Comments on: Should I Seek A Second Opinion In My Child’s Pediatrician?

By: Cheyene B

Cheyene B — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:49:06 +0000

I would look for a second opinion from a gastro doctor which there daily works involves dealing with the stomach all day every day. I think the problem goes a little bit deeper then her eating the wrong kinds of fruit or something like that. I think three years of bowel problems should be a cause of concern for her doctor so I would definitely get a second opinion and if the second opinion says theres nothing wrong i would start the strawberries again I hope she feels better and Good Luck

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:03:21 +0000

You’re right, she shouldnt be having this problem. She could permanently damage her bowel because of this. I think right now it is best to kep her medicated as problems like this will usually be out grown. My daughter (around three at the time) was severely constipated too. She could barely walk sometimes, she cried, she screamed i gave her suppositories and even enemas. But the medication was the ONLY thing that could do it. (my daughter also loves fruits, veggies and whole grains. How many kids wake up in the morning asking for fresh oatmeal, not the pre packaged stuff??) But her doctor put her on Miralax and she only used it for about two years. Now she is off of it and she only has a flare up once in a while if life gets busy and we cant get her enough fluids and whole grains.
If you want to get a second opinion, go for it. It wont hurt a bit. But i would strongly recommend using the medications to make sure she doesnt have prolonged problems becasue of this. We live in a day and age where technology is amazing and there seems to be a cure for almost everything out there. The medicine your doctor prescribed for her is safe and wont hurt. it will only help until her body can figure out how to poop normally on its own!! Its amazing how something so simple like pooping can be such a problem, huh?
Good luck, I hope i helped and i hope things get better for you. I know first hand how terrible this can be for young children and us parents!

By: Bella H

Bella H — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:36:03 +0000

My son had a similar problem, and my frined’s daughter too, but not as bad, I’m assuming. I started giving him the Gerber Splashers, which is juice mixed with purified water, and he is now a regular lil pooper. My friend’s daughter was way worse, more similar to your daughter, and her doc told her to stay away from binding food(bananas, rice), try more veggies(carrots, spinach) and then she started this juice and everything’s going good. Cereal, oatmeal and toast with different fruit jellies help too. The miralax will definitely help, but you dont want to use it all the time. But all in all, I would either stress to the doctor to be more thorough with an exam, or switch her. I’ve switched mine 3 times, and it was definitely a good decision for my son. Good luck, try the juice!!

By: ?Humble Proclaimer?

?Humble Proclaimer? — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:58:43 +0000

Green tea is a natural remedy that can relieve constipation.
Green tea is considered a natural cure for constipation mainly because it promotes “friendly” bacteria in the intestines thereby encourages bowel regularity.
These friendly bacteria helps increase your resistance to infection, helps maintain bowel regularity, and promotes digestion. It has also been reported that regular consumption of green tea results in a reduced odor from the feces.
Dietary fiber absorbs water and makes stools fuller and easier to pass.
Good food sources include prunes, apples, kidney beans, and other legumes, and other oats.
Prune juice, of course, can help you with your problem.
Although it’s best to get your fiber from food sources, you can also take a supplement when your meals aren’t supplying enough.
If you can afford, eat organic foods. They are healthier choice because they are free from hormones, pesticides, and preservatives. These chemicals are toxic to our system which causes a “traffic” or delay to the normal flow.
PS: Consult a pediatric dietitian or other pediatrition for a 2nd opinion. It doesn’t mean changing doctors, just seeing what other answers another physician comes up with.

By: Heather O

Heather O — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 08:49:20 +0000

She won’t “rupture”, but she may well be or get impacted. (the colon becomes full of hard fecal matter) They resolve this with either rectal or oral medication. Anyway, I would seek out a second opinion. Pain with a BM is not normal. Constipation can be seen in one of two ways: either infrequent hard/painful BM’s, or frequently hard/dry/painful BM’s.
-stay away from even the mildest laxitives for her unless specifically perscribed by a doctor.
-see if you can’t double her water/vegetable juice intake. Be creative as you can with this, its hard to get a 3 year old to drink more than they want to.
-prune juice. Or pruins(dried, if possible)
-leave off as much sugar as you can. Sugar has been found to contribute constipation in young children.
-increase her fiber intake. I would look at the My Pyramid Plan (google this term) click the kids section, enter in her age etc, and click fiber recomendations/examples for ideas.
-if she is up and running for an hour a day, increase that time by a half an hour. By running I mean high energy play, arms and legs and body moving at a good clip:) If hse is not an active child, try to get her active. Start with two ten minute walks a day, increase by five minutes every other day until she is getting about an hour to an hour and a half of good intense excersize. That can be playing baby tag, tumbling, anything to get her moving.
-You will know you have a major issue on hand if there is blood present(more than a little blood from ripping)
-If her BM’s are suddenly watery, and not within her control
-more than 6 days with no BM needs a doctors appointment
I hope something in here helps you!

By: Duck

Duck — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:03:41 +0000

If you are not happy with the doctor, you shouldn’t stick around and put your daughter through that.

By: connie

connie — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:47:08 +0000

Yes and try another doctor.

By: Not a sweetie

Not a sweetie — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:38 +0000

My answer is yes TIMES 3 as
1. You should always trust your instincts
2. No doctor is “fail-proof”
3. There is nothing to lose and a lot to gain by trying another avenue.
Good luck.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:37:03 +0000

Try different ways to incorporate strawberries and other berries. Like smoothies and fruit desserts. And make sure she takes a daily vitamin,they may help her in getting enough fiber.
But if you would like a second opinion,go for it.

By: avonmom

avonmom — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:48:26 +0000

it would not be a bad idea to get a second opinion.
One thing you can do is give her pear or white grape juice to drink. I know when I banned apple juice from my house and switched to white grape juice he poops much easier. my doctor said that there is something about the natural sugars in grapes and pears that makes pooping easier.
another thing is to give her no more than 2 dried prunes a day. My son likes the sunsweet “ones” individually wrapped dried prunes. they have the taste and texture of a giant raisin.
instead of the fresh berries everyday, try the single serve cups of fruit cocktail or diced pears occasionally. My son likes to drink the juice from the cup before he eats the fruit.
I hope these suggestions work for you. I know this is hard to deal with…my 3 year old dealt with constipation on a regular basis from the time he was 4 months old. I once had to disempact him with nothing but a baby wipe while on a camping trip….that was NO FUN.