Huband bloated, child constipated...diet help!

Why don't you tell us what a typical meal is like?

Oh, and contact your doctor about OTC gas relief - some of this is the kind of stuff that shouldn't be taken for too long (e. g. Prilosec), but it's a decent short-term stop-gap measure.

It would also be helpful to know how old your son is, whether anyone has allergies or gluten intolerance or any other reasons to not be eating certain things, whether there are any dietary restrictions, etc. Also whether your husband is getting lunches out, your son is eating at school or an after-school activity or day camp or whatever.

ther are no know health issues with my son, 4, and no food restrictions. my huband works from home and i stay home with my son. so they eat what i fix for every meal. i fix things like: chicken, fish, mac and cheese, veggies, lasagna, casseroles, eggs, turkey bacon,biscuit and gravy, chicken sandwiches, fries, etc. we drink a lot of juices and milk. we recently cut out soda (about 5 months ago).

Aha, I bet they're not getting enough fiber.

I would definitely talk to your doctor to be sure, but it might be a matter of doing things like having baked potato with the skin on it instead of fries, etc.

less carbs, more green veggies...

i do cook baked potatoe (actually just last night) and mashed potatoes, but fiber is one thing we need more of. could the lack of fiber cause both issues? my son has a follow up with his pedi so i can talk diet with him then too.

Fruit, preferably apples, pears. Veggies, salads, nuts, beans, loads of beans, wholegrain bread...and plenty of water, preferably non fizzy....a full glass with every meal as a minimum. Probiotic yoghurt or drink, one a day.

Cut down or cut out altogether.....cheese, red meat and white bread.

The food that you need to prepare should be high in fiber. There should be a variety of vegetables and fruits. Avoid soda and food that have a lot of fats.

Lack of fiber can definitely cause issues.

If you're making mashed potatoes, keep the skin on and limit the butter, salt, sour cream and cheese that a lot of people slather on. A little chicken broth (get the low salt - Swanson makes a pretty decent variety) can go a long way to add flavor without also pouring on calories and fat.

Other veggies - broccoli, cauliflower and other root vegetables are good; we always have both in our house. Broccoli is often a hard sell for children (a lot of them find it bitter), but cooked, pureed cauliflower may work; just mix it in with mashed potatoes. Salads, too, or raw vegetables with dip. Carrots are great; snow peas can be fun. Experiment with new varieties, and see if you can get out of the potato/plain salad comfort zone.

Also, ethnic foods can often be better - e. g. try cooking Asian one night per week or every two weeks. As in, brown rice (it's got more fiber than white), mixed Asian vegetables (you can use frozen if you're pressed for time) and a smaller amount of meat or fish, sliced into strips, and not too much sauce. Mexican is another option - beans have a ton of fiber (yeah, there will be gas); add brown rice again, mixed vegetables, a smaller amount of meat or fish, again sliced into strips and add salsa - maybe skip taco shells and have it all over a bed of romaine lettuce (much better fiber content than iceberg lettuce).

Go with breads that are pretty much any color other than white. Cereals - check labels, look for over 3 gm of fiber per serving. Oatmeal is a great option; just add fruit for variety. We also add flax seeds (I buy them in bulk from Amazon, of all places).

Consider changing the proportions on everyone's plates. When I was growing up (I'm 50 now), it used to be that your plate would be about 1/2 meat, 1/3 starch and the remainder (1/6!) was vegetables. Fact is, it should be a lot more like 1/4 to 1/3 protein (not necessarily meat), 1/4 to 1/3 starch and the remainder 1/3 - 1/2 vegetables.

And - this is really important - make sure everybody is drinking water. The transition to a higher fiber diet can also cause intestinal distress, but water helps (it gets everything moving; 'nuff said).

It's a change, and not everyone likes change, but I think your husband in particular is seeing that it would be good to switch things up. BTW, eat like this and the likelihood is not only that your gastrointestinal issues will be reduced if not eliminated - you might also find yourselves with lowered cholesterol and maybe even lower weight.