laxatives.

http://www.medicinenet.com/laxatives_for_constipation/page8.htm

Out of all the laxatives -the milk of magnesia (MOM) was

recommended by our son's pediatric gastroenterologist Dr. Larry

from West Palm Beach as the most gentle to the system. It is

the only one as well with no major side effects -mainly just

diarrhea.

" ' Milk of Magnesia has provided effective, stimulant-free

relief of constipation for over 125 years. Unlike some other

laxatives, doctor recommended ' Milk of Magnesia does not

contain the harsh stimulants that can cause pain and cramping. When

taken at a lower dose, ' can also be used for fast-acting

relief of acid indigestion, sour stomach, and heartburn. Available

in Mint, Cherry, and Original formulas. "

http://www.bayercare.com/htm/philmom.htm

What side effects did you see?

What you are using now, Magnesium citrate, is the generic name -some

of the brand names of this drug would be " Evac-Q-Mag®, Citro-Nesia®,

and Citroma® " and unlike MOM -the side effects one would need to

report would include " Unlikely but report promptly: muscle twitching

or cramping, muscle weakness, decrease or absence of bowel

movements, blood in stool, mental/mood changes, dizziness. "

Here is info on all three you have used:

GENERIC NAME: MAGNESIUM HYDROXIDE - ORAL (mag-NEE-zee-um hi-DROX-ide)

BRAND NAME(S): ' Milk of Magnesia

SIDE EFFECTS: This medication may cause diarrhea. If diarrhea

persists or worsens, inform your doctor. Notify your doctor if the

following effects occur: black/tarry stools or rectal bleeding. If

you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or

pharmacist.

http://www.medicinenet.com/magnesium_hydroxide-oral/article.htm

GENERIC NAME: MAGNESIUM CITRATE - ORAL (mag-NEE-zee-um- SYE-trate)

BRAND NAME(S): Citroma

SIDE EFFECTS: Stomach pain, nausea, gas, or diarrhea may occur. If

these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor. Unlikely but

report promptly: muscle twitching or cramping, muscle weakness,

decrease or absence of bowel movements, blood in stool, mental/mood

changes, dizziness. If you notice other effects not listed above,

contact your doctor or pharmacist.

http://www.medicinenet.com/magnesium_citrate-oral/article.htm

GENERIC NAME: POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL (PEG) 3350 - ORAL (paw-lee-ETH-ih-

leen GLY-coll)

BRAND NAME(S): Miralax

SIDE EFFECTS: Nausea, abdominal cramping, or gas may occur. If any

of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or pharmacist

promptly. Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication

because the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects.

Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.

Inform your doctor immediately if you have excessive number of bowel

movements and persistent diarrhea while using this medication. A

very serious allergic reaction to this drug is unlikely, but seek

immediate medical attention if it occurs. Symptoms of a serious

allergic reaction may include: rash, itching, swelling, severe

dizziness, trouble breathing. If you notice other effects not listed

above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

http://www.medicinenet.com/polyethylene_glycol_peg_3350-oral/article.htm

Archive (long):

From: " kiddietalk " <kiddietalk@...>

Date: Mon Apr 26, 2004 10:52 pm

Subject: Re: constipation - what kind of nectar?

Hi Tricia -sorry I missed your call and not sure if it's too late to

call you now.

We mainly use pear nectar and fruit cups, and papaya nectar and Dole

Fruit 'n Gels®, Reduced Sugar, Papaya in Peach Gel

Problem is even though they are still in our stores here in Florida -

I don't see them on the Dole website which means they may be

discontinued and soon to be missing from store shelves? (NO!)

http://www.dole.com/foodservice/products/pack.fruitngel.jsp

I had asked Tanner's doctor, Dr. why more MDs don't recommend

nutritional

interventions to the constipation and he said " And how long did I

just spend with you? " Yes it took a few hours! Anyway -you guys can

know all I do in a few minutes -(the time it takes to write a

prescription)

and just in case you are interested -

I have Dr. contact information below. I highly recommend him.

Lawrence MD (pediatric gastroenterologist MD)

5325 Greenwood Ave

West Palm Beach Florida

561 840 1960

Here are a few archives with more information on this.

From: " kiddietalk " <kiddietalk@...>

Date: Sat Feb 7, 2004 7:19 pm

Subject: Re: high fiber regression/constipation

Hi Joanne,

I first thought of aloe too, and then found the senna tea to work

for Tanner, but when I posted it here was told how bad senna is for

children and especially with long term use. (thank you!!)

The advice I heard here was confirmed by Tanner's pediatric

gastroenterologist Dr. from West Palm Beach Florida.

Dr. who told me that senna, and harsh stimulants like it

(which include aloe) are harsh on the body, and that they may work

for a bit, but you will gradually need more and more for it to

work.

Dr. advised me that the gentlest laxative is the Milk

of Magnesia because it just draws moisture to the bowels and works

the most like mother nature. Tanner likes the cherry flavored Milk

of Magnesia. MOM is " stimulant free "

" ' Milk of Magnesia has provided effective, stimulant-free

relief of constipation for over 125 years. Unlike some other

laxatives, doctor recommended ' Milk of Magnesia does not

contain the harsh stimulants that can cause pain and cramping. When

taken at a lower dose, ' can also be used for fast-acting

relief of acid indigestion, sour stomach, and heartburn. Available

in Mint, Cherry, and Original formulas. "

http://www.bayercare.com/htm/philmom.htm

And what you need to read about aloe:

FDA Rules that Aloe & Cascara Are Not Safe as Stimulant Laxatives

Date

November 20, 2002

Details

The FDA issued a final ruling on Nov 5, 2002, stating that the

stimulant laxative ingredients aloe (including extract and flower

extract) and cascara sagrada (including all fluidextracts, bark and

casanthranol) in over-the-counter drug products are not generally

recognized as safe and effective or are misbranded. The FDA pointed

out that there is inadequate data on the toxicity of aloe and

cascara sagrada. These products have not been shown to be safe and

effective for their intended use. These ingredients should be

eliminated from general use within 180 days

http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/12015.cfm

" herbal teas containing senna, aloe, buckthorn, and other plant-

derived laxatives that, when consumed in excessive amounts, can

cause diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, stomach cramps, chronic

constipation, fainting, and perhaps death. "

http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/health/teatime/597_tea.html

And again -an archive about what the traditional gastroenterologist

Dr. " prescribed " for Tanner which is working (just wish he

didn't have to drink nectar every day!):

" This also may have to do with some signaling problem or motor

planning aspect. Not sure -but who cares when anyone just about

anywhere can pick up pear nectar or Dole papaya fruit and gel

bowls! This works -and we love Dr. !!

