soozeq
12-27-2006, 11:15 AM
A few questions for those who've tried it.
What made you decide to try it? I havn't had it recommended to me, but Liam has constant constipation and digestion problems that are affecting his behaviour.
How did it affect your child? Does it change his behaviour, or relieve pain?
What foods are banned/allowed?
Thank you so much. I don't know if we are going to try him on this diet. But, I feel like something has to change. Yesterday he screamed for 2 hours trying to have a bowel movement.
Suzy
What made you decide to try it? I havn't had it recommended to me, but Liam has constant constipation and digestion problems that are affecting his behaviour.
How did it affect your child? Does it change his behaviour, or relieve pain?
What foods are banned/allowed?
Thank you so much. I don't know if we are going to try him on this diet. But, I feel like something has to change. Yesterday he screamed for 2 hours trying to have a bowel movement.
Suzy
Sponsor
elmhar
12-27-2006, 03:27 PM
Gut probs are fairly common on the spectrum. Some children benefit from dietary changes alone, while others also require medical treatment for dysbiosis -- fungal/bacterial/parasitic infections.
GF/CF diet is the most common initial recommendation for dietary change, but there are kids who responds better to the SCD diet, or diets based on allergy testing.
My own son had resolution of major gut issues with the GF dietary change. He had constipation so severe that we regularly had to remove the toilet deal with blocked plumbing. Also a lot of very stinky gas. This disappeared with GF diet, but does recur with dietary infractions.
The GF portion of the diet is very exacting. No one is ready or prepared to do this -- it's not like a weight-loss diet where you can occasionally cheat & still see positive results. This is because gluten has effects on the gut, brain, & immune system that can last for about 6 weeks. Often people do not see positive results from the diet for many months. In part, that's because of residual gluten as well as the getting-up-to-speed aspect of the diet. It's common for parents to unwittingly make mistakes at first, but after a while the diet becomes second nature like anything else.
Basically a GF diet is avoidance of all gluten-bearing grains (wheat, barley, rye, oats, & their derivatives). This is not as easy as it seems, because of the many derivatives & their presence in virtually all of the modern prepared foods we've become dependent on as a culture. So for starters, bread, cookies, cake, pastries, pasta, breakfast cereals, most snack foods have to be replaced with GF alternatives. Almost anything you find in a box or a can at a grocery store is suspect. Produce-aisle plain veg & fruit, nuts from the shell, plain raw meat without seasoning & additives (you cook it of course) are all OK. So for starters, shopping the fringes of the grocery store for whole foods is a good idea.
Gluten can be present in beverages, spice blends, art supplies incl play dough, home-repair materials, glues, cosmetics, shampoos, hand lotions ... the list goes on & on.
Dana Korn has written many books about living gluten free
-- check your public library. The most recent one was Gluten-free Living for Dummies. (not that you are :) )
Many kids do well with both GF & CF. My son has done three lengthy trials of CF with no change, however he is the exception. You do see this occasionally. You also run into kids who need soy free, or nut free, or egg or corn or whatever.
The CF portion of the diet is IMO a little easier because current labelling laws require dairy to be labelled. Shopping is easier than for the GF portion, because only wheat is required to be labelled, not gluten. However casein can show up in weird places like canned foods, sausages, 'dairy substitutes', boxed meals, etc.
A great recipe resource for GF/CF diet for kids on the spectrum is Special Diets for Special Kids, by Lisa Lewis, in 2 Volumes. These are spendy books, but my library got them for me to borrow through interlibrary loan ( ask at reference desk). The recipes are kid-tested, replacements for regular kid food.
Other considerations with GF/CF diet: will the whole family follow the diet? Time & monetary considerations. Cheating opportunities if conventional foods remain in the home. Sensory issues. Follow-through at school. Difficulty eating out.
But IMO it is defintely worth a try, esp. if there are gut issues.
Best wishes.
GF/CF diet is the most common initial recommendation for dietary change, but there are kids who responds better to the SCD diet, or diets based on allergy testing.
My own son had resolution of major gut issues with the GF dietary change. He had constipation so severe that we regularly had to remove the toilet deal with blocked plumbing. Also a lot of very stinky gas. This disappeared with GF diet, but does recur with dietary infractions.
