4 year old son has IBS
He is always constipated even though he eats the same as what my eldest eats. The doctor diagnosed my 4 year old with IBS which is so young to have something like that.
He's been on these laxatives for children and it's helping him go to the toilet more easily but is giving him a lot of wind. His bedroom smells of farts and he's often farting while walking around. Not sure what he's like at nursery but I don't think it's very dignifying for him.
How do you deal with the side effects from laxatives in children? If he doesn't take the laxatives then he'll be constipated but when he does take them he's very gassy and just doesn't stop farting. Even when he sits on my lap I can feel farts coming out his bottom.
He's fully toilet trained by the way, it's just wind.
Hi
, I'm so sorry that your son is dealing with IBS at such a young age. I have a child almost the same age, I can't imagine how hard the situation must be for you and him.
Regarding the laxatives, is there maybe another type he could try? Or maybe even a fiber supplement? This article: https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/treatment/fiber-laxatives was obviously written with adults in mind, but it explains the different types of supplements and laxatives used.
I'm wondering if you could also try something like probiotics (https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/food/prebiotics-probiotics-constipation) if you haven't already? Again, I'm not sure if all of these can be taken by children, but you could always ask a pharmacist to recommend a child-friendly probiotic.
Finally, I wanted to share this article: https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/food/constipation-food-tips about different foods that can help constipation. Have you tried changing his diet? I know this is different, but I've noticed that my children a both a bit sensitive to dairy, so I'm wondering if maybe certain foods could make the constipation worse for you son?
Please let me know if any of this is helpful.
Wishing you both all the best,
Karina (team member)
