1. Has your child suddenly started wetting the bed again, long after potty training?
2. Does your child often complain about a stomach ache?
Both of these are signs that your child is constipated.
Experts say that many kids are “secretly” constipated because they simply put off going to the bathroom. Their pipes get clogged, which interferes with tiny bladders. Before you know it, you’re washing sheets every morning when you thought you were way past this stage.
When this happened with two of my daughters at different points, I followed the advice of pediatric urologist Steve Hodges, MD, author of “It’s No Accident: Breakthrough Solutions To Your Child’s Wetting, Constipation, UTIs, And Other Potty Problems”.
Each time we gave the girls Miralax for 3-5 days and everything cleared up. (Though some pediatricians suggest longer and may also prescribe an enema, which is a last resort for obvious reasons.)
Going forward, we’re working on more water and more fiber. Every day.
Here are my 10 favorite high-fiber foods for kids
- Chocolate Chip Oat Cups
- Rainbow Smoothies
- Chia Seed Pudding
- Chia Seed Pudding Pops (If Chia Seed Pudding isn’t a hit, freeze it!)
- No Bake Chocolate, Fruit & Nut Bars
- Apple Turtles
- Simple Green Smoothies
- Pumpkin Spice Muffins
- Slow-Cooker Chicken Chili
- Fresh, Fruity Summer Porridge
Of course it’s a good idea to work with your pediatrician. When I brought up the recurring stomachaches, ours didn’t have many suggestions so we worked pretty independently to solve it. And to my relief, it was resolved pretty easily with this method.
But I’d definitely recommend talking to a doctor before and after. There could be other medical issues that need attention. Plus your doctor may prescribe other methods of getting things moving. For starters, there could be a laxative “cleanse” or as I mentioned, an enema, in your future.
Good luck moms and dads. This stuff sure ain’t for sissies!
This caught my eye ~ I have a 4-year old grandson who yep, wets the bed and complains of stomach pain. He does have bowel movements, I’ve seen some really big ones, but I haven’t kept track. I know that his 2-year old brother exhibits signs of constipation pretty regularly. (BTW, I’m the primary caregiver) All I’ve done so far is encourage drinking more water and offer dried fruits. I’m going to look into a laxative for them. Thank you!!