The GF portion of the diet is very exacting. No one is ready or prepared to do this -- it's not like a weight-loss diet where you can occasionally cheat & still see positive results. This is because gluten has effects on the gut, brain, & immune system that can last for about 6 weeks. Often people do not see positive results from the diet for many months. In part, that's because of residual gluten as well as the getting-up-to-speed aspect of the diet. It's common for parents to unwittingly make mistakes at first, but after a while the diet becomes second nature like anything else.
Basically a GF diet is avoidance of all gluten-bearing grains (wheat, barley, rye, oats, & their derivatives). This is not as easy as it seems, because of the many derivatives & their presence in virtually all of the modern prepared foods we've become dependent on as a culture. So for starters, bread, cookies, cake, pastries, pasta, breakfast cereals, most snack foods have to be replaced with GF alternatives. Almost anything you find in a box or a can at a grocery store is suspect. Produce-aisle plain veg & fruit, nuts from the shell, plain raw meat without seasoning & additives (you cook it of course) are all OK. So for starters, shopping the fringes of the grocery store for whole foods is a good idea.
Gluten can be present in beverages, spice blends, art supplies incl play dough, home-repair materials, glues, cosmetics, shampoos, hand lotions ... the list goes on & on.
Dana Korn has written many books about living gluten free
-- check your public library. The most recent one was Gluten-free Living for Dummies. (not that you are :) )
Many kids do well with both GF & CF. My son has done three lengthy trials of CF with no change, however he is the exception. You do see this occasionally. You also run into kids who need soy free, or nut free, or egg or corn or whatever.
The CF portion of the diet is IMO a little easier because current labelling laws require dairy to be labelled. Shopping is easier than for the GF portion, because only wheat is required to be labelled, not gluten. However casein can show up in weird places like canned foods, sausages, 'dairy substitutes', boxed meals, etc.
A great recipe resource for GF/CF diet for kids on the spectrum is Special Diets for Special Kids, by Lisa Lewis, in 2 Volumes. These are spendy books, but my library got them for me to borrow through interlibrary loan ( ask at reference desk). The recipes are kid-tested, replacements for regular kid food.
Other considerations with GF/CF diet: will the whole family follow the diet? Time & monetary considerations. Cheating opportunities if conventional foods remain in the home. Sensory issues. Follow-through at school. Difficulty eating out.
But IMO it is defintely worth a try, esp. if there are gut issues.
Best wishes.
momof4boys
12-29-2006, 10:27 AM
I have had my aspergers son on a GF diet since September and I cannot tell you how greatly that diet along with a high b vitamin sups. have helped him. I can have a conversation with him and he concentrates sooooo much more. We did have him dairy free too but we are slowly introducing that back into his diet without any bad reactions. I have also noticed that red dye #40 was a huge behavior problem for him. He is now red dye #40 free and is doing even better. He still has sensory issues but not nearly as over the top as they were before.
GL in what ever you do.
GL in what ever you do.
BetsyAnn
12-31-2006, 02:40 AM
A few questions for those who've tried it.
What made you decide to try it? I havn't had it recommended to me, but Liam has constant constipation and digestion problems that are affecting his behaviour.
How did it affect your child? Does it change his behaviour, or relieve pain?
What foods are banned/allowed?
Thank you so much. I don't know if we are going to try him on this diet. But, I feel like something has to change. Yesterday he screamed for 2 hours trying to have a bowel movement.
Suzy
When I first joined the board numerous parents reported improvements with all of these different supplements. I was convinced that there was something to it but I had no idea how to go about determining which supplements to give my son or how much of each supplement to give. I was very overwhelmed so I decided to see a DAN doctor. He gave us a list of supplements to try and told us we needed to do a trial of the GF/CF diet. I really did not think the diet was going to have much effect on my child but I decided to follow the advice of the doctor.
The diet has helped my child so much. After starting the diet he was able to sleep. He stopped stimming. He was more talkative and interactive. His eye contact improved. His play skills improved. He also stopped smearing poop.
I had not realized that my child was in pain. But now I believe he was. He would sleep (I use that term loosely) with me and all night long he would try to climb on my head. He was not comfortable unless his stomache was pressing down on my head. I am sure this somehow helped with the pain he was feeling. After starting the diet this stopped completely.
My son has just the opposite problem from your son. When he gets casein or glutten he getts terrible diarreha. However, I have meet children with constipation that have been relived by the diet.
I say, give it a try, if it doesn't help you can always stop.
What made you decide to try it? I havn't had it recommended to me, but Liam has constant constipation and digestion problems that are affecting his behaviour.
How did it affect your child? Does it change his behaviour, or relieve pain?
What foods are banned/allowed?
Thank you so much. I don't know if we are going to try him on this diet. But, I feel like something has to change. Yesterday he screamed for 2 hours trying to have a bowel movement.
Suzy
When I first joined the board numerous parents reported improvements with all of these different supplements. I was convinced that there was something to it but I had no idea how to go about determining which supplements to give my son or how much of each supplement to give. I was very overwhelmed so I decided to see a DAN doctor. He gave us a list of supplements to try and told us we needed to do a trial of the GF/CF diet. I really did not think the diet was going to have much effect on my child but I decided to follow the advice of the doctor.
The diet has helped my child so much. After starting the diet he was able to sleep. He stopped stimming. He was more talkative and interactive. His eye contact improved. His play skills improved. He also stopped smearing poop.
I had not realized that my child was in pain. But now I believe he was. He would sleep (I use that term loosely) with me and all night long he would try to climb on my head. He was not comfortable unless his stomache was pressing down on my head. I am sure this somehow helped with the pain he was feeling. After starting the diet this stopped completely.
My son has just the opposite problem from your son. When he gets casein or glutten he getts terrible diarreha. However, I have meet children with constipation that have been relived by the diet.
I say, give it a try, if it doesn't help you can always stop.
soozeq
12-31-2006, 09:03 AM
Thank you so much for the replies. I've been studying a little bit on the diet. It sounds incredibly complicated, but rewarding if it works. All of you who replied recommeneded a DAN dr. Are they available in Canada? How do you find one? Did you have to pay for it?
We FINALLY have Liam's developmental asessment of the 8th (nine months, we waited). I figure I wouldn't want to try anything new around the time of the eval. But, I really think I might give it a shot after. Although, my husband thinks I'm nuts, and I'll just jump at anything that looks like 'cure'.
Does your whole family follow the diet? Luckily Liam adores fruits and vegetables. I think he would eat them exclusively if allowed. But, he also loves his dairy. Oh, so much to think about!
Suzy
We FINALLY have Liam's developmental asessment of the 8th (nine months, we waited). I figure I wouldn't want to try anything new around the time of the eval. But, I really think I might give it a shot after. Although, my husband thinks I'm nuts, and I'll just jump at anything that looks like 'cure'.
Does your whole family follow the diet? Luckily Liam adores fruits and vegetables. I think he would eat them exclusively if allowed. But, he also loves his dairy. Oh, so much to think about!
Suzy
soozeq
12-31-2006, 09:40 AM
Hi all
I just found about a dozen DAN docors here in Toronto. I guess I could call them and find out how all of this works. But, I think I should not do anything until after the eval.
Suzy
I just found about a dozen DAN docors here in Toronto. I guess I could call them and find out how all of this works. But, I think I should not do anything until after the eval.
Suzy
BetsyAnn
01-01-2007, 12:13 AM
I am glad that your son's evaluation date is so near. I know you have waited a long time. I think you are wise to wait until after the evaluation to make any big changes.
I can relate to your husband's thoughts about the diet being nuts. A year before we started the diet my husband sat next to a man on an airplane, who was a chiropractor. He told my husband all about this "amazing diet." When my husband shared it with me I just laughed at him. It seemed ridiculous. My only regret with the diet is not starting it earlier.
The rest of my family is not GF/CF but I try to cook without the offending protiens as much as possible.
I can relate to your husband's thoughts about the diet being nuts. A year before we started the diet my husband sat next to a man on an airplane, who was a chiropractor. He told my husband all about this "amazing diet." When my husband shared it with me I just laughed at him. It seemed ridiculous. My only regret with the diet is not starting it earlier.
The rest of my family is not GF/CF but I try to cook without the offending protiens as much as possible.
elmhar
01-01-2007, 02:25 PM
When my son started the GF/CF diet, I cooked separately for him. When a 2nd child (not on the spectrum) was found to be severely gluten intolerant, I dispensed with the double-shopping, double-cooking routine to save time & energy.
Interestingly, despite the fact that my PDD-NOS son is gluten, but not dairy, intolerant, it has been discovered that the rest of us are severely dairy intolerant. So, we ended up making oodles of changes with regard to diet.
All of the changes necessary seem impossible at first, but once you're up over the hump of the learning curve, it becomes second nature, like anything else. I have found it helpful to read & learn as much as possible. Also, if you decide to go through with the changes, a local support group can be extremely helpful.
