My 7 year old was just diagnosed

[Summer M]

Help! My 7 year old son has had constipation issues since he was a toddler and we have been taking him to a GI for years and everytime he was insistent that it was just constipation. Well I had had ENOUGH and demanded a blood test and my gut was right. Celiac Disease. Off subject i have left that GI who refused to listen to me for so long and have a new appointment set up to say the least. But my son has done AMAZING altering diet and even asks if what i give him is gluten free now. The BIG issue we have been battling since he was 3 is potty training. He has never had a problem peeing in the potty and we could never understand why we couldn't get over to poop part and to this day I have tried EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN MULTIPLE TIMES. Im at a hopeless loss and I have no idea how to help him!! Does anyone have any suggestions for a behavioral therapist that can help? We live in North Georgia. 

[trents]

Let me seek some clarity here. Is his constipation resolved now that he is eating gluten free? I take it you are saying he stills poops his in his pants rather than using the toilet. Correct?

[Scott Adams]

Is there any chance that trace amounts of gluten could be creeping into his diet? For example, do you eat at restaurants? If so, there is a high likelihood that he could be getting contamination. Do you feed him gluten-free oats? If so, you might want to exclude this for a few months, as around 9% of celiacs react to the protein in oats. In my mind the first step here is ensuring that the accidents are not being caused by something outside his control.

[Wheatwacked]

 

@Summer M  GOOD JOB!

After 7 years it will take some time for him to realize that he now has control. I venture to guess he also has ADD. By the time he realizes he has to go...opps! too late.  When my son was diagnosed as an infant at weaning (1976), his doctor told us that when he went to kindergarden it would not take long for the teachers to ask us to put him on Ritalin. Sure enough, first teacher conference the issue was broached. Have faith your son does not want accidents any more than you. I still remember accidents I had in kindergarden 65 years ago. Let him take responsibility for his schedule and no stress. He is a smart kid, If it is his job, he'll get it done.

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 ADD is a now-outdated term that is typically used to describe inattentive-type ADHD, which has symptoms including disorganization, lack of focus, and forgetfulness. People with inattentive ADHD are not hyper or impulsive.  ADD vs. ADHD: What’s the Difference in Symptoms

Be sure he is getting plenty of sunshine in the summer to store up vitamin D for the school year, or get his D tested at least once a year. Your GI that said he was just constipated (and that did not concern him even just a bit?) came from the same school that says vitamin D only needs to be above 30 ng/ml to avoid rickets. 

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 Vitamin D (40-70 ng) in Children’s Health     Knowledge of vitamin D in the health of children has grown greatly over the years, extending past the importance for calcium homeostasis and bone growth. There is growing recognition of the role vitamin D plays in health impacting the innate immune system to prevent infections and the adaptive immune system to modulate autoimmunity. Other studies are starting to reveal the neurohormonal effects of vitamin D on brain development and behavior, with a link to mental health disorders.... It is recommended that targeting a 25(OH)D level of 40–70 ng/mL for each individual would provide optimal health benefits and reduce health care costs. Current recommended doses of vitamin D supplementation fall short of what is needed to obtain ideal serum levels. 

 

[Summer M]

10 hours ago, trents said:

Let me seek some clarity here. Is his constipation resolved now that he is eating gluten free? I take it you are saying he stills poops his in his pants rather than using the toilet. Correct?

Yes, he now can poop but now has such a mental block it’s a constant fight

[trents]

Like Wheatwacked, I also wondered if he has ADD.

Can you elaborate on the "mental block"? Is his experience historically that he sits there on the toilet and nothing happens or his stool is hard and it all hurts? What is it he is avoiding?

Have you  tried some sort of reward system for him pottying successfully?

[Wheatwacked]

27 minutes ago, trents said:

Is his experience historically that he sits there on the toilet and nothing happens or his stool is hard and it all hurts? What is it he is avoiding?

I'll jump in and answer that. All of the above. And there is the boredom of waiting on the seat for something to happen, while there is so much going on elsewhere. On the GFD he will learn to recognize when it is time to go now that the opiod effect is removed. 😊