More input on potty-training problems
Dear Readers: Many of you suggested treatments for “Pooped Out and Sad in the South,” which was the letter from the grandmother who was concerned about her grandson’s difficulties in having bowel movements. I hope some of these suggestions help other parents and grandparents who face similar problems with their children and grandchildren.
Dear Annie: This mother needs to seek the advice of a pediatric gastroenterologist. These are the same symptoms my son exhibited, much to my dismay. He is now in his 50s and has had terrible, terrible trouble with Crohn’s disease. He now has an ileostomy and is doing quite well. He is 6-foot-4 and at one point was down to 134 pounds. The pain level he has experienced cannot be imagined.
Just a suggestion from someone who wishes I had been told about this condition. Crohn’s is just one of the many autoimmune diseases that are inherited.
— Trying to Help Dear Annie: The letter from “Pooped Out and Sad” reminded me of my daughter, who is now almost 28. She had such a fear of bowel movements hurting that she would not “go” on her own. We also tried many things and were afraid this would prevent her from starting kindergarten (as kids had to be potty-trained to enroll). She would have movements when she slept or would be so impacted only an enema would help. As a last resort, our family doctor recommended using enemas for several days in a row. He felt that once she was completely cleaned out, and then had a normal bowel movement that did not hurt, she would finally decide on her own that she wanted to “go” normally, like the other kids. She did and was very proud of herself.
— Been There Dear Annie: I am glad you advised the grandparents to seek advice from the child’s pediatrician. Constipation may be the culprit here. There are many approaches to this, and I would suggest seeing a pelvic floor physical therapist who specializes in children for management of this issue.
— Physical Therapist Advocate Dear Annie: My little 5-year-old granddaughter had similar constipation issues. One weekend at my home with several servings of canned pears fixed the problem — and it has worked for well over a year now.
— Pears Did the Trick Dear Annie: I am writing in regards to the grandmother who wrote in about her grandson with potty-training difficulties. Your advice to discuss this with a pediatrician is absolutely correct.
There are a number of medical and dietary factors that can contribute to young children having difficulty with a bowel movement. In my son’s case, he had bilateral inguinal hernias. Unfortunately, the majority of times he was pushing during bowel movement, it was painful. When I brought up his symptoms to our pediatrician during a visit, she diagnosed him during a physical exam.
Surgical repair of his inguinal hernias fixed the issue. My husband and I were so thankful that we had brought this to our pediatrician’s attention. Please don’t wait, or attempt to self-diagnose, as it could also be many other medical conditions. This grandmother is a wonderful advocate for her grandson, so please encourage Mom to bring the child to the pediatrician.
— Thankful for Pediatric Medical and Surgical Intervention
Dear Annie: After reading the question from “Pooped Out and Sad in the South,” I would like to offer some encouragement and a resource for the issues this grandmother is facing. Steve Hodges, M.D., has a protocol and treatment for this very situation. If the grandmother visits bedwettingandaccidents.com she can read about others who have overcome this and find the treatment that is effective. Hodges and his staff even respond quickly to emails. Depending on the state, they could even set up a virtual appointment with the doctor or go in person. I feel the pain and struggle this poor family is going through and strongly encourage checking out the protocol that Hodges has used to treat thousands of children and adults. It worked for our family. — Blessings