My nephew

[Janet]

I will certainly keep Lucas in my prayers. So upsetting when these young ones have to go through something like this.

[Blueyes]

That sounds so painful. Bless his heart! Will pray!

[DianaB]

Oh my goodness!!! Poor little Lucas!! I'll be praying for him!!! Thank goodness the news wasn't cancer!! I hope that all of this is an easy fix and with him being so young I hope they're wrong about the bowel going back to it's regular size. Keep us posted!!!

[paula1961]

They said if the colon went back to it's normal size that it would take six months to a year. But it may not shrink back. It is twice as big as it should be. I talked to him just a little while ago. They are letting him go home I'll try and find out more after while. My sister is there now...so I'm sure she will call and tell me something. Has anyone heard of this happening before to someone? I sure haven't.

[gja1000]

I have heard of this sort of thing, but I don't know anything about it. I have heard of it but had to go to the internet and search. I looked for "fecal impaction" which is the closest thing to what I think he had. Here's what I found. It calls it constipation - but it is a severe form.

Constipation in childhood is usually caused by the child’s diet. Excessive milk ingestion, insufficient amount of fluids and inadequate intake of bulk-forming foods are common causes of constipation in children. (1) Other potential causes include poor bowel habits, laxative misuse or underlying medical conditions. (1)

Medical conditions that may cause constipation include; Hypothyroidism, Celiac Disease, Hirschsprung Disease, muscle disorders, endocrine disorders such as Hypothyroidism or Diabetes mellitus, and medication side effects. (2) Medications that are commonly associated with constipation include; analgesics, anticholinergics, calcium channel blockers and stomach preparations containing Aluminum.

In some cases a child can develop constipation due to an anatomical defect such as rectal stenosis. Rectal stenosis is a condition that occurs when a child’s rectal openining is too tight or too small. Because the opening is so small it is very difficult to pass stools and as a result the child becomes constipated. Rectal stenosis can be confirmed by digital examination by a health care professional. (1)

Pelvic Floor Dyssynergia is another potential cause of constipation in children. This occurs when a child fails to learn to properly coordinate the muscle contractions necessary to pass a stool. When a child experiences Pelvic Floor Dyssynergia, the anal sphincter does not contract properly or in some cases, involuntary spasms occur during a bowel movement. This abnormal contraction prevents the stool from being expelled from the body. Signs of Pelvic Floor Dyssynergia include hard stools, fecal impaction, feelings of anal blockage, severe straining, and the need for digital maneuvers. (3)

[judy]

I have heard of this, once in a friend with polio, and once on TLC I think, involving a child.

Have they figured out what caused this? I hope it's not anything too serious.

[paula1961]

That's what I've been wandering Judy. What caused it?

The dr told my sil to call this morning to make an appt to go over everything. I don't know when that will be yet.

Gayle thank you for posting all of that info. I'm going to do a little research on my own just out of curiosity.

Lucas called my parents this morning and said he was feeling much better. And btw my poor Dad is back in the hospital too. He has alot of fluid built up and can't seem to lose any of it. So please say a prayer for him too. He is just sooo weak. I'm going down there tomorrow. He's in Lexington at St Joesph hospital.