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What are the connections with Autidm & constipation?

12 replies

MumsyMum31 · 09/03/2022 22:29

Hi my DC is 2 years 3 months old. Basically told she is autistic with a lot of sensory issues by paediatrician. Awaiting formal diagnosis but is being treated as if diagnosed. Weekly SALT, waiting for OT most likely will go to special school. I am feeling around in the dark, this is all new to me. DC has a very restricted diet although I do manage to get healthy things into her but she clamps her teeth closed & fights off anything she doesn’t want to eat or try. Just discharged from hospital after a long 5 days. DC was so badly constipated we almost needed surgery. After numerous procedures etc and her being very unwell I am so bewildered. Will this happen all the time? She has been described laculose & suppositories for long term use. Is this a normal thing for ASD? Will she eventually need surgery? I know from hospital staff that they expect to see us again? Has anyone any experience of this?

OP posts:
MindfulBear · 16/03/2022 02:29

We have the constipation but not suggested ASD at this stage. However brother has adhd so likely to be SPD ASD or Adhd related.....

Worth joining movicol mummies on Facebook.
Also join parents against miralax

www.facebook.com/groups/209540745755798/?ref=share

Also the babipur SEN parenting FB group is good. And I find the adhd one for parents of kids with adhd really helpful. Presumably similar must exist for parents with autistic children?

Also look into ASD and Introception (one of our 8 senses..... chlss.org/blog/8-senses-parenting-sensory-processing-disorder/ )

I think some ND kids have this sense out of kilter so find something you might consider basic - defecating, weeing, eating etc - as a challenge.

Sensory diet can help them grow out of it / manage it but not always.

Worth seeing an OT for a full assessment.

Good luck.

Justilou1 · 16/03/2022 02:48

A lot of kids with ASD become constipated because they love “white foods” and have a very unvaried diet.
Another reason is the sudden awareness of the feeling of needing to poo (around 2-3 usually) which makes them either frightened (maybe they passed a stool that hurt or tore a bit) or that something is happening that feels out of their control.
Kids with ASD are susceptible to blockages and to a condition called encopresis is which is basically when they have become so clogged up, they stretch their bowel, sometimes paralyzing the nerves that give the signal to the brain that they need to pass a stool or or even urinate. If untreated, the paralysis can be permanent.
It is very common for kids with ASD to be given a combination of prescription stool-softening medication and another to promote the bowel contraction required to promote tone and regulate the muscle contractions. Some require daily treatment for years. (My DD1 took these until she started primary school, and then as required until she was a teen.)

lborgia · 16/03/2022 02:59

As well as the impact (sorry!) of white foods etc., there is actually a pretty strong link with gut issues, so please don’t worry about not being able to get her to eat.

It’s more important, I think, to reduce drama around food, and let her eat what she wants for some time, before starting to reintroduce new foods, and then just putting them on the table etc. there are loads of websites/books on this, and I’m sure you could find a thread or two on here.

Meanwhile, yes, people with ASC often have hyper mobility, low muscle tone, and part of this can be slow digesting/peristalsis. As they would say in the adverts for Yakult, slower transit time Smile.

Stay with the lactulose etc for now. I know it goes against the grain to give it to a 2 year old long term, but as you have seen, impacted bowel etc., can be extremely serious.

This is a long walk, not a sprint, so don’t try and know everything all at once. Deal with each issue as it arises, and that way you will have a huge brain full of knowledge over time.

It’s tough, but as pp says, there are all sorts of fb pages, and so on.

I really recommend some of the threads on mn. I was very concerned about the autistic adults who report awful mental health problems as a result of be therapied constantly as children to try and make them more “normal”.

As a result I always look for threads/groups that include autistic adults, and always always always, assume that my child is reacting to discomfort if they are being “difficult”, and so far that has stood me in good stead.

Bear
MumsyMum31 · 16/03/2022 06:34

Thank you all so much for your replies! I appreciate it. The suppositories are the o my way she is going at the minute. She is eating again but the pain the suppositories are causing is quite difficult to watch, I feel so bad for her! I am seeing paediatrician this week so hopefully he can help. Waiting time for an OT here is over 3 years, private is so expensive 🙈 she definitely has major sensory issues. I am going with the flow at the minute hoping I get there!

OP posts:
lborgia · 16/03/2022 06:45

Can the pharmacist recommend something else, suppositories aren't great if she has sensory issues.. and that's before they hurt!

I'm not in the UK at the moment, but there should be a liquid you can use.. I'll have a look and see if I can find an equivalent.

lborgia · 16/03/2022 06:51

It looks as if there is only an over 12 version. Next time you're near a pharmacy, ask if there's a paeds version of pico liquid, or if there are some soft gel caps for toddlers. Good luck!

lborgia · 16/03/2022 06:55

Oh, one more very obvious thing , does she drink enough? Of course water would be best, but I've just got mine off squash at 10 years old, but always have it very dilute anyway. Whatever it takes, lots of water!

MumsyMum31 · 16/03/2022 07:13

Yes she drinks fine, I will ask pharmacist. Many thanks

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Justilou1 · 16/03/2022 12:55

If it helps, my DD was prescribed an adult dose of Dulcolax drops for bowel motility and lactulose to soften her stools when she was two. (And she was a tiny kid.) Obviously wouldn’t recommend trying anything without a doctor’s recommendations.

Hellokittyninja · 21/03/2022 08:58

My DS struggled from age 2 to age 9 with constipation, he is autistic but also a coeliac. It took years to get it sorted by using high dose laxatives recommended by a private paediatric gastro. NHS didn’t want to know. The thing that helped most was when he was put on anti anxiety medication by a private psychiatrist aged 9. It made all the difference for him and he no longer needs any laxatives at all. It was a long process for us and we needed to be very proactive and get it sorted ourselves, hope you have a better experience.

MumsyMum31 · 21/03/2022 18:42

Thank you so much, my dd has not communication so I don’t know if she is anxious apart from when she is having a meltdown but this is so good to know!

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lborgia · 22/03/2022 10:00

Please see this as helpful, not adding to your list of things to worry about, but about 80-90% of autistic kids also experience anxiety, so it's worth discussing it with your team/ anyone involved in your lives.

Although you're right, it doesn't always show in an obvious way!

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