My little boy has Autistic Spectrum Disorder and this has affected daily life in many ways. One of the preblems that we had with him was that it was a nighmare to potty train him (he actually had to start school in nappies) and even when he had made the transition to proper pants, he was still having regular soiling accidents. The doctor told us that this was die to the fact that he was "holding on" to his poo until he couldn't hold it anymore and that what why he kept soiling his pants. She recommended that he take a 5ml spoon of lactulose syrup daily.

I went to the chemist to fetch the prescription and realised that she had actually prescribed my child a mild laxative. "Is she out of her mind?" I thought. "Isn't that going to make him poo MORE?". However, as she was a doctor, I presumed that she would know best, so gave it a go.

Lactulose is a very mild laxative that is commonly given to young children to treat constipation. Although the name "Lactulose" sounds like it is a natural product, it is actually a synthetic sugar, which is made of a combination of two other sugars, fructose and galactose. The body cannot digest lactulose, so it passes into the colon, where bacteria break it down into acids, which pull water into the colon, which is then absorbed by the stool, making it easier to pass. As Lactulose has a very mild effect, it is usually considered safe to use, except for thoose who have an intolerance to galactose. Side effects in sensitive individuals are usually limited to watery stools or excessive gas.

The syrup is quite watery in consistency and has no colour. It has no real flavour, but it is very sweet, a bit like sugar water. My son didn't mind the taste at all, but then most kids like sweet things! It was no problem getting him to take his daily spoonful and usually he wanted more, which of course, I said no to!

Lactulose is quite cheap to buy over the counter at the chemist, for about £4 for a 500 ml bottle.

So, did it work? Well despite my initial scepticism, yes it did! The lactulose had a very mild effect, which caused him to poo more regularly. I was able to "catch" the poo my sitting him on the toilet at the same time evey day when he came home from school. As time passed, I was able to slowly decrease the dosage to every other day, before stopping it completely as he became used to sitting on the loo at the same time every day. Lactulose is not a medicine that I would want to keep him on indefinitely, but it has been really useful in helping him learn to control his bowel movements. A few weeks later, he did slip back into bad habits, but a few doses of Lactulose worked a treat and got him back on track again. I am pleased to report that generally, he is pretty reliable at telling me when he needs to go to the loo.

I would recommend Lactulose for children and adults with constipation, but I would always advise getting a doctor's opinion first, especially if it is a child involved, as they can ascertain whether the problem is constipation or anything more serious. Most kids get constipated at some point and it can be really painful for them, so Lactulose can be a very useful addition to the medicine cupboard.