> Today I took Tanner to see pediatric gastroenterologist Lawrence

> MD from Palm Beach Florida for Tanner's problem with

> constipation which we have been trying to help him with now for

the

> past 5 years or more with various MDs (Tanner is now 7) Up till

now

> nobody has wanted to put Tanner on medications -and since we've

> moved we haven't taken Tanner to see his NJ/NY MDs. I highly

> recommend Dr. if you are in Florida in that he took over an

> hour with us -was excellent with Tanner (very funny) and was very

> open to discussing off the wall theories on constipation in

apraxic

> children -a best kept secret even though it's known for autism.

Dr.

> has many patients with special needs -some with severe CP

> whose parents have to blend fruits for their constipation that

they

> can put through their feeding tube.

>

> Here is a brief summery from the prescription he gave me:

>

> Diet: Nectars (fruit juices) Papaya, pear, apricot (if he can

> stand it -can mix with others but try plain nectar first)

> * prune juice -can be mixed with orange juice (since most kids

don't

> like it)

>

> exotic fruits- figs, dates, apricot, papaya (papaya underlined

> twice) (if he can stand it -like the nectars -these work wonders

he

> said)

>

> limit -banana, apple, rice, dairy

>

> Milk of Magnesia 2-3 tablespoons with glass of water any time he

> skips 1 day. Works 4-8 hours.

>

> Behavior Modification -10 minutes daily -no distractions. Use

> calendar stickers -every week reward for amount of BMs

> 2/ week something small

> 3-4 medium

> 5-7 large reward

>

> Dr. said that there is a chance that the problem could be

> motor planning -but he can't fix that -his goal is to get Tanner

on

> a schedule for a long period of time so that he starts going

> automatically. He doesn't want me to use the Nature's Tea due to

> the senna in it -said it can cause dependence in long term use,

and

> said that due to what I reported with Tanner's regression with too

> much fiber not to use high fiber either. He said it is possible

> that the fiber is cutting short the fatty acids in the gut. "

From: " kiddietalk " <kiddietalk@...>

Date: Wed Dec 3, 2003 9:37 pm

Subject: Re: constipation/ new info on Probiotic -

Hi -lots more on this in the archives. Dr. is a

traditional pediatric gastroenterologist MD too -go figure!

Lawrence MD

5325 Greenwood Ave

West Palm Beach Florida

561 840 1960

Tanner is picky about which nectar he'll drink or it's " ewww " he

loves the pear nectar from a company from Belgium called Looza which

I'm dreading our local stores stop stocking and have already spoken

personally to about 4 store managers to beg them to keep carrying

it, and a papaya nectar from s " all natural " that looks like

someone bottles it in their garage and drives it to the store

themselves -not sure if it's distributed anywhere else:

s Tropical Plantation

6550 Okeechobee Blvd

West Palm Beach, FL 33411-2798

United States

Mr. Henry s

President

Tel: 561-683-4701

Fax: 561-683-4993

Hey just looked up Looza online and apparently it's owned by

Tropicana which is not far from me either!

http://www.copyshark.com/samples/TropWSamples2.html

I send Tanner to school with these little cans of Libby pear nectar

and a dole fruit and gel with papaya (that he actually likes but is

now getting sick of)

We give him some nectar for breakfast, some for lunch -at least

twice a day. Speaking of bananas which he used to love -I stopped

buying them all the time like I did before -we've cut down his rice

and milk -and that's about it. If he misses a day we give him 3

tablespoons of the strawberry Milk of Magnesia like Dr.

suggested, and it works -but that's not often he misses now.

Speaking of missing -you must have missed my answer to you!

" From: " kiddietalk " <kiddietalk@...>

Date: Sun Nov 16, 2003 2:15 am

Subject: Re: constipation

Wow thanks for this comprehensive lesson about the gut!

I just wanted to add that in a nutshell -out of our couple of hour

appointment with pediatric gastroenterologist Lawrence MD from

Palm Beach Florida, we covered much of what you talked about.

I just want to clarify that Dr. did not recommend juice, and

that I can tell you that for Tanner juice did not work. Dr.

recommended the nectars -specifically papaya, pear, apricot etc....

We use a mixture of pear, papaya and mango nectar -heavy on the

pear. Here is a bit about each:

" Fresh papaya is probably the finest healing food in the world. It

is anti-inflammatory, detoxifying, has enzymes which can decompose

toxic matter, and help digest foods eaten so as to get more

nutrients out of them for feeding the cells of the body. It is

literally the finest anti aging food known and can even help prevent

wrinkles...

Pear nectar flushes the liver gallbladder, removes gout and other

acid accumulation and prevents constipation. Two 6 oz glasses a day

between meals is the appropriate amount for most individuals. "

http://www.timeforhealth.com/foods.html ... "

There was much more on that one, and here is from another archived

message:

" Many of our kids (sorry all the potty training stage people to break

this to you) that potty trained as a group a bit later (around 4)

due to the muscle control weakness from the low tone(it's not in

their control) then have constipation problems for the same reason -

constipation.

Based on how well and quick this worked -I'm guessing that there may

be some psychological fear aspects that are at play in our kids

too. They have a painful experience (you know what I mean if you

know what I mean) and then they are afraid to go so they hold it in.

This also may have to do with some signaling problem or motor

planning aspect. Not sure -but who cares when anyone just about

anywhere can pick up pear nectar or Dole papaya fruit and gel

bowls! This works -and we love Dr. !!

