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Since July 2003 my 18mth old boy has had bouts of trouble with his bowels and has suffered extreme pain with passing stools. This has not been continuous since July but he is currently going through a period of this that has lasted approx 6 wks. I have visited 3 different doctors, the first requested a specimen of his stools which showed no bowel infection, the second suggested I take him off all milk and dairy products (we have been doing this for 1 week now replacing his milk with infant soya milk) and last Friday saw another doctor as my son was straining (or so it appeared) to "go" every 5-10 minutes and in agonising pain whilst doing so. The 2nd doctor said that if after 2 wks of withdrawing his milk that there was no change that I should then withdraw all wheat products. After 1 wk of the milk free diet I have noticed no change whatsoever. My son has gone from repeatedly passing minute stools every few minutes to nothing at all for 3 days and he now seems to be returning to "going" frequently again. My instincts tell me that he doesn't have a milk allergy or a lactose intolerance nor does he probably have a wheat allergy but that he has suffered some sort of blockage and that he is now afraid to "go" because of the pain he remembers having previously. What my question is, is do people with milk allergies or wheat allergies show similar symptoms as this? I would have thought that the symptoms would be more severe such as vomiting, rashes, diarrhoea etc. When my son has "gone" frequently, his stools have always been of soft consistency but not like diarrhoea. I feel I am getting nowhere with my doctor. I just want to sort this problem out as my poor little boy is in a lot of pain at times!! Thanks for any advice given. Mel

Have you looked up Irritable Bowel Syndrome?I don't know if babies can get this,but check it out?It has to do with bowels.Or look up celiac?Celiacs are people that are allergic to wheat products and other products.Let me know what you find?This must be so painful for your little guy and frustrating for answers.

Hi
My daughter went through the same thing - and still does! When she was an infant she was cranky every time she had a bowel movement until I went off milk (I was breastfeeding). When she was a year, we had her tested, and she did not show any allergy to milk. However, once we started introducing milk, she began to have problems almost identical to your child's. I did not take her completely off milk products, but she did continue soy formula. I now have a son who was VERY sensitive to milk (also bowel related, but more extreme), and has also seemed to outgrow it. I have a few suggestions:
- allergies and intolerances (they are different) manifest themselves in all sorts of ways - this is CERTAINLY one of them.
- If you eliminate milk, make sure you eliminate all kinds - even whey and caesin and other milk products in food (this is a tough one)
- Once you have eliminated it entirely, it may take THREE weeks to really work it's way out of his system.
- A very high fibre diet (whole grain breads, lots of veggies and fruits) work well. We were giving my daughter several ounces of prune juice a day, and mashed prunes when she would eat them.
- If this does not help, ask your doctor about Lansoyl jelly. It's like mineral oil in a tasty jelly form that most kids like. This was the only solution that helped me and I still give this to my daughter (now three) when we have eaten a lot of dairy (pizza, etc.) as she is still prone to problems.
- My suggestion would be to try to get this under control ASAP, as you do not want it to interfere with potty teaching in the coming months (my daughter would shake and cry for hours when she knew she had to have a bowel movement - so much for positive reinforcement!)

I hope you have some luck soon!

my son did the exact same thing...we had to put him on nutrmaigen at 3 mths...we he went to solids he was taking mirilax for his what they called functional constipation....i always felt it was an allergy to something since it started so young....after a year of belly pain and sleepless nights..i was finally told he was allergic to milk and soy!! Now that he is off both he is a much happier child....As you doctor about Mirilax...its a bulking laxative that is non dependant...and it works wonders.

My 2.5 year old gets constipated to if he drinks to much milk, but i have found that if we give him some juice juice it losens right up and he goes