Child Constipation: Beyond The Laxative | Sonya Reynolds

What if your child's constipation isn't just about "eating more veggies" — and the medication they've been prescribed isn't actually teaching their bowel how to work? Sonya Reynolds is a Sydney-based, degree-qualified Clinical Nutritionist with 17 years of clinical experience, focused on children's digestive health, constipation, and epilepsy. Her interest in epilepsy stems from her own family's journey following her daughter's diagnosis in 2012 — an experience that shaped her practical, evidence-based approach to helping families navigate complex health conditions. Alongside her private clinic, Sonya works in Sales and Practitioner Education for children's supplement brand I'm Nutrients. In June 2026, she launched her inaugural Paediatrics in Practice conference, bringing together leading experts in children's health education. In this episode, we dig into the real drivers of childhood constipation, why osmotic laxatives like Movicol and Macrogol don't teach the bowel to work on its own, and how food, hydration, magnesium, and targeted probiotics can be layered in alongside conventional treatment — plus the red flags every parent should know. In this episode, you'll discover: ✅ The most common causes of constipation in kids — and how it differs from adults ✅ What fecal impaction actually is and why it causes "diarrhoea" that isn't diarrhoea ✅ How withholding behaviour develops (and how to support kids through daycare/school toileting anxiety) ✅ Sonya's food-first approach by age group — from stewed apples to resistant starch ✅ Why PHGG (partially hydrolysed guar gum) is a game-changer for fussy or sensory-sensitive kids ✅ When to reach for lactulose vs. Macrogol/Osmolax — and how to use them without long-term dependence ✅ The specific probiotic strains Sonya uses clinically (Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12, Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Lactobacillus plantarum 299v) and why ✅ The red flags that mean it's time to refer to a GP for further investigation ✅ Whether there's a "critical window" for shaping a child's long-term gut health Sonya is also the founder of Paediatrics in Practice, a practitioner education summit addressing the gap in clinical training around children's health. ————— 🎙️ WORK WITH ME ❤️ Book a 1:1 Consultation: https://www.lyndagriparic.com/book-an... 🫖 Shop BetterMe Tea (Digestive Support): https://www.lyndagriparic.com/shop/ 🌐 Website: https://lyndagriparic.com ————— 📱 CONNECT WITH ME 📌 Instagram: lynda_griparic_naturopath 📌 Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1VuM... 📌 Podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast... ————— ⏰ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Introduction 01:00 - Guest bio 01:45 - How Sonya found her passion for paediatrics 05:15 - Most common causes of constipation in children 07:30 - Withholding behaviour & toileting at daycare/school 10:30 - The Rome criteria in kids vs. adults 12:00 - What fecal impaction actually is 15:00 - Food-first strategies by age group 16:00 - Where osmotic laxatives fit in 20:30 - Nuts, seeds & texture sensitivities 23:00 - PHGG explained 23:45 - Lactulose vs. Macrogol/Osmolax 25:30 - Hydration tips that actually work 29:00 - Case study: removing dairy 30:30 - Long-term laxative use & weaning off safely 33:30 - Stool testing & investigating the driver 36:15 - The mixed evidence on probiotics 37:00 - Sonya's go-to strains: BB12, Reuteri, LGG, 299V 39:30 - Yogurt, kefir & functional foods 41:15 - Red flags for further medical investigation 44:00 - The gut microbiome & the "critical window" myth 47:00 - Simple remedies: massage, warm baths, magnesium 48:00 - Paediatrics in Practice Summit 52:00 - Where to find Sonya ————— 👤 FEATURED GUEST: Sonya Reynolds 📱 CONNECT WITH Sonya Reynolds 📌 Website: https://sonyareynolds.com.au/ 📌 Paediatrics in Practice: https://sonyareynolds.com.au/ ————— 👋 ABOUT ME Degree-qualified naturopath with over 20 years of clinical experience, with a primary focus on complex gut health conditions, including IBS, SIBO, IMO, chronic constipation, and bloating. I use advanced Microba shotgun metagenomics testing — analysing thousands of bacterial species compared to the ~50 detected by standard tests — to find the root cause others have missed. University of Tasmania Roll of Excellence 2024 | Bachelor of Medicines Management ProfHonsCM | 20+ years clinical experience | Host of the Love & Guts Podcast | Creator of BetterMe Tea | Telehealth consultations available Australia-wide and internationally. ————— ⚠️ This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your health routine.