Mineral Oil for Children

Mineral oil is widely used as a skin softener and eye makeup remover and is an ingredient in baby oil and many other skin care products. It is also used as a laxative for children and adults.

Function

• Mineral oil works as a laxative by coating the intestinal walls and preventing them from absorbing water from stools, which softens them and makes them easier to pass.

Significance

• Children are frequent sufferers of constipation, which is typically caused by hard stools. This makes bowel movements uncomfortable and discourages children from passing the stool. The longer the stool sits in the intestine, the drier and harder it gets, the more uncomfortable the bowel movement is and the worse the constipation gets.

Dosage

• Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital recommends giving a child a tablespoon per year old they are, mixed with some juice or ice cream to help with the taste. They also recommend that you consult a pediatrician before giving your child a laxative of any kind.

Warning

• Drugs.com says children under 6 years of age should not take mineral oil as a laxative because it has not been confirmed as safe and effective for this age group. It also advises not using it for a period of longer than seven days.

Alternative

• Noted pediatrician Dr. William Sears recommends giving flax oil as a more natural and beneficial alternative laxative instead of mineral oil. Suggested dosing is a teaspoon per day for an infant and 2 tsp. per day for a toddler.