chronic constipation since birth - Bowel Disorders Message Board

allea26 · 08-28-2008, 05:21 PM

My daughter has had severe constipation since birth! She is now 8 years old! The doctors have had here in and out of the hospital for testing, and tried almost every medication and laxatives! Since age 3 we have been taking her to the chiropractor 2x's a month, and watching her diet! This is working o.k, but recently, she was rushed to hospital er. She was screaming with severe abdominal pain, and vomiting! The results showed stool impaction-again! Now I am not sure what to think! She might go #2 once every 4 days-which is usually a small hard amount. Sometimes very painful for her! What could be wrong! Now that she is older, should we have her go through same tests again for something maybe missed! Just want her to be able to have the life of normal child!!!

nleeh · 08-28-2008, 05:54 PM

I can only imagine how difficult this is for your daughter as well as you. I don't have any medical advice but wanted to share about a friend of mine who's son also did not have a bowl movement sometimes for a week and then had terrible pain when relieving himself. In his case he had a phobia about having bowl movements or that was the conclusion the doctor came to. Not sure what started it but once constipation set in and the child experienced the pain when he finally had a movement, fear set in and he actually withheld going because he was afraid he'd have pain again. I do not think it was a conscious choice in the beginning but it became a conscious choice to withhold as time went by. I'm in no way saying this is what is going on with your daughter but to let you know that she is not alone. Today my friend's son is a teenager and all is well with him but it was a trying time for several years for the child and his parents. Since your daughter's started very early on, I hope you find out what the cause is. Have you done any research on the internet or in medical books? I don't have faith in all doctors because so often they only treat conditions they are already familiar with.

sweetv · 09-08-2008, 10:10 PM

I know what she is going through because Ive had the same problem since birth. I am now 39 years old and I finally got the diagnosis that of what has been going on. Have you ever had her checked for Hirschsprung disease? I know that she is 8 years old and that this is a infant disease but it does not mean that she does not have it. In adults they sometimes call it degenerative bowel disease. Please find a gastroenterologist and ask about this. Good luck I wish you the best.

kersey275 · 09-16-2008, 09:54 AM

I agree with Sweetv. Have her checked for Hirshprungs,by having them do a biopsy of the colon . This will show if the nerve endings in her bowel are missing.It is a genetic disease. The only cure is "pull-thru" surgery. Research it ,you will find alot of information.I was bborn with this disease.A mild form in adults is called "Megacolon" and "aganglionic colon". Let us know how things work out.