More water in the body helps the magnesium work. Make sure your child is drinking fluids throughout the day when they are on magnesium. You should be okay using magnesium as long as your child is otherwise healthy. Magnesium is safe in the recommended dosage to treat constipation. Is Magnesium Safe? Are There Any Side Effects? When looking at magnesium supplements, read the label carefully to see if your child has sensitivities to added flavors and colorings. Some supplements include calcium which we don't recommend for children. The basic ingredient – magnesium citrate or magnesium oxide – are the same for kids and adults. Is Magnesium Different for Kids Than Adults? And they're more likely to poop and be open to working on other things that make pooping easier. This way they aren't afraid that their bowel movements are going to hurt. This is the first "win" when working with a child dealing with constipation. When the stool is easier to pass, it doesn't hurt. So, the muscles in the intestines start moving the stool along to get it out. When the intestines feel the stool swell, they want to move that stool out of the body. It makes the stool softer and easier to pass. (Don’t worry, it can’t swell too much.) And, the stool swelling with water is good. Have you ever had one of those sponges that compress and swell when you soak it in water? The stool that contains magnesium acts like that sponge soaking up water and swelling inside the intestines. When the stool swells, the muscles in the intestine push it along so it can be removed from the body. This makes the stool easier and less painful to pass. Magnesium draws water into the intestines. How Do Magnesium Citrate and Magnesium Oxide Work for Constipation?īoth forms of magnesium are types of osmotic laxatives. And as you know, oxygen is found all around us. Magnesium oxide is magnesium and oxygen molecules bonded together. (Don’t worry, we'll cover food sources of magnesium below.) Magnesium Oxide Citric acid is the acid found in citrus fruits. Both of these are readily found in nature. Magnesium citrate is a magnesium molecule that is bound with a citric acid molecule. While these benefits may be helpful, it’s important to focus on the forms of magnesium that help the most with constipation – magnesium citrate and magnesium oxide.įirst, we'll get into a little science about the two molecules. There are actually 9 forms of magnesium all with different health benefits ranging from relaxation, helping with muscle pain, depression and cardiovascular health. If you’ve looked at magnesium supplements, you know there are a lot of different forms and are probably confused about which one to try. If you want to try magnesium, you're probably wondering what type you should use. It can have a place in your child’s constipation treatment, but we want to you know that Magnesium can provide the same desired outcomes without the potential for accidents or other unwanted side effects. Because it’s what most pediatrician recommend, it’s the osmotic laxative most of the kids we treat in the clinic are on when we first start working together. If you’ve been dealing with a constipated child for any amount of time, you’ve likely given Miralax to your child. This gives us time to work on the root causes of constipation. We prefer it over Miralax because it's a natural option to soothe constipation and it seems to be easier to adjust the amount needed to provide the proper stool consistency. Taken in the right dose, magnesium does the same action but in a more natural way. Miralax contains polyethylene glycol which acts to draw water into the stool. Miralax isn't meant to be used as a solution for chronic, long-term constipation. Second, there isn't enough follow-up care to see if it is working or not and when to stop using it. This usually leads to a decision to stop using it, causing more constipation and backups for your child. This becomes a frustrating, messy situation for you and your child. However, our clients have experienced two main issues with it.įirst, most doctors recommend an amount of miralax that makes the stool liquid which can cause accidents. Many doctors or pharmacists recommend Miralax when working with children with constipation.
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