What goes in must come out!! CONSTIPATION WOES

The Belly Guru — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 00:31:00 GMT

So I did not keep up with my promise to be a more consistant blogger but I did get a real third child ( read my January Post) This real one came via taking guardianship over a 14 year old family member so now I have three physical kids and my inner child to attend to. Yogis manifest their destiny so be careful as you manifest!!! So here it is April and the topic of nutrition has me thinking of the real way to see how healthy your kids are on the intake. Take a look at their poop!

Nutrition includes making sure your gut can get nutrients out and eliminate the toxins and waste. The less toxins you eat, the more ruffage you supply, the more hydration you support , the healthier the gut and the better the elimination of what you do not want building up in the body. Did you know that half of the weight of your poop is bacteria. Do you want to keep that lying around for days? Kids do. They often don't want to sit on the potty. Between the instilled fears of "catching something" and with the invention of the automatic flush toilet, they are clear out scared to do it out of the home. Busy lives means hydration suffers and bathroom habits suffer . Bedwetting alone has given Pull ups a market into the tweens.

So how well do you know your little one's bowel and bladder health after they are out of diapers? Do you ask? Do you know the signs of constipation? Did you know that everyone should have a long healthy poop a day. Did you know you should never need to strain or that constipation is the number one reason children wet the bed at night? Did you know that 40% of adults with a bowel or bladder issue had an issue as a child?

I love helping these kids because , like my kid guru yoga programs, this is about helping a kid's self esteem. Sure they will grow out of it but while you await your year, the embarrasment and stress of going to the bathroom at school, at home or on trips can feed into anxiety, behavioral problems and fear. As a result,as a physical therapist I have begun to treat pediatric pelvic floor issues such as constipation, bedwetting, daytime leaks,urgency, recurrent infection and regional pain. Care invloves an evaluation, lots of kid friendly exercise, behavioral training, biofeedback training and possibly some collaboration with a pediatric urologist. Intergrating the yoga ties in beautifully for my clients because these kids are STRESSED about it. The parents are at their wits end and the entire family needs to come together to make plans work. Practicing family yoga which incorporates some of the healthy breathing and core work gets everyone on board. I am amazed there is very little education and translation of natural ways to treat these conditions within mainstream medicine. Despite the fact that the urological peer reviewed journals state 5 years old as the expected age for full bowel and bladder control, Most pediatricians tell you not to worry, recommend a laxative if you bring the problem up but give very little guidance as to a plan of use, what to look for and how to change functional influences such as pelvic floor tension, hydration and elimination habits. Bladder issues at night are even more overlooked for a while. In time things do correct themselves but why not learn more?

Collaboration with a pediatric urologist can make physical therapy a successful alternative to "waiting it out". So if any of the above relates to you, speak with your physician and find a PT that treats the pelvic floor to get a functional assessment and a plan of attack. In my opinion, it is a plan of acceptance and resolution!

The Guru’s Belly Blog : constipation

What goes in must come out!! CONSTIPATION WOES