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Macrogol Disimpaction Plan - Advice for Parents, Carers and Children

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Water glass with spoon and sachet of white powder medicine

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You can download a printable version of this leaflet here

This is a treatment plan to treat your child's constipation. The purpose of disimpaction is to clear out the backlog of poo using a medicine called Macrogol.

We suggest your child follows the plan below:

  •  Use the medicine given to you by your child's Doctor or the Hospital. This is usually in a sachet
  • This may be a brand such as 'Movicol' or 'Laxido' or 'Cosmocol'
  • Follow the advice given on how much to give your child every day
  • Please add the contents of the sachet to cold water and stir well
  • You must mix this using the right amount of water. You can add more water but not less than the directed amount. Please see the advice sheet in the box
  • You can add juice after water, to give this a better taste
  •  Some children prefer to drink after it has been in the fridge. This is safe in the fridge for up to 24 hours after you add the water
  •  Spread the medicine over the day, within 12 hours
  • Please make sure your child drinks as normal while taking this medicine
  • Please stay on the medicine until your child has gone through all the stages below
What to expect
  • Your child can expect to pass watery or loose poo at first
  • Then they should soon start to pass hard poo, soft poo, loose poo in a large amount
  • The last stage is more poo that is very watery and loose. It may take a number of weeks to get to this stage
  • When your child reaches the last stage you can reduce the amount of medicine. Cut down slowly by 1 or 2 sachets every few days until your child is passing soft and formed poo
  • Keep giving your child the medicine until you see their nurse or doctor
Follow up appointment
  • Do not stop the medicine until you have spoken with your Doctor or the Nurse
  • You will get a letter or a telephone call from the hospital to confirm your child's appointment
  • You should attend this even if you think your child is better
  • Please phone your Doctor if you are not sure what to do
Medicine advice - number of sachets for age

Give your child this number of sachets each day as follows:


Children over 12 years can take the adult preparation. This is exactly the same but there is twice as much in each adult sachet:

Adapted from ERIC.org uk - July 2019

 

Useful resources

We recommend you watch the following video: www.thepoonurses.uk

Editorial Information

Last reviewed: 01 July 2023

Next review: 30 September 2026

Author(s): Paediatric Continence Team

Document Id: MI 348023