Constipation & abdominal pain & no respect from Doctors

My 12 year old Aspie son has been experiencing apparent excruciating abdominal pain, which has been found to be related to his constipation. We're still working on ironing out all of the physical sides to this diagnosis, but are confronted with doctors who have little understanding or respect for our sons' dramatic ways of expressing his pain. It is hard enough trying to filter through his emotions and figuring out the diagnosis, but to have doctors treat us like we're doing it all wrong and that our son is somehow manipulating us intentionally has made the whole experience extremely frustrating, and difficult to conclude what is REALLY going on with him. Has anyone else experienced the constipation issue with their Aspie, and how did it all work out in the end?

FivePieces, thank you for your post, and welcome to IAN.

Gastrointestinal issues are frequently reported in individuals with autism, although I do not know how often they are experienced by individuals who are specifically labeled as having Asperger's. (We at IAN hope to collect data on all of these co-occurring issues, including GI problems, allergies, sleep problems, ADHD, anxiety, etc. to help researchers and families better understand this.)

As the parent of a teenager with Asperger's, I completely understand your frustration and dismay when his behavior is viewed as willfully bad and not part of his disability. It is one of the toughest parts of being the parent of a child with Asperger's: knowing when they are in control and when they are not, when they can "help it" and when they "can't help it." Because they are so verbal, and generally have at least normal intelligence, their behavior is many times interpreted as manipulative, even when it isn't. (That is not to say it is never manipulative - that's what makes it so hard: knowing when it is and when it isn't...and helping the rest of the world to understand when it really, really isn't.)

I invite other parents of individuals with Asperger's -- and individuals with Asperger's themselves -- to comment. Have there been GI issues? How about the issue of doctors not really understanding the disability, and how it impacts a patient's behavior?

Connie (IAN Staff) wrote:

FivePieces, thank you for your post, and welcome to IAN.

Gastrointestinal issues are frequently reported in individuals with autism, although I do not know how often they are experienced by individuals who are specifically labeled as having Asperger's. (We at IAN hope to collect data on all of these co-occurring issues, including GI problems, allergies, sleep problems, ADHD, anxiety, etc. to help researchers and families better understand this.)

As the parent of a teenager with Asperger's, I completely understand your frustration and dismay when his behavior is viewed as willfully bad and not part of his disability. It is one of the toughest parts of being the parent of a child with Asperger's: knowing when they are in control and when they are not, when they can "help it" and when they "can't help it." Because they are so verbal, and generally have at least normal intelligence, their behavior is many times interpreted as manipulative, even when it isn't. (That is not to say it is never manipulative - that's what makes it so hard: knowing when it is and when it isn't...and helping the rest of the world to understand when it really, really isn't.)

I invite other parents of individuals with Asperger's -- and individuals with Asperger's themselves -- to comment. Have there been GI issues? How about the issue of doctors not really understanding the disability, and how it impacts a patient's behavior?

Teehugger here, new here. I had been diagnosed with 'celiac disease' so Any thing having 'gluten in it is a problem for Me. In dealing with stuck bowls, I stay away from cheese, dary, milk or any other non fibre containing 'foods' Ieat wild caught fish, and vegitables only.this lessens that annoying problem. As far as the Docter is concierned,she told Me to take a 'laxtive',so Iasked My friend abuot this. She had said that Ones 'system can develop dependence on this if used regularly.'To Avoid this, Istay on My vegitable and fish diet.Ihope this is usful to You as I would not wish gut problems like this on Any one.