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Polyethylene glycol 3350 (PEG; Miralax) is an osmotic laxative that is effective for treatment of constipation (Journal Watch Oct 11 2002; PEG also is the active ingredient in several products that are used to cleanse the bowel before colonoscopy or barium enema). In this manufacturer-sponsored observational study, researchers prospectively evaluated the safety and tolerability of PEG in 44 children with chronic constipation and in 39 with chronic constipation and encopresis (all were older than 2 years). Sixty-eight children (82%) previously had used other laxatives unsuccessfully.
Children received a mean dose of 0.75 g/kg of PEG daily for a mean of 8.7 months. No child stopped taking PEG because of adverse reactions. The most common clini…