Advice needed for constipated 3 year old...

My granddaughter is very constipated, I didn't realize how bad she was until she spent the night last week. She's at the point now where she is afraid to go because it will hurt, then it hurts because she hasn't gone for days. She ran into the bathroom at least 15 times in two hours but wouldn't sit down and go. When she finally went, she cried.

Her pediatrician is useless in this matter, he says to increase the fiber in her diet and have her drink apple juice. They've already explained that they give her whole grains. fruits (she loves prunes!), and vegetables for meals and snacks. She's three - you can't talk her into eating things she doesn't want to. She drinks water for her main beverage and doesn't eat a lot of junk food. They are stuck with this doctor because they don't have insurance right now and he discounts his rates for them. They hope to get insurance after my daughter graduates in May (if she gets a job!).

I thought Benefiber would be good because you can slip it into anything without her realizing it but the label says to "ask your doctor before use" in patients under 6 and her doc doesn't think it is necessary. I think we need to do something short term right now and get her going regularly so that she stops holding it in.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated but remember, she is three and reasoning with a three year old is like trying to nail jello to a tree.

Thanks!!!!

Thank you. I had thought about MoM, I take magnesium for my constipation, but I had no idea how much to give a 3 yr old. We are going to make some changes over the next few weeks and this will be one of the things we try.