Mineral Oil

Background: This post was written in December and we are still in the same situation…HELP!

I have been to toilet training hell! 12 months ago, my son was potty trained to do his #2 business on the toilet. When his baby brother came along 2 months later, my son decided that toilet training was not for him. Not only did he decide that he did not want to go on the potty- he decided that he didn’t want to go AT ALL! So, I have had a little boy holding in his poo for 8-10 days for 7 months, all the while being miserable and grumpy! (During this time he was taking Mineral Oil and Lactulose laxatives, eating a high fiber diet and visiting our family doctor). To make a long story short- he has had enemas, been to the hospital and been taking laxatives to no avail. UNTIL we found the best product- Peg 3350 or polyethylene glycol. This stuff is a miracle worker and is a saving grace for our family. It does the same thing as an enema, but is a much better alternative to little boys. He is now on a strict diet consisting of water, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, yogurt and no sweets, potatoes, rice or white flour and taking 6-8 tsps of mineral oil a day. Any ideas how I can now entice him to do his business on the potty?

DATA SYNTHESIS: Constipation is a common disorder among children. A number of factors may play a role. A variety of medications are commonly used for this disorder, although few treatments have undergone evaluation by controlled clinical trials. Consensus guidelines recommend either osmotic laxatives, mineral oil, or their combination for maintenance treatment in concert with patient and parental education and behavioral training. PEG 3350 solution (MiraLax) has been shown in recent clinical studies to be an effective maintenance treatment for pediatric constipation.

CONCLUSIONS: PEG 3350 is an effective and well-tolerated treatment choice for pediatric constipation, especially as an adjunct to education and behavioral training. PEG 3350 is an option for children with constipation who have failed or are intolerant of other pharmacotherapies.

Here are a few articles for those of you in the same unfortunate situation:

Why do Children Become Constipated

Some Info on Polyethylene Glycol

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