Can allergies cause constipation?
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Topic: Can allergies cause constipation?
Posted By: LittleBug
Subject: Can allergies cause constipation?
Date Posted: 08 July 2010 at 2:40pm
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Poor wee Ollie is permanently constipated. He was on special formula for constipation when he was a baby, and now he just seems to be getting worse than ever. We try not to give him things like cheese, and too many carbs... we stick to fruit and veges. He eats probiotic prune yoghurt every day mixed with Kiwicrush. When he has a bottle it is half cows milk and half water, and I add two teaspoons of Benefibre. He also has Duphalac and Coloxyl drops.
I'm getting to my wits end - the poor guy gets no relief and strains for days before he does a poo, and he gets so upset. I'm pretty sure he has little haemmrhoids (sp) because sometimes there is a bit of blood  I'm not really sure what else I can do for the poor little guy, anyone else getting his treatment would be going like nothing else! I've booked a Dr's appointment tomorrow, I really need them to take me seriously this time because nothing is working 
I was wondering if anyone knew if allergies cause constipation? The doctors and pharmacists that I have talked to all say that allergies tend to cause the bowel to go the other way. ------------- Chloe (4 years) and Oliver (3 years). |
Replies:
Posted By: MyLilSquishy
Date Posted: 08 July 2010 at 2:43pm
| I have no idea but good luck with it hun! and huge hugs for Ollie!!! (and Chloe of course... just because hehe) |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 08 July 2010 at 2:46pm
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Poor little man I have Coeliacs and when i was eating gluten I would get badly constipated . But i would also have awful diarhea (sp?)
I have heard of you use to many medications/treatments it can actually make it worse, not usre how true that may be though I hope you get some advice/help/answers soon 
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Posted By: tishy
Date Posted: 08 July 2010 at 2:54pm
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Poor Ollie. When I BF Eimear, I couldn't eat wheat or she'd have 3 days of agony to get a poo out.
Even now if she has large amounts of wheat then it's a few days of grumps and no poos. She's not allergic though just intolerant I guess. DH is wheat free too so we just run a wheat free household. |
Posted By: JoJames
Date Posted: 08 July 2010 at 3:35pm
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Sometimes too much fibre can cause constipation in littles, so I would probably try stopping the benefibre for a bit, also limiting bananas and not giving anything that contains bran as they can't digest it very well. Make sure you give heaps of fluid, he needs 100ml/kg/day, And I know some people have found giving their kids licorice helps. I would ask for a referral to the continence service through the DHB.
And when you think he is trying to go, and warm bath can sometimes help it come easier. Good Luck ------------- http://www.alterna-tickers.com"> 
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Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 08 July 2010 at 4:17pm
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Food intolerances definitely cause constipation. ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com"> 
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |
Posted By: ElfsMum
Date Posted: 08 July 2010 at 5:46pm
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my intolerances cause constipation..and the other lol ------------- Mum to two amazing boys! |
Posted By: Snappy
Date Posted: 08 July 2010 at 7:09pm
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My DD has had chronic constipation since she was about 18months old... We tried all sorts of diets, lactulose and finally enema's (which were really horrible) In the end we got so fed up with the public health system we went private, the doctor there told us to give her a small teaspoon of parrafin liquid daily (available from the chemist without a prescription) It lubricates the food in the bowel like an oil, so everything is soft without any nasty affects. Sorry that hasn't answered your original question.. but after battling with this for 7.5 years I just had to give my 2c.
Best of luck for tommorow! ------------- Mummy to two beauties... Formerly Kaiz. |
Posted By: LittleBug
Date Posted: 08 July 2010 at 10:55pm
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Thanks for all the advice! Forgot to say that he doesn't get bananas either, just fruit and veg that have fibre. Bananas and potato block him up, so does white rice and anything else that doesn't contain fibre. Since we started the benefibre in his bottles he has been going once or twice a week which is better than before, so I'm loathe to give that up as well.
How can he be tested for food intolerance? Is it likely to be gluten, or could it be any number of things? Guess I can ask the Doctor tomorrow... ------------- Chloe (4 years) and Oliver (3 years). |
Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 08 July 2010 at 11:17pm
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You can't, you have to do food challenges.
Or if you notice he's more blocked up some days rather than others. Sounds as if he might have a back log? For me cocoa or cocoa containing foods make it more difficult to go to the loo the next day. ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com">
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |
Posted By: LittleBug
Date Posted: 09 July 2010 at 10:31am
Grrr I am so frustrated!  I went to the Dr with Ollie this morning and she didn't say anything new. She said that it "must just be his constitution" and gave us another laxative prescription. I asked if it could be anything like a food intolerance, and she said no, food intolerance causes diarrhea not constipation.
How do you do a food challenge? ------------- Chloe (4 years) and Oliver (3 years). |
Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 09 July 2010 at 9:39pm
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Unfortunately you need to follow an elimination diet first, ie cut out a whole pile of stuff & then slowly introduce foods back in observing reactions or non reactions until you find the culprit.
But seeing he was on a constipation formula right from the start makes it difficult. Usually issues start from introduction of foods. ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com">
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |
Posted By: LittleBug
Date Posted: 09 July 2010 at 9:46pm
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Hmmm... I guess the only culprits it could be is dairy or wheat, if its a food allergy, since even formula would have been causing problems.
I could try taking one or the other out I suppose... which one would be more likely to cause constipation? If trying a wheat or dairy free diet doesn't work then I guess it must be his "constitution".  Wish there was something I could do to help my wee man! ------------- Chloe (4 years) and Oliver (3 years). |
Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 09 July 2010 at 9:53pm
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Food allergy you would think would show skin issues.
After eating dairy does he get a pale face & dark circles under his eyes? Dairy intolerance usually involves the face going pale for a period of time. ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com">
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |
Posted By: LittleBug
Date Posted: 09 July 2010 at 9:57pm
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I haven't really noticed... I will look and see next time. I often think he looks pale though.
Sounds like it's probably not a food allergy, I'm kind of disappointed because I was hoping it was something I could fix, even though it would be a big PITA! That sounds dumb even to myself. ------------- Chloe (4 years) and Oliver (3 years). |
Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 09 July 2010 at 10:06pm
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Give him a drink of milk or dairy formula & take note of his complexion before & after. Usually dairy allergy does the opposite of constipation though, but my daughter always poohed hard balls, I never thought anything of it at the time. ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com">
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |
Posted By: LittleBug
Date Posted: 09 July 2010 at 10:42pm
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Thanks for the advice, I will give it a go! ------------- Chloe (4 years) and Oliver (3 years). |
Posted By: tishy
Date Posted: 10 July 2010 at 7:18pm
Doesn't sound dumb at all. When Eimears RAST 5 blood tests came back -ve I was actually disappointed. Sometimes I feel like a fraud for keeping her away from dairy and wheat, but basically it comes down to you knowing your child best. And that's interesting about the complexion as we've noticed Eimear looking pale sometimes, and generally after she's had some dairy. |
LittleBug wrote: