Alright, let’s talk poop. Before having children I had no idea how much of my time would be spent on this subject, then combine that with having a severely autistic little guy and you have a whole different level of poop talk.
So, starting at what I feel is the beginning. I will disclaimer, I am merely a parent watching and learning as I make every attempt albeit with guidance to help my son and his digestive system. My son, who is soon to be 4 years old just had his first ever large, formed, properly digested stool which sank in the toilet. Currently, this rates up there with the time he took his first steps!
As a baby, he did not have any formed stools which was attributed to breast feeding, after that he had several ear infections (which had a little space between, but felt perpetual) during which he had antibiotics which gave him horrible diarrhea exploding out of his diaper well into his second year of life. His ear infections continued until a few months before he turned three, when I took him off dairy and they stopped all together. Some say this was simply a stage, but the dairy coincidence has me wondering.
Anyway, after going gluten free casein free he was not as explosive, but still again, no formed stools. After doing an elimination diet where we continually were taking out foods and re-introducing them, to test his sensitivities we were not any closer to resolving this issue. Then thankfully a friend told us about the GAPS diet.
The formed stool has taken us a looooooooooooong time to come by. We started GAPS with Filbert July 2011 and we just had our first perfect stool yesterday — May 8th, 2012. Why? Who knows exactly? My theory is that his system had so much inflammation and damage from being ill and medicated for such a large portion of his life that using food and some natural supplements to heal that would take quite a bit of time. Are we done yet? Ohhhh, no. We will continue to press forward until his stools are always formed and he is getting the nutrition his body so desperately needs.
I am so thankful that I stuck to my guns with the GAPS diet; healing takes time and during the course of the last 10 months Filbert has shown so many cognitive and sensory improvements I cannot deny it is helping, but the formed stool means we are moving in a great direction of him being able to utilize all the nutrient dense foods he is eating in a day that will progressively build his body back up to where it needs to be. Do I think this will fully reverse his autism? Not likely, but what I do know is that if his body is doing all the processes it needs to be, over time toxins will be leaving his body instead of building up in there, and he will be feeling well, therefore, operating at a different level — just like me when I feel well verses when I feel sick. Making therapy far more effective as he is more present and ready to learn.
Anyway, my conclusion as I have journeyed with my son is that poop is important. It is not something that should be loose, overly smelly, hard or floating in the toilet. A stool should be one mass, not difficult to pass and sink in the toilet. I think this is good information for any child and adult to know, because we assume what we experience most often is “normal”. If we are told it is not “normal” we then medicate instead of exploring the root of the problem. We are what we eat. I choose lots of veggies, proteins, broths and protein and the result is energy, emotional stability, clear thinking and restful sleep.
Stool info from www.gapsdiet.com below:
“Type 1 has spent the longest time in the colon and type 7 has spent the least. Stools at the lumpy end of the scale are hard to pass and often require a lot of straining. Stools at the loose or liquid end of the spectrum can be too easy to pass – the need to pass them is urgent and accidents can happen. The ideal stools are types 3 and 4, especially type 4, as they are most likely to glide out without any fuss.
What type of stools are best?
• The feeling you need to go is definite but not irresistible
• Once you sit down on the toilet there is no delay
• No conscious effort or straining is needed
• The stool glides out smoothly and comfortably
• Afterwards there is only a pleasant feeling of relief
• All this is most likely if the stool is Bristol Stool Form Scale, type 4
*When it comes to defining the “ideal” stool, there is some debate. For another interpretation, please view Fiber Menace.”
Let’s talk poop: Do you think your stool is normal? What do you eat? How do you feel?
. He is making ramps with books, his legs, our legs and arms and we are showing him concrete ways of understanding the words “under” and “over” using these ramps. He learned how to play the recorder from imitating a wonderful volunteer and enjoys drumming on bongos from time to time.
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