It's great that Liam loves fruit & veg. That will make any dietary changes easier. With regards to trying CF diet, I was quite amazed at how readily my kids switched to the milk alternatives (rice, soy or nut milks) -- it was just a matter of finding brands they found palatable. Baking for the most part with nondairy substitutes transfers readily. Nondairy ice cream alternatives abound as well. But one of the big difficulties with CF diet is that great CF cheese alternatives are few & far between. Many of the "lactose-free" & even "nondairy" cheeses still contain caseinate, which is not allowed on CF diet.
HTH. Good luck to you & Liam, whether you decide to eventually give the diet a trial or not.
Interestingly, despite the fact that my PDD-NOS son is gluten, but not dairy, intolerant, it has been discovered that the rest of us are severely dairy intolerant. So, we ended up making oodles of changes with regard to diet.
All of the changes necessary seem impossible at first, but once you're up over the hump of the learning curve, it becomes second nature, like anything else. I have found it helpful to read & learn as much as possible. Also, if you decide to go through with the changes, a local support group can be extremely helpful.
It's great that Liam loves fruit & veg. That will make any dietary changes easier. With regards to trying CF diet, I was quite amazed at how readily my kids switched to the milk alternatives (rice, soy or nut milks) -- it was just a matter of finding brands they found palatable. Baking for the most part with nondairy substitutes transfers readily. Nondairy ice cream alternatives abound as well. But one of the big difficulties with CF diet is that great CF cheese alternatives are few & far between. Many of the "lactose-free" & even "nondairy" cheeses still contain caseinate, which is not allowed on CF diet.
HTH. Good luck to you & Liam, whether you decide to eventually give the diet a trial or not.
soozeq
01-01-2007, 04:42 PM
Hi and thanks for the replies.
Yes, Betsy Ann, we have been waiting FOREVER for the evaluation, and I'm so relieved it's finally here. That's public healthcare for you. I have a phone intake on Wednesday.
Interestingly, my sister, who suffers from he own mental health challenges, is currently being tested for celiac (sp?) disease. From what I can tell, it's very similar to the problem that so many autistic kids have. So, I'm quite interested to see the resukts of her tests.
I think we'll concentrate on getting through the eval, and I'll call the DAN dr in February. I'm really starting to think this could be part of his problem. Yesterday, he was perfect, and absolute doll, all day. Then at about 5pm, he started screaming and didn't calm down for over and hour. He get wringing his hands and rubbing them on his belly and tugging on his shirt. He can't say it but I think he was reacting to gut pain. I wish he could just tell me. Funny, he could talk for an hour strait about trains or trucks, but he can't tell me if his tummy hurts
But, now I'm just going on...
Happy New Year, all.
Suzy
Yes, Betsy Ann, we have been waiting FOREVER for the evaluation, and I'm so relieved it's finally here. That's public healthcare for you. I have a phone intake on Wednesday.
Interestingly, my sister, who suffers from he own mental health challenges, is currently being tested for celiac (sp?) disease. From what I can tell, it's very similar to the problem that so many autistic kids have. So, I'm quite interested to see the resukts of her tests.
I think we'll concentrate on getting through the eval, and I'll call the DAN dr in February. I'm really starting to think this could be part of his problem. Yesterday, he was perfect, and absolute doll, all day. Then at about 5pm, he started screaming and didn't calm down for over and hour. He get wringing his hands and rubbing them on his belly and tugging on his shirt. He can't say it but I think he was reacting to gut pain. I wish he could just tell me. Funny, he could talk for an hour strait about trains or trucks, but he can't tell me if his tummy hurts
But, now I'm just going on...
Happy New Year, all.
Suzy
Trixibel
02-07-2007, 08:19 PM
Hi. Don't know if this helps but I've been so much better (with mental health issues and constipation problems) since I cut out dairy products. I switched to soy three years ago and wow... I always hated milk as a kid but my parents made me drink it because they were worried I wouldn't get enough calcium. Now I drink soy and take calcium supplements. I notice that if I even eat just a bit of cheese the bowel problems start up again....
So it might be worth making the switch.
Also if you're interested in diet, read a book by Patrick Holford (a British nutritionist) called 'Optimum Nutrition for your Child's Mind' He gives suggestions in tackling autism spectrum problems in children.
So it might be worth making the switch.
Also if you're interested in diet, read a book by Patrick Holford (a British nutritionist) called 'Optimum Nutrition for your Child's Mind' He gives suggestions in tackling autism spectrum problems in children.
