Autism Archives

constipation and urine witholding

Dear Doctor,

I desperately need help for my 4 year old autistic son. He has been witholding since he was 14 months old. He basically now goes only once a week and that's with help from a suppository. He is a very picky eater, he doesn't eat hardly any fiber, except for cheerios and an occasional apple. Will not eat any vegetables. He has been recently potty trained. Now the new thing is that he will hold in is urine for almost 12 hours. He does drink alot (juice, water and milk), at least 32 ounces a day. I'm not sure if he's holding it in or is there a problem. He doesn't seem to be in any pain. We will be going to a nutrionist next week who deals with autistic patients. So maybe we can get this constipation cleared up. Do you have any ideas how to resolve this problem.

Thankyou,

Julie

Follow Ups:

• Re: constipation and urine witholding (AUTISM!) ( Archive in autism) Walt Stoll 12:06:00 2/04/00 (0)
• Re: constipation and urine witholding KMD 18:53:27 2/03/00 (0)

In Reply to: constipation and urine witholding posted by Julie on February 03, 2000 at 10:52:08:

Julie,

Wow, does that sound familiar! Our almost four-year old austistic son has suffered from constipation (actually stool withholding) for over a year and when he was potty trained he went through a period of urine withholding too! That was a BIG concern to me, when it seemed like he either wouldn't or couldn't pee for up to 18 hours at a time! It has since past on its own (I think it was a phase he went through due to his autism and something to do with sensory processing or perhaps a control issue for him). He now potties without hesitation. Still having the bowel problems, he will also go 5-8 days most of the time, until he absolutely cannot hold it in. I am preparing (studying, working on recipes, etc) to implement a perfect whole foods diet which the whole family will follow (Walt recommends this). See also his article on constipation and stool withholding in children. We are using a small amount of mineral oil at bedtime, we haven't gotten to the point of using the fiber yet. Anyway, there's lots of info on this site in the articles and the archives!

In Reply to: constipation and urine witholding posted by Julie on February 03, 2000 at 10:52:08:

Hi, Julie.

Talk to the nutritionist about last year's discovery that autistic children are all desperately deficient (for that person) in functional vitamin A. This cannot be resolved with synthetic vitamin A but only by natural vitamin A.

If she does not know the references, have her call (800)843-9660 and ask them for the August and September issues of Functional Medicine Update.

You would see results in a 2-3 month period (in his functional behavior) if that was part of HIS particular problem.

NEXT: since when can a 4 year old know enough to dictate what he will eat or will not eat? This is especially amazing since you are saying that an AUTISTIC 4 year old is capable of that decision.

I know you are not going to like to hear this. However, only by improving the function of the brain tissue he has left are you going to do anything for his autistic problem. How are you going to do anything of the sort if he does not take IN those nutrients his brain tissue MUST have to function?

Children that age are trapped in growing bodies. If you
refuse to give him anything BUT nutritious food, he will eventually eat it. If you persist, this problem will be resolved in less than 2 weeks. He will NOT starve, or be harmed in any way, if he ate nothing for those 2 weeks. It would take a VERY stubborn child to not give up in a week.

Once this battle is won, do not change what you give him for at least a year. Hopefully, in a few months, you will see enough improvement to not want to change.

Consider the experiment with teaching the chicken how to peck a lever to get a kermal of corn. Once the chicken is trained it will peck for corn forever. HOWEVER, if then, no corn is given for 10 pecks, the chicken becomes totally untrained and has to be completely retrained to peck for a kernal of corn. IF, however, on the 10th try the chicken is given a kernal of corn, it will peck till its beak falls off and it bleeds to death (with never getting another kernal of corn).

Apparently, the chicken cannot tell the difference between 10 and 10,000,000 pecks. Children this age are a lot like this. If you determine to resolve this problem, and you give in even once, the child will persist in whining and trying to manipulate you for months.

Finally, there is no difference between a normal child witholder and an autistic one. The protocol on the homepage will do nicely.

This child should have TOTAL elimination of dairy and fruit juices for several months. If he insists on only eating fruit instead of a healthy diet, you will have to eliminate fruits as well for a month or so.

I am telling you like it is. I am NOT trying to make you like me. This is about the child.

Let us know what happens.

Walt