> Today I took Tanner to see pediatric gastroenterologist Lawrence

> MD from Palm Beach Florida for Tanner's problem with

> constipation which we have been trying to help him with now for

the

> past 5 years or more with various MDs (Tanner is now 7) Up till

now

> nobody has wanted to put Tanner on medications -and since we've

> moved we haven't taken Tanner to see his NJ/NY MDs. I highly

> recommend Dr. if you are in Florida in that he took over an

> hour with us -was excellent with Tanner (very funny) and was very

> open to discussing off the wall theories on constipation in

apraxic

> children -a best kept secret even though it's known for autism.

Dr.

> has many patients with special needs -some with severe CP

> whose parents have to blend fruits for their constipation that

they

> can put through their feeding tube.

>

> Here is a brief summery from the prescription he gave me:

>

> Diet: Nectars (fruit juices) Papaya, pear, apricot (if he can

> stand it -can mix with others but try plain nectar first)

> * prune juice -can be mixed with orange juice (since most kids

don't

> like it)

>

> exotic fruits- figs, dates, apricot, papaya (papaya underlined

> twice) (if he can stand it -like the nectars -these work wonders

he

> said)

>

> limit -banana, apple, rice, dairy

>

> Milk of Magnesia 2-3 tablespoons with glass of water any time he

> skips 1 day. Works 4-8 hours.

>

> Behavior Modification -10 minutes daily -no distractions. Use

> calendar stickers -every week reward for amount of BMs

> 2/ week something small

> 3-4 medium

> 5-7 large reward

>

> Dr. said that there is a chance that the problem could be

> motor planning -but he can't fix that -his goal is to get Tanner

on

> a schedule for a long period of time so that he starts going

> automatically. He doesn't want me to use the Nature's Tea due to

> the senna in it -said it can cause dependence in long term use,

and

> said that due to what I reported with Tanner's regression with too

> much fiber not to use high fiber either. He said it is possible

> that the fiber is cutting short the fatty acids in the gut.

From: " kiddietalk " <kiddietalk@...>

Date: Sun Dec 14, 2003 11:32 am

Subject: Re: constipation

Hi !

Tanner is tired of the gels too. But I was told by Dr. that

we need to keep him on a daily regimen of going every day for at

least a few months to have the best possible chance of getting him

regular. Like Tanner -your children are old enough to have this

explained to them. So like it or not -Tanner is forced to drink the

nectars and eat the gel -and not just once a day either. He needs

nectar at least two to three times a day for it to work -and it's

working (so worth it).

Dr. told me " at some point you will get lax about it -and

he'll get constipated again -and once he does -it will start all

over. I'm just warning you because I see it happen. " I know why he

said this -most parents don't listen. Don't have to warn me twice -

there is no way in heck I want to be standing with a phone in my

hand wondering if I should call 911 while my son is crying and

screaming in extreme pain sitting on the toilet after I've tried all

I could think of to get it out and Glenn wasn't home. You don't

know until you know.

How do we keep him from getting bored? When you go to a restaurant -

ask them to make a fancy fruit mix drink for your child and put all

the fancy umbrellas and fruits in it like it's a mixed drink -they

don't use nectars -but they typically make them very sweet for the

kids. Then when you get home -buy a bunch of different nectars and

fruit juices and mix saying you will try to make the same thing for

them. This is what we did and it worked. Now I typically just give

Tanner the pear and papaya nectar mixed -heavy on the pear since he

likes the taste of that more (and it also works) Again -if Tanner

misses a day -he gets 3 tablespoons of Strawberry Flavored Milk of

Magnesia -like other kids he hated the mint -he loves the

strawberry -and I also saw they have chocolate -but didn't try it

since I know Tanner likes the one we have. Dr. told me " Don't

travel without the Milk of Magnesia, don't forget to bring it with

you if you are going on vacation " and we won't! Not every store

carries the Strawberry -the only flavor I know for sure Tanner likes.

For those of you that don't have pear or papaya nectar by you -I'd

call and see if you can order it online. I just checked net grocer

http://www.netgrocer.com and they carry pear and papaya nectar, but

not the brand we use -Looza. Tanner loves the Looza nectars -but we

also use the Kerns and Goya when we travel which they have. They

have the Dole fruit gels (I'd call and ask if they have papaya -

didn't see it but maybe they can get it? They also have the Milk of

Magnesia in chocolate and french vanilla -two flavors we haven't

tried - and they even had papaya babyfood! Hmm -I haven't tried

that one either -glad I looked for you guys!) Perhaps for variety?

Tanner too doesn't like fresh or dried papaya.

=====

[Guest guest]

Hi, All

On the constipation issue, wrote:

For the motor planning aspect, one way I taught Tanner to push,

which again appears to be hard to do on command for apraxics -is to

tell him to take a deep breath -then try to push the air out of his

belly button.

It was very difficult to teach Josh to blow (he's still getting the hang of

blowing out candles and, boy, are those blows juicy!) so I couldn't imagine

trying to get him to blow " out of his belly button " (although that is a good

idea - I tell flute students to fill their belly button with air - breathing

from the diaphragm - and breath from there). So, to help with pushing (which I

agree is a very difficult muscular task for kids with apraxia and low muscle

tone) when going potty, we had him say the " eieio " from Old Mac and we

would do an example with making a funny pushing kind of voice - he picked that

up very quickly and, really, we haven't had a constipation problem (except when

he doesn't eat enough veggies or fruit - like sometimes on vacations when we

aren't too careful about our own diets) in probably three years (he'll be 7 in a

month). Oh, yeah, we also never went the route of giving laxatives or milk of

magnesia or any of that - just went the " natural " way of

using a bit of prune, pear, or apricot juice mixed in with his apple (loved

that) or even using prune juice as a liquid in recipes for things like pancakes

and stuff. Adding bran to muffin recipes or even meatloaf also helped. Just

some other thoughts.

Sherry

[Guest guest]

Hi Sherry!

Tanner had oral apraxia so needed to be taught how to blow bubbles,

blow out candles, smile etc. so know what you mean.

http://www.cherab.org/information/speechlanguage/oralapraxia.html

This was different.

When I would tell Tanner to just push from outside the bathroom

door -he would say " I can't " Apraxia doesn't always make sense -

and what works for apraxia doesn't always either.

Also, not all apraxic children go through constipation -but many

do. Nobody knows the cause but brain stem signaling, motor

planning, gut reasons are all theories. So it isn't all about the

push -but partly. Sherry it sounds like yours was lucky in that was

never an aspect.