Mom2PDD
02-08-2007, 10:25 AM
As I read all this stuff, is constipation related. My son has been on myralax (SP?) for his entire 4 years. He has such a hard time with it. He also was diagnosed MSPI when born. He tends to drink a lot of milk-- I am unsure if any of his other health issues are related, but after reading all the info on this board, I am coming to the conclusion that it may be. Any suggestions for a 4 year old. Michele
BetsyAnn
02-08-2007, 12:40 PM
Yes. Milk is often the offender in constipation. I would encourage everyone who has a child on the spectrum to at least try the casein free diet. Casein only stays in the body three days. If a casein free diet is going to help, you are likely to see some improvements within a week. I would try the diet for a couple of weeks. If you see no improvements don't continue. It isn't that big of a deal to try a diet for a couple of weeks. If it works of course you would want to continue and it would be a pretty big deal. However, the improvements would probably out weigh the difficulties. I find the diet much easier than dealing with the difficulties my son had before the diet.
If you try going casein free, be sure to eliminate all trace elements of milk. Also, don't introduce new sources of soy until you see what being milk free does. Soy can cause the same problems as milk, so it may counteract the positives of eliminating the milk. If you want to use soy, wait a few weeks into the diet before introducing it.
Two or three weeks without milk won't hurt anyone, but it could potentially change your life for the better. Why not try it?
If you try going casein free, be sure to eliminate all trace elements of milk. Also, don't introduce new sources of soy until you see what being milk free does. Soy can cause the same problems as milk, so it may counteract the positives of eliminating the milk. If you want to use soy, wait a few weeks into the diet before introducing it.
Two or three weeks without milk won't hurt anyone, but it could potentially change your life for the better. Why not try it?
Mom2PDD
02-08-2007, 01:20 PM
This GF/CF diet that is being talked about-- is this something that is recommended by a Doctor, or are just people out there just doing it. I don't know enough about any of this just to say-- hey, lets change your diet- especially when it is going to be strict!!! Any thoughts? Michele
elmhar
02-08-2007, 02:11 PM
This GF/CF diet that is being talked about-- is this something that is recommended by a Doctor, or are just people out there just doing it. I don't know enough about any of this just to say-- hey, lets change your diet- especially when it is going to be strict!!! Any thoughts? Michele
Hi Michele,
The doctors who recommend GF/CF diet for kids on the spectrum tend to be specialists in biomedical remediation for autism. Some of these docs are pediatricians who themselves had a child on the spectrum, & got burned out with what conventional med had to offer. My own son w/PDD-NOS has seen Allen Lewis,MD, Medical Director of Pfeiffer Treatment Institute/Health Research Institute. Before joining Pfeiffer, Dr. Lewis was on the faculty of Pediatrics at the Univ. of Utah Medical School. If memory serves correctly, he was head of the dept. Dr. Lewis has a son on the spectrum, and has become a proponent of biomedical remediation.
A great resource for learning more about biomedical approach to autism is the book, Autism: Effective Biomedical Treatments, by Jon Pangborn PhD, and Sidney MacDonald Baker, MD. This book will introduce you to the diets & the technical/biological reasons & evidence behind the diets. It's the best all-round book I know on biomedical.
The average pediatrician is pretty clueless about research findings demonstrating metabolic abnormalities in kids on the spectrum. A typical quote from our ex-pediatrician: "there's no scientific evidence proving that special diet works." As an average parent, I interpreted that to mean the diet was studied & found ineffective. But that is not the case. The 'no sci evidence' phrase meant that my doc was not aware of research, & was merely parroting the AAP (Am Acad Ped.) -- a group that receives major funding from pharma.
I'm very sad ;) to report that although the GF/CF diet doesn't help all kids who try it, the majority who are helped by it are much less likely to need psychotropic meds like the atypical antipsychotics now in vogue for kids on the spectrum.
Historically it's taken 2 decades for research findings to become part of standards of clinical practice in medicine. And MOST research never makes into clinical practice. Treatments like special diets fall into the category of "unprofitable cure." Pharma backs the majority of modern medical research, and also continuing ed for docs, in a big way.
