Constipation and autism

[Toni27]

Hi my son is 4 this month and has moderate asd. He with holds his poos and always has done. He has never done what I call a "log" poo. He's on 3 movicols a day, his poos like liquid but he's so strong he manages to hold it in for ages at a time. I mean a week or two at least. His autism is SO exasperated by his constipation. I've told his paediatrician countless times I think his poos he is holding inside his body is poisoning him. When he has had a good clear out he makes masses of progress and his autism does not really affect him. But he has managed to hold lots of poo in in the last 3 weeks and this morning was a nightmare I couldn't "reach" him at all, everything was on his terms, if he couldn't do as he pleased he was head butting smacking and biting me and didn't seem aware of what was gong on around him. He was just repeating reams of script from tv shows and his iPad games. I KNOW it is because he has not "been" . Has anyone else been through this? Has anyone any advice for me I have been feeling so sad all day, I want to get him over his fear of pooping so much :(

Have you tried altering his diet?
I know many people have had good results going cf/GF or the gaps diet.
Maybe look into those?

Thanks poltergoose, same as me docs just don't take it seriously :( I swear there's a link between autism and intestinal problems only based on my own experience of course.
Badvoc thanks for the reply yes I have tried cutting out dairy and wheat and it had no effect, his poops are like water cos of the movicols he just won't let himself go and I think all those toxins being held in for weeks on end are affecting him big time x

I agree with polter.
He needs a specialist referral.
Poor,boy and poor you! :(

Toni, my son is the same on 2 movicals a day but can go weeks with out a proper BM, he also strains a lot 7-25 times a day where he will only stain his nappy- this has been ongoing for ages now and its so hard to deal with the fall out of not going and the behaviour that goes with it, one new partner at our GP surgery has seen DS and believes it may be a medical problem with DS, and tried to refer to GI (she worked in GI so has a much better understanding than most) - but it was blocked by the PCT as she had not followed the referral pathway or something - each PCT trust has one so it worth asking to see a copy for referral to GI- you should then be able to push for a referral to a GI Pead- for us it means giving DS, 3 lots of 15 Movical - wont do him any harm apparently - but does take the piss that a child can't just be referred on need alone.

Thanks for all the replies guys kyz sorry to be naive but what is a GI? I have follow up paed appointment about Kennys general autism and health in April this could be really useful for me if I know what to push for thanks xx

This Medical Comorbidities in Autsim

Might give you some more clues......

Paediatric Gastroenterologist - They should be able to assess and provide much more specific help than a GP- they will also screen to make sure its nothing medical and then work on a treatment plan. HTH

Thanks so much
Bettyblues I think I will print this and use extracts for my case to our sons doctor it is the document I have been hunting for online for months thank you
Kyz thank you I will push for a referral
Xx

The document's new. Treating Autism have only just released it.

They're having an awareness campaign in April about how you need to treat comorbidities in Autism and not just blame everything on the Autism....

Good luck.