A grandparent sent an e-mail asking if I had any ideas about the cause of her grandson's constipation. The child had to be hospitalized because he was so constipated. No laxatives were working and the doctors wanted to do some studies. They thought the little boy might have something called Hirschsprung's disease. The tests all proved negative and they were at a loss to explain the cause of his constipation.
It was amazing to be that no one had talked to the family about the child's diet, taken a family history or really done a thorough examination. The child's diet consisted primarily of milk and fast foods with few fruits or vegetables. That alone could have been part of the problem, but I was concered that the child might have Celiac disease. That can cause either diarrhea or constipation. I suggested that they keep the child off of all foods containing wheat for at least two or three weeks. If this helped, then further studies needed to be done to make a definitive diagnosis. The Celiac Society has good suggestions and there are cookbooks for wheat-free diets. Wheat can be present in many things, including ice cream, so labels must be carefully read. Rice cakes, rice bread, and rice flour can all be used.
I have had medical students and residents tell me that I was the first doctor they had heard ask a patient or parents about diet. In this day of fast medicine, it takes a long time to get a good history and our medical students are being taught more about technology than the art of medicine. We are what we eat.
A grandparent sent an e-mail asking if I had any ideas about the cause of her grandson's constipation. The child had to be hospitalized because he was so constipated. No laxatives were working and the doctors wanted to do some studies. They thought the little boy might have something called Hirschsprung's disease. The tests all proved negative and they were at a loss to explain the cause of his constipation.
It was amazing to be that no one had talked to the family about the child's diet, taken a family history or really done a thorough examination. The child's diet consisted primarily of milk and fast foods with few fruits or vegetables. That alone could have been part of the problem, but I was concered that the child might have Celiac disease. That can cause either diarrhea or constipation. I suggested that they keep the child off of all foods containing wheat for at least two or three weeks. If this helped, then further studies needed to be done to make a definitive diagnosis. The Celiac Society has good suggestions and there are cookbooks for wheat-free diets. Wheat can be present in many things, including ice cream, so labels must be carefully read. Rice cakes, rice bread, and rice flour can all be used.
I have had medical students and residents tell me that I was the first doctor they had heard ask a patient or parents about diet. In this day of fast medicine, it takes a long time to get a good history and our medical students are being taught more about technology than the art of medicine. We are what we eat.