Other than prune juice -juice doesn't work for those who have

children that do suffer from constipation -needs to be nectar.

I appreciate there are other ways that work -but speech wasn't a

great way to encourage Tanner if he was already frustrated -even a simple EIEIO

song. Sometimes what works for Tanner may or may not work for

others -but he appears in history here to be pretty typical. For

whatever reason -as abstract as " take a deep breath Tanner, hold it,

and then try to push the air out of your belly button " sounds -it

worked well for him -so may work for at least some others.

My theory (which may not be based in reality) is that once the lungs

are completely full of air -it's kind of hard not to push the right

way -it's like a domino effect. I'm a toy inventor by trade, so

look at problems/the world differently then most (which I think is a

good thing) and try to find answers that are child appropriate -and

relatable to a child like mine.

This was the best way I could come up with to try to help teach a

child to push from outside the bathroom door. I mean how else do

you teach it when a child says they can't?

Try it -take a deep breath in...then try 'not' to push the right way.

=====

[Guest guest]

I believe the reason Karey is using the magnessium citrate from

Kirkmans is for the magnessium supplementation, not just for

constipation issue, a side benefit but is being given for magnessium

intake. Her son has MTHFR, which lends to impaired overall

nutritional deficiencies such as the slew of b's and magnessium

calcium metabolism, the citrate form is to ease constipation and in

nowwhere near the dose you mention in Citroma. Kirkmans mag citrate

has a MUCH lower mag content than those over the counter meds

mentioned.Th kirkmans mag citrate amount Karey is using is 100mg of

magnessium, versus 1200 mg of magnessium in a childs 6-11 dose of

MOM. Just an FYI.

>

> " We had some negative effects from the

> m.o.m. (perhaps the saline in it, not sure) "

>

> ' Milk of Magnesia (MOM) also known as MAGNESIUM HYDROXIDE

> and magnesium citrate that you are now using are both examples of

> saline laxatives.

> http://www.medicinenet.com/laxatives_for_constipation/page8.htm

>

> Out of all the laxatives -the milk of magnesia (MOM) was

> recommended by our son's pediatric gastroenterologist Dr. Larry

> from West Palm Beach as the most gentle to the system. It

is

> the only one as well with no major side effects -mainly just

> diarrhea.

>

> " ' Milk of Magnesia has provided effective, stimulant-free

> relief of constipation for over 125 years. Unlike some other

> laxatives, doctor recommended ' Milk of Magnesia does not

> contain the harsh stimulants that can cause pain and cramping. When

> taken at a lower dose, ' can also be used for fast-acting

> relief of acid indigestion, sour stomach, and heartburn. Available

> in Mint, Cherry, and Original formulas. "

> http://www.bayercare.com/htm/philmom.htm

>

> What side effects did you see?

>

> What you are using now, Magnesium citrate, is the generic name -

some

> of the brand names of this drug would be " Evac-Q-Mag®, Citro-

Nesia®,

> and Citroma® " and unlike MOM -the side effects one would need to

> report would include " Unlikely but report promptly: muscle

twitching

> or cramping, muscle weakness, decrease or absence of bowel

> movements, blood in stool, mental/mood changes, dizziness. "

>

> Here is info on all three you have used:

>

> GENERIC NAME: MAGNESIUM HYDROXIDE - ORAL (mag-NEE-zee-um hi-DROX-

ide)

> BRAND NAME(S): ' Milk of Magnesia

> SIDE EFFECTS: This medication may cause diarrhea. If diarrhea

> persists or worsens, inform your doctor. Notify your doctor if the

> following effects occur: black/tarry stools or rectal bleeding. If

> you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or

> pharmacist.

> http://www.medicinenet.com/magnesium_hydroxide-oral/article.htm

>

> GENERIC NAME: MAGNESIUM CITRATE - ORAL (mag-NEE-zee-um- SYE-trate)

> BRAND NAME(S): Citroma

> SIDE EFFECTS: Stomach pain, nausea, gas, or diarrhea may occur. If

> these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor. Unlikely but

> report promptly: muscle twitching or cramping, muscle weakness,

> decrease or absence of bowel movements, blood in stool, mental/mood

> changes, dizziness. If you notice other effects not listed above,

> contact your doctor or pharmacist.

> http://www.medicinenet.com/magnesium_citrate-oral/article.htm

>

> GENERIC NAME: POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL (PEG) 3350 - ORAL (paw-lee-ETH-ih-

> leen GLY-coll)

> BRAND NAME(S): Miralax

> SIDE EFFECTS: Nausea, abdominal cramping, or gas may occur. If any

> of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or

pharmacist

> promptly. Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication

> because the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side

effects.

> Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.

> Inform your doctor immediately if you have excessive number of

bowel

> movements and persistent diarrhea while using this medication. A

> very serious allergic reaction to this drug is unlikely, but seek

> immediate medical attention if it occurs. Symptoms of a serious

> allergic reaction may include: rash, itching, swelling, severe

> dizziness, trouble breathing. If you notice other effects not

listed

> above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

> http://www.medicinenet.com/polyethylene_glycol_peg_3350-

oral/article.htm

>

> Archive (long):

>

> From: " kiddietalk " <kiddietalk@y...>

> Date: Mon Apr 26, 2004 10:52 pm

> Subject: Re: constipation - what kind of nectar?

>

> Hi Tricia -sorry I missed your call and not sure if it's too late to

> call you now.

>

> We mainly use pear nectar and fruit cups, and papaya nectar and Dole

> Fruit 'n Gels®, Reduced Sugar, Papaya in Peach Gel

> Problem is even though they are still in our stores here in

Florida -

> I don't see them on the Dole website which means they may be

> discontinued and soon to be missing from store shelves? (NO!)

> http://www.dole.com/foodservice/products/pack.fruitngel.jsp

>

> I had asked Tanner's doctor, Dr. why more MDs don't recommend

> nutritional

> interventions to the constipation and he said " And how long did I

> just spend with you? " Yes it took a few hours! Anyway -you guys can

> know all I do in a few minutes -(the time it takes to write a

> prescription)

> and just in case you are interested -

> I have Dr. contact information below. I highly recommend him.

