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ASD and soiling

6 replies

adelinehillman · 21/03/2013 12:07

Sorry to bring up the topic of soiling - stop reading if you have a weak stomach!

My 5 year old DS has been diagnosed with ASD. We have always had problems with toilet training, and DS will still soil himself. When he was in YR R it was real problem with the school, but he manages to hold it in when at school. However home life is different. He'll go from diarrhoea to constipated quite quickly, and the size and volume of what comes out of his body would make a giant proud - and a lot of the time this all happens in his pants/on the carpet/under the dining table etc., everywhere but in the loo! He'll try and hide that he has had an accident, even though I have never made an issue of it (although same cannot be said for DH).

I just wondered if anyone else has experienced this? I am going to visit the GP next week about my DS' toilet issues to get a referral to a gastro paed, I don't want to brush this under the 'ASD trait carpet'.

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DisAstrophe · 21/03/2013 12:16

I feel your pain adeline. Think a referral to a gastro paed is a great idea. I've heard that when kids get really backed up they lose their ability to know when they need to go - and that can affect bowel and bladder.

ds is having lots of poo-cidents at the moment - struggling to work out what is behavioural and what is gut. suspect that after while they get messily missed up together.

Thank god my in-laws lent us a tumble dryer is all I can say

adelinehillman · 21/03/2013 12:49

I am a 'green' mum and usuallu my house looks like a Chinese laundry, but the tumble dryer has had to come out this winter - or he wouldn't have any clothes to wear/catch the poo!

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systemsaddict · 21/03/2013 12:54

We had lots of issues with this, settling down now, it was all about witholding. This book - recommended by someone on Mumsnet - was what saved us. Constipation, Witholding and Your Child. Ds' psych said he had rarely worked with a child with ASD who didn't have some kind of issues around poo ... and yes the behaviour / gut thing all does get messily mixed up together!

adelinehillman · 21/03/2013 13:03

Thanks systemsaddict - i'll add it to me read list!

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DisAstrophe · 21/03/2013 13:20

adeline - I'm quite green too- I was ridiculously proud of not having a tumble dryer for so long but now I reason that I'm off-setting my carbon by never flying anywhere on holiday. Smile

adelinehillman · 21/03/2013 14:49

Got to look after our world. I try not to drive anywhere and my house is always freezing - should probably bring the tumble dryer into the lounge!

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