Constipation is a subject that I deal with quite frequently in my practice. It is a very common problem in our society in both children and adults. The ideal is to defecate after each meal. But that may sound like a lot, so what I encourage patients in my practice is to have at least two bowel movements per day. For many people, just having one bowel movement a day is good, and for children on the spectrum, having more frequent bowel movements can be a challenge.

As I have gone over in previous videos, there are many constipation related issues with children on the spectrum. A very common problem is the child who has an urge to defecate but has trouble passing it. It may be that her stool is too difficult to pass. A very easy remedy could be to simply make sure they get more fluids, which will get more fluid into the digestive tract, making the stool softer and easier to pass. Gluten-free fiber supplements, such as Tru Fiber, can add bulk to your stool, which will also make it easier to pass. And if you’re adding fiber, you’ll definitely want to increase your water intake as well.

Slippery elm is an herbal remedy that can help with constipation. Slippery elm, as the name suggests, makes the stool slippery and therefore easier to step on. This also increases mucus production in the digestive tract, which also makes the lining of the intestine slippery to further aid in the removal of stool. Slippery elm is easy to find, available in most health food stores in both bulk powder and capsule form. You can add slippery elm to juice or food to make it easier to give. Slippery elm is also very safe, I have taken slippery elm myself and have many patients of all ages who take it.

Slippery elm is very effective, but there is no established specific dosage for weight or age. So when using slippery elm in capsule form, in most cases start with one or two capsules, maybe 3. The range of my patients who are 4-8 years old has been between 3-6 capsules of slippery elm a day just to make it easier to pass your stool. So if you have a child who has a feeling of having a bowel movement but may be a bit constipated, add more fluids and try slippery elm as an option to help.