Thanks To A Fast-Growing Group Of Experts And Parents Who Are Speaking Up And Shedding Light On The Possible Dangers Of Children Under 16 Using MiraLax (Or any off-brand version of it).
Here are 3 Eye-Opening Reasons Children 16 And Under Should NOT Take The So-Called “Healthy” Laxative.
Being a parent of a child who regularly struggles with constipation is exhausting.
Even more so for the child going through it.
No parent wants to see their child wincing in pain from having their stomach tied up in knots and painfully bloated.
Or curled up in a ball trying to find a position that gives them a little relief.
Not to mention, the sleepless nights, mood swings and painful trips to the bathroom for the child.
Normally, parents will reach for different types of food, juices, and at-home remedies in search of something to ease the pain.
When nothing seems to work,
The natural step to take is to schedule an appointment with a doctor where the child typically gets prescribed a drug called “Miralax” (polyethylene glycol 3350) – or an off-brand version of it.
Although it may give the child quick relief from their pain and constipation…
I’m not sure parents would be as excited about that relief if they knew what else Miralax might be doing to their child.
Especially considering the fact that there’s a much safer and longer-lasting alternative (more on that in just a minute).
Now, just to be clear.
THIS IS NOT AN ATTACK ON DOCTORS.
They’re doing the very best they can with the tools and information they have.
The simple fact is,
The majority of them are not fully aware of what I’m about to share with you…YET.
If they did, I’m doubtful they would prescribe it to their 16 and under patients.
Here’s why…
3 Reasons children 16 and under should NOT take MiraLax (or any off-brand version of the drug)…
Reason #1: Potentially Negative (And Permanent) Side Effects That Damage Speech And Behavior – As Well As Spikes In Anxiety And Depression.
There’s been a growing number of parents coming forward with disturbing reports of their children experiencing a variety of neuropsychiatric issues after taking MiraLax (and similar off-brand versions of the drug)
In fact,
According to Pharmacist.com
“The FDA has now stepped in and involved themselves in the matter after filing reports of their own; showing 167 different cases of children experiencing adverse effects after taking the drug.”
Thanks to those reports surfacing, the FDA has awarded The Children’s Hospital Of Philadelphia $325,000.00 to conduct an official study to get to the bottom of it.
But it wasn’t just the reports that moved the FDA to take action.
It was the pressure being applied by thousands of parents complaining about the issue.
Parents like Jeanie Ward,
Who, according to Parents.com and CBS Action News, “gave her 3-and-a-half-year-old daughter Nicole [MiraLax] on the advice of a doctor, and within 10 days, Nicole’s personality had changed drastically.”
Jeanie described the side-effects as “Near psychiatric events with paranoia, mood swings, aggression, rage…It was horrifying to see my daughter change like that and to not completely go back to normal.”
She’s not the only parent who has come forward with reports of similar symptoms.
There’s several more.
And they seem to be growing in number.
I don’t know about you?
But those are NOT symptoms I’m willing to trade for constipation relief.
Reason #2 – Miralax And Antifreeze Are Like 1st Cousins
The active ingredient (PEG 3350) in MiraLax, and it’s off-brand counterparts, contains the same toxic compound (ethylene glycol) found in Antifreeze.
And just to be clear,
“Active Ingredient” means it’s the main ingredient that makes the drug work.
In other words, if you remove PEG 3350 and Ethylene Glycol from MiraLax, it’s no longer “MiraLax”, it’s just fluid sitting in a bottle.
So, this isn’t a case of people grasping at straws to link a meaningless trace amount of a toxic ingredient to a drug.
It’s much more direct and impactful than that.
Reason #3 – MiraLax Doesn’t Even Recommend It.
As if the reports on the spikes in anxiety, depression, and behavioral issues weren’t enough to make you think twice about giving your child MiraLax.
Or the fact MiraLax and Antifreeze are 1st cousins…
What about this?
