What Are Constipation and Diarrhea?

Constipation is one of the most pressing concerns of parents today with all children no matter what the diagnosis or condition. Chronic diarrhea can often be the flip side to chronic constipation because the bowels may be so impacted that only liquid waste can come out. Not having regular daily healthy bowel movements can lead to an array of symptoms in children such as:

• Lack of appetite
• Bloating
• Hard stools
• Behavioral problems
• Mood problems

According to Dr. Timothy Buie, pediatric gastroenterologist at Harvard Medical School’s Boston, Massachusetts’s Hospital, 70% of children on the autism spectrum struggle to have daily bowel movements. Indeed, chronic constipation and/or chronic diarrhea are exceedingly common in children who later develop:

• Eczema
• Asthma
• Autoimmune disorders
• Mood disorders

What Your Doctor May Tell You About Constipation and Diarrhea

Your child’s doctor may prescribe a laxative such as MiraLAX for your child’s constipation. However, laxatives are not to be used for long periods of time or as a substitute for a medical work-up if your child has chronic constipation due to leaky gut issues and other gastrointestinal problems.

In addition, in December 2011, the U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) placed laxatives containing Polyethylene Glycol 3350 (PEG) on its Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) in connection to neuropsychiatric events. These PEG laxatives are marketed under the following brands:

• LaxLyte
• Macrogol
• MoviPrep
• NuLytely
• OCL
• Peg-Lyte
• Prep Lyte
• Softlax
• TriLyte

Despite widespread pediatrician recommendation of PEG laxatives, the FDA never approved them for use by children. According to the FDA, “Neuropsychiatric adverse events (in children using PEG laxatives) may include:

• Aggression
• Rages
• Obsessive-compulsive behaviors including repetitive chewing and sucking
• Paranoia
• Mood swings”

Another Way to Think About Constipation and Diarrhea

Chronic constipation is one of the most common signs that a child has gut dysbiosis and/or a dysregulated immune system or possibly even mitochondrial dysfunction, causing gastrointestinal motility problems. Many children struggle to have healthy daily elimination because of the following, which all can contribute to an unhealthy diet and consequently, unhealthy elimination:

• Additives
• Gluten
• Dairy
• Lack of movement
• Insufficient water consumption

Intermittent constipation can often be managed by taking some relatively easy steps such as:

• Increasing fiber content in diet (fruits, vegetables)
• Supplementing the diet with certain foods such as flax seed, flax oil, or psyllium
• Increasing consumption of water

When constipation becomes chronic and won’t let up, it is critical to begin investigating the underlying causes of constipation. There is no doubt that what we eat as humans affects how well we eliminate. But is there more?

Breaking the vicious cycle of constipation is not just about the right laxative or eating one type of food to make the bowels regular such as that big bowl of stewed prunes every morning. Regularity is more about having healthy choices of food on a regular basis. However, there may be some underlying imbalances that create the constipation symptoms your child is exhibiting. It is also possible that there may be more than one symptom connected to your child’s constipation.

Let’s identify some of these imbalances and learn how to correct them so that we can address these underlying issues that may be triggering the constipation your child is experiencing.

Constipation and Diarrhea Healing Checklist

Does your child have a vicious constipation cycle: constipation -> acid reflux -> difficulty falling asleep –> pain –> irritability –> aggression and medications? Or does your child hold his bowel movements out of fear because they hurt (encopresis)? Either way, our checklist of items below can give you some good ideas for addressing your child’s chronic constipation and/or diarrhea.

Follow these food rules:

• Eliminate gluten- and dairy-containing foods, which are commonly known to produce constipation when eaten
• Don’t microwave food – precious enzymes in foods needed for healthy elimination are destroyed
• Keep the skin on fruits and vegetables because the skin contains lots of fiber
• Encourage your kids to eat fruits and not to drink fruit juices
• Discourage dry salty products such as chips and salty snack foods as they can contribute to constipation
• Love those leafy greens such as kale, collards, watercress, arugula and dandelion and have your kids drink the vegetable water…a great source of minerals!
• Peppermint tea or peppermint essential oil can help relieve temporary digestive issues
• Fennel tea or fennel essential oil can help relieve gas and bloating
• Make sure your children are taking the time to chew their food well because good digestion starts in the mouth!
• Are your children drinking enough water? Dehydration can lead to dry stuck stools and little pellets. Give your child coconut water or electrolytes, and make sure they are drinking plenty of good filtered water.

Use DPP-IV enzymes with your practitioner’s guidance:

DPP-IV (dipeptidyl peptidase IV) enzymes might just be what your child needs. A full complete broad-spectrum enzyme including DPP-IV can be the key to breaking the vicious constipation cycle and addressing the peptide known as casomorphin (research of Paul Shaddock). A gluten-free/casein-free diet in combination with DPP-IV enzymes from companies such as Houston Enzymes, Klaire Labs, Kirkman Labs and Enzymedica is often enough to relieve chronic constipation.

Consider these supplements for the relief of constipation:

• Magnesium is an important mineral that relaxes muscles in the digestion process needed to prevent constipation. Low levels of magnesium can affect normal muscle functioning in the body. Magnesium is an important electrolyte necessary for hydration, it improves gut motility and controls muscle tension to help regulate emotional stress.
• Aloe vera juice can reduce inflammation in the intestinal tract
• Vitamin C can get the bowels moving (Try Vitality C by American Neutraceuticals)
• Colosan by Family Health News or Mag 07 by Aerobic Life – oxygen digestive system cleansers
• Cascara sagrada herbal tincture for gastrointestinal support
• Cod liver oil, a traditional remedy

Investigate mitochondrial dysfunction:

Low muscle tone in the bowel can lead to a weak peristalsis movement to push the stool out. Many children with neurodevelopmental disorders and developmental delays have mitochondrial issues leading to low internal muscle tone.

One way to increase the muscle tone in the bowel area is to give your child liquid trace minerals. Colloidal trace minerals or trace minerals with fulvic acid can be put in juice. They are also very good for the toddler who is unable to toilet train. Sometimes it’s just a matter of increasing the muscle tone in the bowels in both situations.

Check for thyroid disorders:

Thyroid disorders such as congenital hypothyroidism, passed on from a mother to her child, can contribute to constipation.

Encourage exercise:

Encourage your child to be active and not sedentary because activity helps keep the organ systems moving and functioning appropriately. Inactivity promotes constipation!

Use a Squatty Potty or stool:

Squatting, or at least bringing the knees higher up when sitting, promotes bowel movement because it straightens the spine and allows gravity to do its work without forcing. Using a Squatty Potty or step stool when sitting on the toilet simulates a squatting position and thus makes bowel movements easier.

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