There IS a medication currently in FDA level 3 trials, developed primarily for use with celiacs, to downregulate a chemical called zonulin, that affects the gut. Once a (not cheap) medication is available for doctors to prescribe & manage, you will hear a LOT about leaky gut in all sorts of diseases & disorders, including, potentially, autism. "Leaky gut" is a concept that's been around for decades & has been much-derided by the medical establishment. But now we have a world-renowned gastroenterologist., A. Fassano,MD, who is acknowledging that concept ... well, you get my drift. A profitable cure leapfrogs awareness & understanding to the head of the class.
But once again, the profitable cure will tend to obscure & ride roughshod over questions about, why did this leaky gut arise in the first place. Pharma stands to lose BIG TIME when those questions continue to be asked.
Well, enough of my rant :blob_fire . You are doing the right thing, wanting to learn more about the GFCF diet before committing to it.
Best wishes.
Hi Michele,
The doctors who recommend GF/CF diet for kids on the spectrum tend to be specialists in biomedical remediation for autism. Some of these docs are pediatricians who themselves had a child on the spectrum, & got burned out with what conventional med had to offer. My own son w/PDD-NOS has seen Allen Lewis,MD, Medical Director of Pfeiffer Treatment Institute/Health Research Institute. Before joining Pfeiffer, Dr. Lewis was on the faculty of Pediatrics at the Univ. of Utah Medical School. If memory serves correctly, he was head of the dept. Dr. Lewis has a son on the spectrum, and has become a proponent of biomedical remediation.
A great resource for learning more about biomedical approach to autism is the book, Autism: Effective Biomedical Treatments, by Jon Pangborn PhD, and Sidney MacDonald Baker, MD. This book will introduce you to the diets & the technical/biological reasons & evidence behind the diets. It's the best all-round book I know on biomedical.
The average pediatrician is pretty clueless about research findings demonstrating metabolic abnormalities in kids on the spectrum. A typical quote from our ex-pediatrician: "there's no scientific evidence proving that special diet works." As an average parent, I interpreted that to mean the diet was studied & found ineffective. But that is not the case. The 'no sci evidence' phrase meant that my doc was not aware of research, & was merely parroting the AAP (Am Acad Ped.) -- a group that receives major funding from pharma.
I'm very sad ;) to report that although the GF/CF diet doesn't help all kids who try it, the majority who are helped by it are much less likely to need psychotropic meds like the atypical antipsychotics now in vogue for kids on the spectrum.
Historically it's taken 2 decades for research findings to become part of standards of clinical practice in medicine. And MOST research never makes into clinical practice. Treatments like special diets fall into the category of "unprofitable cure." Pharma backs the majority of modern medical research, and also continuing ed for docs, in a big way.
There IS a medication currently in FDA level 3 trials, developed primarily for use with celiacs, to downregulate a chemical called zonulin, that affects the gut. Once a (not cheap) medication is available for doctors to prescribe & manage, you will hear a LOT about leaky gut in all sorts of diseases & disorders, including, potentially, autism. "Leaky gut" is a concept that's been around for decades & has been much-derided by the medical establishment. But now we have a world-renowned gastroenterologist., A. Fassano,MD, who is acknowledging that concept ... well, you get my drift. A profitable cure leapfrogs awareness & understanding to the head of the class.
But once again, the profitable cure will tend to obscure & ride roughshod over questions about, why did this leaky gut arise in the first place. Pharma stands to lose BIG TIME when those questions continue to be asked.
Well, enough of my rant :blob_fire . You are doing the right thing, wanting to learn more about the GFCF diet before committing to it.
Best wishes.
soozeq
02-08-2007, 02:32 PM
Hi all
I thought I'd update, since this thread is bouncing back up. We took all dairy out of Liam's diet on January 3rd. Since that day, he hasn't suffered even one bout of constipation. His stools are completely changed. The hardest part is being able to catch him and put him on the toilet. Without the struggle, we can't always tell when he's going. Oh, it can be messy.
I havn't noticed any behavioural changes, though. He's still good old Liam. But, he doesn't have the pain involved in moving his bowels anymore. I definitely recommend trying to remove milk to battle constipation. It's at least worth a try.
Suzy
I thought I'd update, since this thread is bouncing back up. We took all dairy out of Liam's diet on January 3rd. Since that day, he hasn't suffered even one bout of constipation. His stools are completely changed. The hardest part is being able to catch him and put him on the toilet. Without the struggle, we can't always tell when he's going. Oh, it can be messy.
I havn't noticed any behavioural changes, though. He's still good old Liam. But, he doesn't have the pain involved in moving his bowels anymore. I definitely recommend trying to remove milk to battle constipation. It's at least worth a try.
Suzy