Give praise and rewards for sitting on the toilet and, later, for having bowel movements into the toilet or for having clean underwear. Your doctor can tell you which laxatives to use and how much to give your child. The most commonly used laxatives are milk of magnesia, mineral oil and sorbitol. During the retraining period, a laxative must be given every day to get your child's body into a routine. If your child's stools are too loose, you can reduce the amount of laxative, but keep giving your child the laxative every day.
Some laxatives taste better if they are mixed with orange juice, chocolate milk or other drinks.
Every day, keep a written record of your child's bowel movements, soiling episodes and the use of medicines. This record will help you and your doctor figure out if the treatment is working. While your child is receiving laxatives, he or she should have daily bowel movements and less soiling or no soiling at all. Large, hard bowel movements, soiling or abdominal bloating and pain usually are signs that changes need to made in the treatment program. Stool soiling is a problem that requires patience and effort on your part.