I am continuing to talk to you about the principle clinical tests you should be aware of in order to properly help your children, and yourself, when necessary. Today we will be talking about stool and stool analysis.
As the festive season approaches many parents will have the chance to spend more time with their children. It is a great opportunity to have fun, play games, cook together and do so much more! However, it is also a great moment to better observe your children and to take note of their poop, especially if your children are young. In case you have teenagers, it is a good time to discuss this very important topic with them, if you have not done so before. Yes, by “this topic” I do mean the stool of your children. Maybe it is not a very glamorous subject, but it is definitely a very important one to be aware of. Stool is a very important physiological biomarker which shows how our body is functioning and if there are any possible problems we need to start thinking about.
Several times, I have come across people who follow a healthy way of eating and practice such eating habits in their family, but who still experience bloating, gases and abnormal bowel movements. This is especially typical among children. The frequency of such symptoms indicate that healthy eating means something different for each person and it is our responsibility to start to understand our own bodies better. We also need to help our children to develop this valuable life skill! Our body is the most valuable thing we have and we need to learn how to hear it and interpet the signs and signals through which it manifests its problems. How often, when you have a headache, do you actually think about what your headache means, instead of just taking a painkiller? Does it mean that you need some rest, fresh air, exercise, a little positive energy, water or food? Or perhaps it is indicating a certain toxicity level in your body and that your liver needs support and you need to change your lifestyle a bit? WHILE WE KEEP IGNORING OUR OWN “BODY LANGUAGE”, WE WILL KEEP SUFFERING FROM DIVERSE CHRONIC CONDITIONS!
Therefore, stool is an important marker to recognise! We need to monitor the regular bowel movements of our children and actually teach them how to pay attention to those signs as well.
VERY OFTEN CHILDREN CAN BE CONSTIPATED EVEN IF THEY POOP EVERY DAY. Because constipation is not only about the frequency of the stool, but also about its consistency. Ideally the consistency should be soft and not very formed. If your child does not produce very much poop, it means it is being held up for some reason, which can cause damage to the lower part of the GI tract (rectum) and can be a reason for bed wetting and urinary infections in girls. Abnormal stool consistency, colour and smell can be very indicative of a child having certain digestive issues that need to be addressed.
If your child is constipated or has diarrhoea, a few things need to be addressed. First of all, of course, is their diet and water intake. All pro-inflammatory processed food needs to be removed, whole food like vegetables and fruit need to be consumed in sufficient amounts (minimum 5-7 portions per day) and the water intake increased (1-1.5 L per day). However, if lifestyle changes do not resolve the stool issue, we need to look deeper. What other symptoms is the child manifesting? Bloating, belching, heartburn or any other stomach problems? To better understand the situation and to correctly address any possible dysboiosis, it is recommended to do a Comprehensive Stool Analysis Test.
What is this? A Comprehensive Stool Analysis Test is a clinical test that will analyse the stool for bacteria, yeast, viruses, fungus and parasites. It also looks for markers that demonstrate inflammation, the level of absorption of nutrients in the gut, production of short-chain fatty acids and much more. It is an excellent test that indicates the many possible reasons for abnormal stool and helps to identify the real causes of digestive issues that play an enormous role in the health of the whole body and brain.
Therefore, it is incredibly advisable to consider undergoing this test! And, the good news is, this test can also be done at home without going through the stress of traveling and visiting a laboratory, in a similar way to the Food Intolerance Test (https://liverighteu.wordpress.com/2017/10/16/why-you-may-consider-taking-a-food-intolerance-test/). Once the results have been revealed, a specific and very effective protocol can be suggested to deal with the identified microflora imbalance. This test definitely helps to identify any well-hidden pathogenic bacteria that can sometimes continue making the lives of our children uncomfortable for a long time, despite the many positive changes that have already been introduced.
Please contact me for more information and to book the test. You can also book the test directly via my website: https://www.liverightautismcoach.com/services