Constipation and fussy eater

And HV is telling me off from not feeding him right too and not giving me actual advice how can I help him.

My daughter had this and was given movicol which helps massively. I would insist on movicol before he gets a bowel impaction. If your GP won’t help, call 111 out of hours and they will do a prescription to your nearest pharmacy as that’s what we had to do as my daughter was crying with constipation over a weekend and we couldn’t wait until Monday

@Natalie thank you, is she fussy eater too? And if so how did you manage the food intake and what did you feed her? My son is fussy eater, he hardly eats anything, and now he’s refusing to eat anything at all😭

I would recommend reading up about AFRID. Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. Educate yourself on that. Also, if you are in the UK, certain councils offer a programme free of charge called HENRY PROGRAMME. Google that too. It helps parents to support kids with eating or habits and behaviours and you get sooo much from.it and lots of freebies to help your child. My daughter has ARFID too and I had to get inventive. She would still wat the baby Ella pouches because it is pureed and I mix it into her pasta or rice. She cannot stand the texture of most foods or if too hot, too cold or spicy. She is very particular and what she will eat and when. Once thing that helps alot is making her smoothie to drink! Her favourite is Milk, banana, penaut butter and honey. Gives her protein, energy, fills her tummy etc.

I'd also make her soup with LOTS AND LOTS of hidden veg and she'll eat that by ducking her bread into it. I often mash her food too as its about bits and textures. So see if there's something like that for your son. Educate yourself on it, do the Henry programme if you can, ask to see another doctor and mention AFRID to them. Think you can also call your Health Visitor and she can access and take it to the doctor. . Good luck.

@Ghitta thank you I will look into this, defo something to consider as he won’t eat anything and won’t train anything.

Also, he is only constipated as not getting the right foods, forcing them to take meds to force the bowels can sometimes be traumatising. I'll try and sneak food it anyway I can. I find milk helps her go, yoghurt too. If he eats cereal, tou can add flaxseed too. Or if you bake him cupcakes or muffins with a bit of flaxseed. Another thing that helps my daughter is getting ehr to bake with me..when she makes it herself, she is more happy to eat it.

Just saw rhe part of your HV. Disgusting. I'd report her and the doctor.

She’s not a fussy eater but if she needs to poo then she won’t eat anything at all. We don’t know what actually caused the constipation but my daughter got a small tear from being so constipated. Following this she became a stool witholder and wouldn’t go at all. The movicol has helped as she doesn’t withhold anymore but won’t poo on the toilet or potty anymore despite being toilet trained before the issue started. It’s ongoing but improving slowly. There’s a good website here - https://eric.org.uk/resources-for-early-years-settings/ They also have an advice line and can probably guide you better than the GP x

@lacey we tried but he won’t eat that😭anything with prune he won’t touch. I am losing it at this point

@Natalie thank you, I will check it out. My son is fussy eater and hold his poo for weeks and weeks, and that’s cause his constipation (his not even potty trained yet) I am at the end of this 😭

@Ghitta I involve my son with cooking or baking, but that’s not helping either. He rather eat raw chicken, raw food and try, then eats it when it’s on a plate and cooked. He won’t eat anything other than his couple of safe foods he’s been eating since he was like year and half old or so c

@Kristina I really hope you find a solution x

@lacey thank you x

@Kristina ok. Look at arfid and henry programme like I suggested.

@Ghitta thank you ☺️

My son suffers with constipation and has been on cosmocol now for a while, whilst it helps it can cause painful wind for him. He's now also taking senakot. I'm sorry you aren't feeling listened to - so frustrating! He has autism and doesn't understand or connect with his body's needs / pains etc so it's a challenge. His diet is ok but like others have said I try to sneak in more veggies and fibre as much as possible. Something like a blended pasta sauce can be packed with veg if your child would eat that. Also dried fruits - also high in sugar so not ideal they are a good source of fibre and often more appealing for children. And lots of fluid. A bit of fresh juice might help if they'll drink it?

The ERIC charity might be able to offer some help - they are a bladder and bowel specialist charity. They have a helpline and online info and courses etc. My son is still in nappies and the peadiatrician said this is likely to be adding to the issue. So if your child is toilet trained making sure they are sitting in a good position when they go to the loo - using a step stool on something for feet might help.

Also I tend to do things lile leave out the fruit bowl in reach and not mention it - this usually leads to curiosity and him eating far more fruit than if I served it up to him. I hope you find some solutions and a doctor that will listen as I know how upsetting it can be. X

@Briony thank you lovely. He won’t eat anything with sauce on, no colours, he only eat plane spaghetti and no other pasta or potatoes too. ATM he’s constipation got that bad that he’s not eating at all. Xx

@Briony thank you defo will have a look at this as I need some help for sure. And he’s not potty trained either yet xx

Oh I'm so sorry to hear that, definitely try to see a different doctor! Some switches like to brown pasta / spaghetti for example when he starts eating might help a little. Really hope you find some solutions x

@Briony thank you so much, we’re finally getting better xx

@Natalie thank you for your help. We have been seen and they gave him movicol and the since he start taking it, every day he has poo🥳 I am so happy that finally someone was listening and helped us xx

Let her have a prune pouch once a day / that will get her going for sure