>

> Lawrence MD (pediatric gastroenterologist MD)

> 5325 Greenwood Ave

> West Palm Beach Florida

> 561 840 1960

>

> Here are a few archives with more information on this.

>

> From: " kiddietalk " <kiddietalk@y...>

> Date: Sat Feb 7, 2004 7:19 pm

> Subject: Re: high fiber regression/constipation

>

> Hi Joanne,

>

> I first thought of aloe too, and then found the senna tea to work

> for Tanner, but when I posted it here was told how bad senna is for

> children and especially with long term use. (thank you!!)

>

> The advice I heard here was confirmed by Tanner's pediatric

> gastroenterologist Dr. from West Palm Beach Florida.

>

> Dr. who told me that senna, and harsh stimulants like it

> (which include aloe) are harsh on the body, and that they may work

> for a bit, but you will gradually need more and more for it to

> work.

>

> Dr. advised me that the gentlest laxative is the Milk

> of Magnesia because it just draws moisture to the bowels and works

> the most like mother nature. Tanner likes the cherry flavored Milk

> of Magnesia. MOM is " stimulant free "

>

> " ' Milk of Magnesia has provided effective, stimulant-free

> relief of constipation for over 125 years. Unlike some other

> laxatives, doctor recommended ' Milk of Magnesia does not

> contain the harsh stimulants that can cause pain and cramping. When

> taken at a lower dose, ' can also be used for fast-acting

> relief of acid indigestion, sour stomach, and heartburn. Available

> in Mint, Cherry, and Original formulas. "

> http://www.bayercare.com/htm/philmom.htm

>

>

> And what you need to read about aloe:

>

> FDA Rules that Aloe & Cascara Are Not Safe as Stimulant Laxatives

>

> Date

> November 20, 2002

>

>

> Details

> The FDA issued a final ruling on Nov 5, 2002, stating that the

> stimulant laxative ingredients aloe (including extract and flower

> extract) and cascara sagrada (including all fluidextracts, bark and

> casanthranol) in over-the-counter drug products are not generally

> recognized as safe and effective or are misbranded. The FDA pointed

> out that there is inadequate data on the toxicity of aloe and

> cascara sagrada. These products have not been shown to be safe and

> effective for their intended use. These ingredients should be

> eliminated from general use within 180 days

> http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/12015.cfm

>

> " herbal teas containing senna, aloe, buckthorn, and other plant-

> derived laxatives that, when consumed in excessive amounts, can

> cause diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, stomach cramps, chronic

> constipation, fainting, and perhaps death. "

> http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/health/teatime/597_tea.html

>

>

> And again -an archive about what the traditional gastroenterologist

> Dr. " prescribed " for Tanner which is working (just wish he

> didn't have to drink nectar every day!):

>

> " This also may have to do with some signaling problem or motor

> planning aspect. Not sure -but who cares when anyone just about

> anywhere can pick up pear nectar or Dole papaya fruit and gel

> bowls! This works -and we love Dr. !!

>

> > Today I took Tanner to see pediatric gastroenterologist Lawrence

> > MD from Palm Beach Florida for Tanner's problem with

> > constipation which we have been trying to help him with now for

> the

> > past 5 years or more with various MDs (Tanner is now 7) Up till

> now

> > nobody has wanted to put Tanner on medications -and since we've

> > moved we haven't taken Tanner to see his NJ/NY MDs. I highly

> > recommend Dr. if you are in Florida in that he took over an

> > hour with us -was excellent with Tanner (very funny) and was very

> > open to discussing off the wall theories on constipation in

> apraxic

> > children -a best kept secret even though it's known for autism.

> Dr.

> > has many patients with special needs -some with severe CP

> > whose parents have to blend fruits for their constipation that

> they

> > can put through their feeding tube.

> >

> > Here is a brief summery from the prescription he gave me:

> >

> > Diet: Nectars (fruit juices) Papaya, pear, apricot (if he can

> > stand it -can mix with others but try plain nectar first)

> > * prune juice -can be mixed with orange juice (since most kids

> don't

> > like it)

> >

> > exotic fruits- figs, dates, apricot, papaya (papaya underlined

> > twice) (if he can stand it -like the nectars -these work wonders

> he

> > said)

> >

> > limit -banana, apple, rice, dairy

> >

> > Milk of Magnesia 2-3 tablespoons with glass of water any time he

> > skips 1 day. Works 4-8 hours.

> >

> > Behavior Modification -10 minutes daily -no distractions. Use

> > calendar stickers -every week reward for amount of BMs

> > 2/ week something small

> > 3-4 medium

> > 5-7 large reward

> >

> > Dr. said that there is a chance that the problem could be

> > motor planning -but he can't fix that -his goal is to get Tanner

> on

> > a schedule for a long period of time so that he starts going

> > automatically. He doesn't want me to use the Nature's Tea due to

> > the senna in it -said it can cause dependence in long term use,

> and

> > said that due to what I reported with Tanner's regression with too

> > much fiber not to use high fiber either. He said it is possible

> > that the fiber is cutting short the fatty acids in the gut. "

>

> From: " kiddietalk " <kiddietalk@y...>

> Date: Wed Dec 3, 2003 9:37 pm

> Subject: Re: constipation/ new info on Probiotic -

>

> Hi -lots more on this in the archives. Dr. is a

> traditional pediatric gastroenterologist MD too -go figure!

> Lawrence MD

> 5325 Greenwood Ave

> West Palm Beach Florida

> 561 840 1960

>

> Tanner is picky about which nectar he'll drink or it's " ewww " he

> loves the pear nectar from a company from Belgium called Looza which

> I'm dreading our local stores stop stocking and have already spoken

> personally to about 4 store managers to beg them to keep carrying

> it, and a papaya nectar from s " all natural " that looks like

> someone bottles it in their garage and drives it to the store

> themselves -not sure if it's distributed anywhere else:

>

> s Tropical Plantation

> 6550 Okeechobee Blvd

> West Palm Beach, FL 33411-2798

> United States

>

> Mr. Henry s

> President

> Tel: 561-683-4701

> Fax: 561-683-4993

>

> Hey just looked up Looza online and apparently it's owned by

> Tropicana which is not far from me either!

