I have a three year old daughter with Unspecified Chronic Toddler Diarrhea….?

…Any suggestions for potty training?
She usually has about two bowel movements per day. They come on quickly and seem to be difficult for her to control. She complains a lot of stomach pain. I am inclined to think this would be similar mostly to IBS.

You have my sympathies — as does your child. I have adult IBS and it is crummy crummy crummy.

You don’t mention if you have had your daughter tested for celiac disease or other allergy to foods or food components.

People with celiac disease are allergic to gluten, a form or protein found in wheat, rye, oats, etc. Diarrhea is a very common symptom for people with celiac disease.

So, my first recommendation would be to take your child to an allergist and specifically test for food allergies. Other problem foods include cow’s milk, certain fruits, some meats, food additives such as coloring, etc. I would put my money on either gluten or cow’s milk, given your daughter’s symptoms. These are issues which I have had to personally deal with for some time and I wish I could give that little girl a big reassuring hug, because I know just how miserable it feels.

Meanwhile, while you are waiting to find out the results, switch your daughter over to goat’s milk products and give her goat’s milk yogurt. You might have to make it yourself (I do) because it is very expensive to purchase goat’s milk yogurt. I have an allergy to cow’s milk and its products (cheese, etc), so I have been drinking goat’s milk for quite some time and making goat’s milk yogurt. The reason for the goat’s milk (in lieu of cow’s milk) is that the proteins in goat’s milk are closer to human milk proteins and therefore easier to digest and less likely to cause allergic reactions.

[Purchase a package of yogurt culture at your local health food store, Co-op, or natural foods market, follow the directions on the package, but add about 1/4 cup of sugar to your milk before bringing it up to scalding temperature. You can purchase yogurt makers and I recommend getting a one-quart size yogurt maker rather than the ones with little cups. Follow the directions for using the yogurt maker. Your initial investment for goat's milk, yogurt starter, and yogurt maker will be about $40 to $50 depending on where you live and where you buy it. I got my yogurt maker on EBay for $20.]

The reason for the yogurt is that it repopulates the natural digestive bacteria (acidophilus, bifidus, etc.) that help a person digest food. If your child has received antibiotics for (e.g.) ear infections in the past, her normal intestinal flora are totally gone (replaced perhaps by bad bacteria) and her digestive system is pushing out undigested food, causing the cramps, etc. Giving her even 1/2 cup of goat’s milk yogurt per day (mixed with strawberries or whatever fruit she likes) will re-establish her healthy intestinal flora and may ease the stomach problems even before you get the food allergy test results back.

I wish you all the best and I hope at least some of this advice is helpful.

Nicole’s Baby Kicking – The Belly View – Unbelievable

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