Chronic constipation

[Dr Nick Read]

This is a really difficult situation. Medical options are somewhat limited. Movicol is one of the strongest purgatives available but like many other laxatives, it may work at the expense of increasing pain or causing diarrhoea. It is worth asking your doctor about the new drugs for constipation that have recently come on the market, but I don't think these are available for children. Prune juice may be helpful but may also make the pain and bloating worse.

It is worth exploring a different tack. Ask yourself what was going on at the time his illness started? Constipation is one of those symptoms that can represent worries and things that are going on in a persons life. 14 is a period of transition and people of that age can get stuck with anorexia and constipation.

It seems clear he needs specialist input in a unit that has access to both medical and psychological expertise. One such unit is St Mark's at Northwick Park Hospital, North West London. Your son needs to work with somebody he has confidence in. Another unit is at University College Hospital (Dr Anton Emmanuel).