> http://www.copyshark.com/samples/TropWSamples2.html

>

> I send Tanner to school with these little cans of Libby pear nectar

> and a dole fruit and gel with papaya (that he actually likes but is

> now getting sick of)

>

> We give him some nectar for breakfast, some for lunch -at least

> twice a day. Speaking of bananas which he used to love -I stopped

> buying them all the time like I did before -we've cut down his rice

> and milk -and that's about it. If he misses a day we give him 3

> tablespoons of the strawberry Milk of Magnesia like Dr.

> suggested, and it works -but that's not often he misses now.

>

> Speaking of missing -you must have missed my answer to you!

>

> " From: " kiddietalk " <kiddietalk@y...>

> Date: Sun Nov 16, 2003 2:15 am

> Subject: Re: constipation

>

>

> Wow thanks for this comprehensive lesson about the gut!

>

> I just wanted to add that in a nutshell -out of our couple of hour

> appointment with pediatric gastroenterologist Lawrence MD from

> Palm Beach Florida, we covered much of what you talked about.

>

> I just want to clarify that Dr. did not recommend juice, and

> that I can tell you that for Tanner juice did not work. Dr.

> recommended the nectars -specifically papaya, pear, apricot etc....

> We use a mixture of pear, papaya and mango nectar -heavy on the

> pear. Here is a bit about each:

> " Fresh papaya is probably the finest healing food in the world. It

> is anti-inflammatory, detoxifying, has enzymes which can decompose

> toxic matter, and help digest foods eaten so as to get more

> nutrients out of them for feeding the cells of the body. It is

> literally the finest anti aging food known and can even help prevent

> wrinkles...

> Pear nectar flushes the liver gallbladder, removes gout and other

> acid accumulation and prevents constipation. Two 6 oz glasses a day

> between meals is the appropriate amount for most individuals. "

> http://www.timeforhealth.com/foods.html ... "

>

> There was much more on that one, and here is from another archived

> message:

>

> " Many of our kids (sorry all the potty training stage people to

break

> this to you) that potty trained as a group a bit later (around 4)

> due to the muscle control weakness from the low tone(it's not in

> their control) then have constipation problems for the same reason -

> constipation.

>

> Based on how well and quick this worked -I'm guessing that there may

> be some psychological fear aspects that are at play in our kids

> too. They have a painful experience (you know what I mean if you

> know what I mean) and then they are afraid to go so they hold it in.

>

> This also may have to do with some signaling problem or motor

> planning aspect. Not sure -but who cares when anyone just about

> anywhere can pick up pear nectar or Dole papaya fruit and gel

> bowls! This works -and we love Dr. !!

>

> > Today I took Tanner to see pediatric gastroenterologist Lawrence

> > MD from Palm Beach Florida for Tanner's problem with

> > constipation which we have been trying to help him with now for

> the

> > past 5 years or more with various MDs (Tanner is now 7) Up till

> now

> > nobody has wanted to put Tanner on medications -and since we've

> > moved we haven't taken Tanner to see his NJ/NY MDs. I highly

> > recommend Dr. if you are in Florida in that he took over an

> > hour with us -was excellent with Tanner (very funny) and was very

> > open to discussing off the wall theories on constipation in

> apraxic

> > children -a best kept secret even though it's known for autism.

> Dr.

> > has many patients with special needs -some with severe CP

> > whose parents have to blend fruits for their constipation that

> they

> > can put through their feeding tube.

> >

> > Here is a brief summery from the prescription he gave me:

> >

> > Diet: Nectars (fruit juices) Papaya, pear, apricot (if he can

> > stand it -can mix with others but try plain nectar first)

> > * prune juice -can be mixed with orange juice (since most kids

> don't

> > like it)

> >

> > exotic fruits- figs, dates, apricot, papaya (papaya underlined

> > twice) (if he can stand it -like the nectars -these work wonders

> he

> > said)

> >

> > limit -banana, apple, rice, dairy

> >

> > Milk of Magnesia 2-3 tablespoons with glass of water any time he

> > skips 1 day. Works 4-8 hours.

> >

> > Behavior Modification -10 minutes daily -no distractions. Use

> > calendar stickers -every week reward for amount of BMs

> > 2/ week something small

> > 3-4 medium

> > 5-7 large reward

> >

> > Dr. said that there is a chance that the problem could be

> > motor planning -but he can't fix that -his goal is to get Tanner

> on

> > a schedule for a long period of time so that he starts going

> > automatically. He doesn't want me to use the Nature's Tea due to

> > the senna in it -said it can cause dependence in long term use,

> and

> > said that due to what I reported with Tanner's regression with too

> > much fiber not to use high fiber either. He said it is possible

> > that the fiber is cutting short the fatty acids in the gut.

>

> From: " kiddietalk " <kiddietalk@y...>

> Date: Sun Dec 14, 2003 11:32 am

> Subject: Re: constipation

>

> Hi !

>

>

> Tanner is tired of the gels too. But I was told by Dr. that

> we need to keep him on a daily regimen of going every day for at

> least a few months to have the best possible chance of getting him

> regular. Like Tanner -your children are old enough to have this

> explained to them. So like it or not -Tanner is forced to drink the

> nectars and eat the gel -and not just once a day either. He needs

> nectar at least two to three times a day for it to work -and it's

> working (so worth it).

>

> Dr. told me " at some point you will get lax about it -and

> he'll get constipated again -and once he does -it will start all

> over. I'm just warning you because I see it happen. " I know why he

> said this -most parents don't listen. Don't have to warn me twice -

> there is no way in heck I want to be standing with a phone in my

> hand wondering if I should call 911 while my son is crying and

> screaming in extreme pain sitting on the toilet after I've tried all

> I could think of to get it out and Glenn wasn't home. You don't

> know until you know.