MiraLax doesn’t even recommend it.
It only gives instructions on dosages and how to use it for people 17 or older.
But what about the 16 and under crowd?
That’s a pretty wide range of ages there, no?
Here’s their official opinion, “Ask A Doctor”.
Which, to some, might sound like, “I don’t want to be held liable, but I want to sell as many bottles as I can.”
When you consider the fact that the drug was created specifically for constipation – and the majority of people who suffer from constipation are kids…it’s easy to see why people might feel that way.
Now,
Clearly not everyone is going to come to the same conclusion.
But many do.
And I don’t think you need to be wearing a tin-hat to at least see it as a little strange that the professionals who created the drug, don’t have an opinion on the appropriateness of it with such a wide range of ages.
What If We Have All Been Looking At Constipation Relief The Wrong Way?
Listen,
There’s a lot to unpack with MiraLax, and enough questions and concerns to make any parent feel unsure about the safest way to handle their child’s constipation.
And I’ll let the FDA and The Children’s Hospital Of Philadelphia have the final say on the dangers of it.
But here’s what I do know about the safest and most effective way to treat constipation.
PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE.
It’s important to note that MiraLax is NOT a solution to the problem, it’s just a bandaid for the symptoms.
In other words,
The sleepless nights, stomach cramps and severe pain is NOT the problem.
Neither is being constipated.
The real problem is “the thing” causing constipation.
If you solve that, there’s no need to even worry about Laxatives like MiraLax.
Right?
Think of it like this,
If your kitchen caught on fire and the smoke alarms were blaring…
Would you dump water on the alarm?
Or on the fire?
Sure, the sound of the alarm is loud and obnoxious, but it’s NOT the problem.
It’s just alerting you to the real problem…which is the fire.
The same is true with your child and constipation.
Somewhere there’s a fire.
Which is almost always related to their gut and inflammation.
The constipation is just the alarm.
And when you rely on MiraLax to quiet the ear-piercing noise of the alarm, you end up ignoring the real problem…and the fire spreads.
“Ok, I get it…so what can I do for my child’s Constipation?”
Well, I’ll do my best to spare you the science lecture and explain this in easy-to-understand- English.
Here’s the bottom line.
If you want relief from constipation.
You need to restore the healthy balance of Intestinal Flora in your gut.
Intestinal flora is essentially healthy bacteria in your gut that break down and help digest the food we eat.
If someone is suffering from chronic constipation, it’s almost certainly due to an UNHEALTHY balance of Intestinal Flora.
The problem is, Intestinal Flora is constantly under attack and being weakened by all the different toxins and pathogens found inside of what we eat and drink on a daily basis.
So,
In order to restore a healthy balance of Intestinal Flora in your gut, you will need to do three things at the same time.
All of which can be done without taking any prescription drugs.
Here they are…
#1 Stop killing your intestinal flora.
“How?”
By eating organic and removing as many inflammatory foods and drinks from your diet as possible.
Including, toxic foods (non-organic meat and produce), processed foods and sugary drinks.
As a general rule of thumb, if you couldn’t eat or drink it 1,000 years ago, you shouldn’t do it today.
Now,
Clearly, life is crazy and being perfect just isn’t very practical.
So, we suggest sticking to the “1,000 year rule” at least 80% of the time.
#2. Reintroduce beneficial bacteria to the gut
“How?”
You can do this by either loading your kid up on Kombucha or Sauerkraut every day.
Or,
You could just have them take a high-quality probiotic in the morning with breakfast.
It’s a big plus if you can find one with “Gut Lining Support” in it.
#3. Feed the beneficial bacteria and enable it to fight off and break down the toxins before they can do any harm.
(This will also strengthen the Flora and make it more effective at digestion)
“How?”
You can do this by taking high-quality prebiotics and digestive enzymes.
Just to be clear,
You can and should be addressing all three phases at the same time for faster and optimal results.
