HWN Suggests

Is Miralax Toxic for Children?

My phone has been ringing nonstop since the New York Times published an article raising questions about the safety of Miralax in children.

Many, many of my patients take Miralax (PEG 3350) daily and, following my advice, have been doing so for months, even years.

So when the Times mentions “ingredients in antifreeze” and “psychiatric illness” in reference to the laxative their children are taking, naturally parents want to know: Is the medicine you prescribed poisoning my child?

The short answer: probably not, based on the available evidence. More than 100 studies have found PEG 3350 is safe to use in children, and I have found no published studies linking Miralax…

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Featured

  Using Miralax for your child's constipation

Sometimes families say Miralax “doesn’t work.” This is usually because the child wasn’t on the right dose or didn’t take it for long enough. Sometimes it takes several days to figure out the right dose of Miralax for any given child. The good news is it’s nearly impossible to overdose on Miralax, and it’s usually possible to adjust a child’s dose at home.

  Is MiraLax Safe For My Child?

Constipation is an incredibly frustrating problem for children and their families. Having a child with stomach pain, pain with stooling and even bloody stools because of constipation is very frustrating. Several treatment options are available but does one of the most common options for treating constipation pose a serious risk for your child?

  MiraLAX PEG 3350 Research Sees Minimal Progress

For the past few years, we have reported on the popular over-the-counter constipation drug MiraLAX, and its adverse side effects in children. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to fund research for a potential connection between the two, few advancements have been made in the research.

Articles of Interest

Science, concerns behind the MiraLAX laxative debate

Polyethylene glycol or PEG 3350 — commonly known as MiraLAX — has been in the news during the past few years due to the concern for potential side effects in children, most notably undesirable behavioral changes. Although the FDA has not approved long-term use of PEG 3350 in children aged younger than 17 years of age, the laxative is used off-label widely in clinical practice.

What’s the Deal with Miralax®?

Parents are appropriately expressing concern about the safety of Miralax®, a commonly used stool softener in kids, after a recent NYT article exposed a potential association with long-term use of the drug and undesired behavioral side effects. As the article explains, the FDA has awarded a research grant to a team at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) to directly address these concerns. Miralax® has been used in the fight against chronic constipation in children of all ages for years.

All About Miralax

It is important to always mix PEG in this proportion: One capful (17g) to 8 oz. liquid. You may change the dose in small increments every 3 days. The dose is changed by how many ounces of the liquid are given, not by how it is mixed.

Drug for Adults Is Popular as Children’s Remedy

No studies have shown that the drug’s active ingredient — polyethylene glycol 3350, or PEG — has severe side effects. But there is a growing chorus of questions about why it has been used and prescribed for children for so many years.

Scrutiny for Laxatives as a Childhood Remedy

Doctors have long recommended these laxatives for their convenience and on the grounds that very little PEG 3350 is absorbed in the intestines. But the F.D.A. says there is little data on its absorption in children, especially the very young and chronically constipated. The agency never approved long-term daily use of the laxatives, even in adults.

Resources

Parents Against Miralax (PEG 3350)

We are a group of parents and family members who are very suspicious of PEG 3350 and are here to discuss its effects on our children. We discuss alternative options and ways to talk to doctors about our opposition to this very dangerous drug. We are not a replacement for the type of health care you choose, we only speak from experience.