>

> How do we keep him from getting bored? When you go to a restaurant -

> ask them to make a fancy fruit mix drink for your child and put all

> the fancy umbrellas and fruits in it like it's a mixed drink -they

> don't use nectars -but they typically make them very sweet for the

> kids. Then when you get home -buy a bunch of different nectars and

> fruit juices and mix saying you will try to make the same thing for

> them. This is what we did and it worked. Now I typically just give

> Tanner the pear and papaya nectar mixed -heavy on the pear since he

> likes the taste of that more (and it also works) Again -if Tanner

> misses a day -he gets 3 tablespoons of Strawberry Flavored Milk of

> Magnesia -like other kids he hated the mint -he loves the

> strawberry -and I also saw they have chocolate -but didn't try it

> since I know Tanner likes the one we have. Dr. told me " Don't

> travel without the Milk of Magnesia, don't forget to bring it with

> you if you are going on vacation " and we won't! Not every store

> carries the Strawberry -the only flavor I know for sure Tanner

likes.

>

> For those of you that don't have pear or papaya nectar by you -I'd

> call and see if you can order it online. I just checked net grocer

> http://www.netgrocer.com and they carry pear and papaya nectar, but

> not the brand we use -Looza. Tanner loves the Looza nectars -but we

> also use the Kerns and Goya when we travel which they have. They

> have the Dole fruit gels (I'd call and ask if they have papaya -

> didn't see it but maybe they can get it? They also have the Milk of

> Magnesia in chocolate and french vanilla -two flavors we haven't

> tried - and they even had papaya babyfood! Hmm -I haven't tried

> that one either -glad I looked for you guys!) Perhaps for variety?

> Tanner too doesn't like fresh or dried papaya.

>

> =====

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Sherry,

My son too suffers from bouts of constipation but when I went to the

biofeeback classes at St. Barnabas, they recommended I place a bench under

his feet so that his feet did not dangle off the toilet. With his feet

stable, his posture in an L shape, he had an easier time releasing his BMs.

all the best,

joanne

----------------------------------------------------

This mailbox protected from junk email by MailFrontier Desktop

from MailFrontier, Inc. http://info.mailfrontier.com

[ ] Re: constipation

>

>

> Hi Sherry!

>

> Tanner had oral apraxia so needed to be taught how to blow bubbles,

> blow out candles, smile etc. so know what you mean.

> http://www.cherab.org/information/speechlanguage/oralapraxia.html

>

> This was different.

>

> When I would tell Tanner to just push from outside the bathroom

> door -he would say " I can't " Apraxia doesn't always make sense -

> and what works for apraxia doesn't always either.

>

> Also, not all apraxic children go through constipation -but many

> do. Nobody knows the cause but brain stem signaling, motor

> planning, gut reasons are all theories. So it isn't all about the

> push -but partly. Sherry it sounds like yours was lucky in that was

> never an aspect.

>

> Other than prune juice -juice doesn't work for those who have

> children that do suffer from constipation -needs to be nectar.

>

> I appreciate there are other ways that work -but speech wasn't a

> great way to encourage Tanner if he was already frustrated -even a simple

> EIEIO

> song. Sometimes what works for Tanner may or may not work for

> others -but he appears in history here to be pretty typical. For

> whatever reason -as abstract as " take a deep breath Tanner, hold it,

> and then try to push the air out of your belly button " sounds -it

> worked well for him -so may work for at least some others.

>

> My theory (which may not be based in reality) is that once the lungs

> are completely full of air -it's kind of hard not to push the right

> way -it's like a domino effect. I'm a toy inventor by trade, so

> look at problems/the world differently then most (which I think is a

> good thing) and try to find answers that are child appropriate -and

> relatable to a child like mine.

>

> This was the best way I could come up with to try to help teach a

> child to push from outside the bathroom door. I mean how else do

> you teach it when a child says they can't?

>

> Try it -take a deep breath in...then try 'not' to push the right way.

>

> =====

>

[Guest guest]

,

I am not currently using the philips M.O.M., as I said we had some

adverse side effects. The Kirkmans my son using has only the 100mg,

as Colleen posted my son has the MTHFR mutation and we are using per

the Jill protocol. The best benefit of, in addition to the

nutritional deficiency of magnesium that my son experiences, has

been the bm movements, regular and complete. It is the only thing

that has worked for us, and I agree, natural, if you can do it, is

best. The magnesium citrate is only the purest form which are

tested for heavy metals, and no other chemicals are present, thank

goodness. The magnesium oxide does tend to mildly firm stools,

whereas the citrate tends to loosen the stools a bit. The other

ingredients in the Kirkmans in addition to the magnesium citrate is

citric acid, vs. the M.O.M. which has flavor, mineral oil, purified

water, saccharin sodium, and sodium hypochlorite (from the label).

At any rate, my son eats a lot of fruits and vegetables, and they

just don't seem to help quite as much. I have also tried the

juices, the red in the POM exacerbated my son's exzema, just a

personal experience. At least I liked the juice too and could drink

it!

So we are hopeful that since he has been having daily bm's, albeit

at inopportune times (!) like this am before OT, it is coming

along. I had no idea before talking with Colleen and being a member

of this group that he even had any bowel issues, he seemed to have

daily bm's, but now I realize their relationship to his body, they

seemed to just be pushed out by fullness rather than really emptying

fully, if you know what I mean!

So kudos to having this bm issue out in the open, it really does

make a difference.

Karey

[Guest guest]

Hello and all,

Well I don't know quite how comments were interpreted as " anger, " if

you call explaining what works for a parent's child, who is super

chemically sensitive, angry...I was by no means saying that a parent

should/should not use anything in particular, and merely posted

what worked for us! To hear knowledge that you don't agree with is

better than to hear no new information at all, in my book. To be

alarmed by the protocol, I was surpised when quoted that " it

caught my eye " regarding magnesium citrate once a day, since the

protocol has been posted many, many times on our group. At any

rate, I did not see or feel the anger, and hope that everyone

assumes, as always, that we all post what works for us, share info.,

and have good dialogue, and of course, use what we can and discard

what we cannot without judging.

Karey

[Guest guest]

> My son has been on the Houston enzymes for about 3 weeks. In the past

> week he has been constipated.

> Could this been due to the enzymes even though he wasn't for the first

> two weeks on them?

It is possible, especially if he eats foods or supplements that tend

to be constipating even with enzymes.

Ideas here

http://www.danasview.net/constip.htm

Dana

[Guest guest]

> > In the past week he has been constipated.Could this been due to the

enzymes even though he wasn't for the first two weeks on them?