#1 can be accomplished through dietary choices
#2 and #3 can both be accomplished with high-quality supplements.
“Where Can I Find Those Supplements?”
These days you can find a probiotic at any local mini-mart.
But beware of their safety, quality, and effectiveness.
It seems like every vitamin company has quickly thrown a few cheap ingredients together and magically … a “probiotic” appears on their list of products.
Look,
Just because there’s technically beef on a Big Mac, doesn’t mean it’s the same as the prime rib at a steakhouse.
The fact is,
There is a special blend of unique ingredients that must be combined to effectively help children with constipation.
Top 5 Things to Look for When Shopping for Probiotics…
There are 5 components to consider when determining whether you’re looking at a McDonalds’ probiotic, or a ‘fancy steakhouse’ probiotic designed specifically for children with constipation.
1. Strain Diversity and Strength
- Most probiotics contain 3 strains and 5 billion CFU’s (Colony-Forming Units).
- Children with constipation need a stronger and more diverse probiotic. Look for one with at least 10 strains and 10 billion CFU’s.
2. Look for a probiotic that contains a strain known as “L Reuteri”.
- This is a vital ingredient for all children. In a recent study, researchers found that by feeding the probiotic Lactobacillus Reuteri to mice improved their sociability while increasing the number of oxytocin-producing neurons (a hormone associated with social behavior) in their brains.
- It also improved signs of brain plasticity – the brain’s ability to form new connections that foster learning.
3. Easy to Consume
- The probiotic can only work if the child consistently takes it on a daily basis. Look for the option of a flavorless powder that can be mixed into juice or smoothies so that your child can drink it and not even know it.
4. Research Shows that Healing the Lining of the Gut is Extremely Important in Reducing Inflammation. Most Probiotics Only Contain Strains of Good Bacteria, and Some May Even Have Prebiotics
- Be sure that the probiotic contains ingredients that help heal the gut lining, prebiotics, and digestive enzymes to help the body absorb nutrients.
5. Buy From Companies Who Believe in Their Products. The Way to Tell Who Truly Stands Behind Their Products is by Their Guarantee
- Most companies offer a 30 or 60-day money-back guarantee.
- The companies who genuinely believe in their product, its quality, and effectiveness offer a 90-day money-back guarantee.
If you can find a probiotic that contains all 5 of those components, you’re going to be Golden.
Where Would I Begin to Find Quality Probiotics?
If you have a high-end Vitamin Boutique in your area, you can rummage around to see if they carry them.
But it can be pretty expensive if they do.
And most of the time they come in large-sized pills that make it hard for kids to swallow.
Or,
You can try a bottle of All-Star Nutrition’s Revolutionary 5-in-1 Bio-Heal Probiotic. I’ve tried almost every probiotic on the market, and Bio-Heal had the biggest effect on both myself and my son.
Click Here to Learn More About Revolutionary Bio-Heal with 750+ Five-Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
And start healing the gut and reducing inflammation.
It contains all 5 critical components needed for children with constipation, and you can try it Risk-Free for 90 days.
My favorite is All-Star Nutrition’s Bio-Heal.
But I might be a little bias 😉
It has over 750 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reviews and it comes in a flavorless powder that’s easy to mix with yogurt, juice or smoothies; so that even kids with the pickiest palates won’t detect it.
You can try it for yourself and grab a bottle HERE
With that said,
Whatever dietary changes you want to make.
Or whatever supplements you want to Try.
I encourage you to just go for it and see how it works.
Who knows?
It might prevent constipation from ever happening in the first place; which would make the mystery of MiraLax a non-issue.
At least for you 😉
Best Wishes,
Marty.
Resources Used In Creating This Article:
https://www.squattypotty.com/blog/restoring-intestinal-flora-leads-to-a-healthy-gut-and-happy-poop/
https://www.pharmacist.com/article/parents-say-otc-medicine-sickening-kids