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Before you give him any kind of laxative please have a talk with him to find out the real issue and call the doctors office to find out what they recommend. Please don't take medical advice from strangers on a message board.
Except me. Stranger but expert. Her peter-trician doesn't sound too sharp.
OK, all you great diagnosticians! Having worked in a pediatrician's office I can tell you one should not diagnose someone you have never seen, based on an 11 sentence (if I counted correctly) post.
I'll throw my weight in with those who say "go to the pediatrician". It may be encopresis; that's a very common problem. But you have to do a history and physical to make a diagnosis.
Is he lactose intolerant? Kids are forced to drink milk, especially in school, but no one ever asks if they are lactose intolerant, and, heck - they don't know. I presume he's in kindergarten, and they may be having a milk & cookie break. If he's lactose intolerant, that leads to bloating and sometimes an untimely, prompt, uncontrollable episode of gas and diarrhea or just wet stool. Can't be held in by even the most prudent kid. I found that out the hard way once at age 7. I (instinctively?) hated milk but it was shoved on me in school for lunch. Check out whether this is occurring in relation to milk intake. Take milk out of his diet for a while (and that includes ice cream). Lactaid is OK. About 5% of kids are lactose intolerant, they develop this a few years after the big milk intake days of infancy (lactase is an inducible enzyme - too little milk intake, no lactase produced).
Alternatively, given the timing, he may be reacting to the toilet training scenario going on with the 3 year old. Exactly why, is anybody's guess, but he is only 5. Five year olds can react to some things in an infantile manner. In that case, I'd "insulate" him from the toilet training drama going on at this time.
In either case the laxative will only aggravate the situation. I'd shelve it for now.
He's allergic to enviornmental triggers like pollen, dust and dander. Sees his allergist for monthly shots, and got the full battery allergy test a year ago cuz younger brother was allergic to alot of food items. he's fine with milk and diary, but i suppose it could appear anytime. Luckily he got his upcoming appoitment for his allergy shot next month, so i'll ask if can run diary test on him.
I'll call his ped tomorrow and maybe try to get him in sometime saturday, if not then Monday after school for sure. Of my two boys, he is my by far the better eater in terms of variety with diet. He eats all ranges of fruits, raw vegetables and usually prefers water with bit of cranberry juice over milk most times. He usually requests cut up raw peppers and cucumbers to eat as his afternoon snack after school!
Thanks to rest of you for your suggestions. It does sound very probable it may be what it is for him, but i did wonder about the timing of potty training my younger son. It's strange timing for this to become an issue NOW just when i'm gearing up PT.
Lactose intolerance is NOT AN ALLERGY! Not even close. Your allergist is possibly even less aware of what lactose intolerance is than your peter-trician. Not an allergy! It's insufficient lactase production. Has nothing to do with allergies. BTW, it is often (but not always) caused by a kid's aversion to milk - but it sounds like that's not the case here. You can test for it. Feed him a big dish of honest to goodness, real cream ice cream (he'll love you for it), then watch him for a few hours. If he runs off to the bathroom (or loads his pants) diagnostic for lactose intolerance. But, I'm starting to think it's my second idea - a reaction to toilet training the younger kid. Good luck.
Take the child to the doctor! Discuss all these suggestions with him/her.
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