It may be just the body re-adjusting and now you can re-evaulate his

nutritional intake. Since you are giving just a 1/2 capsule, try

increasing the dose to a full capsule. Also, has his food choices

change any? If he is eating more or differently than before, it could

be the food mix is more constipating in general.

.

[Guest guest]

dont have concrete answers to your question, however, my son will under go

colon cleansing in the hosp (he is chronic constip and impacted). im hoping

that by clearing him out good, things will begin flowing smoothly. i still,

however, plan on making an appt with dr krigsman for a scope. vicki

[Guest guest]

Hi... I am an occupational therapist working with a 6 yr old adopted from Russia

at 13

mos... who has some sensory integration issues as well as chronic constipation.

She has

been on many laxative and suppository programs and her mother is having a GI

consult

this week. We are hoping that there may be some other route (as opposed to

having a

whole GI workup/colonoscopy etc) to try... I'm wondering of any info you might

have

regarding specific constipation with SI dysfunction... I've read there are

exercises that may

help??

Thanks

> > > In the past week he has been constipated.Could this been due to the

> enzymes even though he wasn't for the first two weeks on them?

>

> It may be just the body re-adjusting and now you can re-evaulate his

> nutritional intake. Since you are giving just a 1/2 capsule, try

> increasing the dose to a full capsule. Also, has his food choices

> change any? If he is eating more or differently than before, it could

> be the food mix is more constipating in general.

>

> .

[Guest guest]

~

Each child is different. My 4yo who has chronic constipation since 2 months of

age has mild SI issues, but has hypotonia, chronic ear infections-lots of

antibiotics before tubes, and looking back-a lot of gut issues. Hopefully the

child will have a abdomen x-ray and complete stool samples checking for

bacteria, parasites and yeast. My local ped and ped gastro said my child should

have diarrhea if he had any of these. We are going to my ASD's DAN doctor for

additional help.....ordering of the tests.

Here is what has worked for us once the bowel was cleansed out. Fish oil- 1 tsp

2x's a day, multi vitamin mineral with no iron in it but a good amount of

magnesium-we use Kirkman Labs, Metegenics Probiotics and AFP Peptizyde and No

Fenol enzymes. Oh, we also use Benefiber 2 x's a day 1TBS in the AM and 1 TBS

in the PM. You need to keep things slippery in there. We were on Miralax for

over a year with not much success and a lot of behavioral side effects and

recommend to stay away from that long term. If this is recommended..... read

the insert. 2 weeks max with a break of at least 2-4 weeks and this was for

adults.... not tested in children, but physicians use this in peds all the time.

HTH some. Jackie H.---

wrote:Hi... I am an occupational therapist working with a 6 yr old

adopted from Russia at 13 mos... who has some sensory integration issues as well

as chronic constipation. She has been on many laxative and suppository programs

and her mother is having a GI consult this week. We are hoping that there may be

some other route (as opposed to having a whole GI workup/colonoscopy etc) to

try... I'm wondering of any info you might have regarding specific constipation

with SI dysfunction... I've read there are exercises that may

help??

---------------------------------

Start your day with - make it your home page

[Guest guest]

>

> Hi... I am an occupational therapist working with a 6 yr old adopted

from Russia at 13

> mos... who has some sensory integration issues as well as chronic

constipation.

Constipation ideas

http://www.danasview.net/constip.htm

Magnesium works for my family.

Dana

[Guest guest]

Greetings ~

I am sorry not to have an answer to your question. I do have a question for

you and it's simply out of curiosity. The child you spoke of was adopted

from Russia---did the parents have the child immunized here, too? Seems there

are a great many adopted children from about the landscape that the peds

recommend they be immunized as if they had never received one in the country

they

came from.

Thanks~

[Guest guest]

Bee,

I have read that kefir can be used both to help with constipation and with

diarhea. A culture that is 18 hours will aid in constipation and a longer

culture...left for about 36 to 48 hours is good to help bind you if you have

diarhea.

I am having a bit of trouble with constipation right now too mostly because I

drank so much cranberry juice for a few days trying to get rid of my bladder

infection. This gave me diarhea for a few days and now things are not quite back

to working order. I have had almost no problems with constipation for years

though...but maybe my body is also missing my oatmeal for breakfast.

Also I have heard and used this...drink cold liquid before going to bed (lots)

and then a hot drink in the morning.

Kate

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

There is a Folder on Digestion in the files which contains information

on constipation.

Bee

[Guest guest]

Risperadal is known to cause constipation in kids with typical GI systems, so

when our kids get hit with a new med like this, it can aggrevate an already

tough issue. Do you use the natural calm, powder magnesium that you dissolve and

then either have them drink or I just syringe it into Brittany's mouth. The

Raspberry Lemon is much better than the normal flavor. That has really helped,

also, we reduced the zyme prime and saw an improvement with just the AFP

peptizide and no phenol. Good luck.

zoelle1995 <ashikino@...> wrote:

Hi, Machaela is 10 and the past month or so we have been running into

constapation issues, we recently started her on very low dose of

riperadal and would this cause it?? We have her on houston enzymes 2

zyme and 1 pep...Devin said to remove the zyme prime for a few day but

this hasent help.. Does anyone have any further suggestions...Its

really bad and she is in alot of pain...Thank you

[Guest guest]

If it's an enzyme issue, add in No-Fenol - it loosens stools really well.

Also try adding in Mag Citrate (not other forms of Mag - they tend to

constipate) - and also add in Vit C - both are stool looseners. Make sure lots

of

liquids are being taken in (water - not sugary stuff). Watch types of food

intake that could constipate.

[Guest guest]

Hi Ive never heard of the natural calm magnesium, but Im willing to

try it..How much do you use and what is the brand name?

Thanks

> Hi, Machaela is 10 and the past month or so we have been running

into

> constapation issues, we recently started her on very low dose of

> riperadal and would this cause it?? We have her on houston enzymes

2

> zyme and 1 pep...Devin said to remove the zyme prime for a few day

but

> this hasent help.. Does anyone have any further suggestions...Its

> really bad and she is in alot of pain...Thank you

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>