Sunshine has suffered from constipation for years. It's a side effect of some of her medications.  

We have tried and tested so many remedies from prune juice to laxatives.

Some didn't work at all.

Others worked, but Sunshine hated them.  

And then we stumbled upon a solution that everyone loves!

I'm super excited to explain how to help children with constipation with no tears or battles.

Constipation in children can occur for a multitude of reasons.  

Some children don't like the feeling of having a bowel movement, and so they hold it in.

Other children don't want to take the time to sit and relax for the period of time it takes to go to the bathroom.

Medication, diet, and exercise can all be factors in how often your child has bowel movements.

No matter the reason, we all know being constipated is extremely uncomfortable, causing pain and tears.

The first steps to helping your child with constipation is making sure they are eating a diet rich in fiber, fruits and vegetables, and ensuring that they are getting enough exercise each day.  Drinking plenty of water is important as well.

If you notice your child struggling with constipation, documenting bowel movements is always a good idea.

I created a "Poop Chart" for Sunshine, in Microsoft Publisher and ordered poop emoji stickers from Amazon to make the charting process a little bit more fun.  

If you aren't able to make a calendar on the computer, any calendar will do.

Sunshine LOVES her emoji stickers.  It didn't take her long to learn the process of reporting her bowel movements and placing a sticker on the right date on her chart.

At first she wanted to put a ton of stickers on without having had a bowel movement, but she quickly adjusted to the process.

Now I'm sure you're probably wondering what our secret to helping children with constipation is.

How to Help Children with Constipation

When Sunshine returned from her first residential treatment placement, it was recommended that she go on a sugar free diet.

Little did we know that some sugar free alternatives are natural laxatives, particularly monkefruit and Erythritol.

Every time Sunshine had baked goods used with the sugar free alternatives, she had absolutely no issues with constipation.  In some cases, she had issues with too many bowel movements.

Knowing that having baked goods around at all times was unreasonable, we ventured into sugar free candy ideas.

This is when we discovered the affects of Sugar Free Gummy Bears!

If you would like a laugh, or don't believe me in regards to how magical sugar free gummies are in regards to curing constipation, just read the reviews on Amazon!  

Sunshine loves gummies, so they were an immediate hit!

Depending on what Sunshine had to eat during the day, she may or may not need 6-10 gummies to help with bowel movements.

We try not to let her go more than one day without a bowel movement.  If she goes two days without one, we give her gummies.  Sure enough the very next day, there is no more constipation.

I love that Sunshine has relief from her constipation and that there are no battles when it comes to treating her constipation anymore.

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