Why It's Important To Talk About Poo!

***Thank you to everyone who shared stories and your questions.
The answers to your questions will be provided by in the follow up post scheduled for next week***
Our lucky of the hampers winners were: Kez Unprepared & Eliz Buf

I have a wee little phobia when it comes to using public toilets.

Sorry, really lame joke, but I have been known to line the toilet bowl with toilet paper because I get all awkward about by the tinkling and plonking sounds that come with doing your business.

Brought to you by Nuffnang and MOVICOL

Don’t even get me started on the very unfortunate situation I once had at a work conference. That incident has scarred me for life and the memory of it is enough to make my toes curl in dread.

It’s silly really, I mean I am a grown woman and we all need to poo and wee and yet the topic gets me sniggering like a nine year old boy sniggers over the word ‘bum’.

That could have something to do with the fact that toilet humour is at the top of the list of my boy’s favourite dinner conversation topics, and their immaturity has rubbed off on me… or my lack of maturity has rubbed off on them.

Semantics really.

More disturbing than a grown up with a fear of public loos, is a child’s fear of public loos because our kids don't necessarily have the ability to be rational about their fears and the situation can very quickly spiral out of control.

Research from MOVICOL has shown that almost eight in ten Aussie kids hold on rather than going to the toilet at school, because they feel uncomfortable using the toilets with their school mates around.

Holy Crap!

No literally, this is a real concern.

I can vouch first hand for this fear given one of my three boys was so nervous about stinking out the toilets at school that he held on and on and on… for weeks on end, until eventually he was hospitalised for severe constipation.

He had been complaining of tummy aches for a while. They came and went and because they would often come on in the mornings right before we left for school I just kind of presumed he was bunging it and was ‘full of it’.

Pardon the really bad pun.

I took him to the Drs but he presented well enough so it was passed off as a virus or possibly even a symptom of his pre diagnosed anxiety.

It turns out it was much more than that.

It wasn't until he was doubling over with cramps every time he tried to eat something that we realised something definitely wasn't right. After a particularly bad night that ended with him screaming in pain, we rushed him to the hospital where the Doctors found he was so badly constipated and seriously ill.

I felt like the worst mother in the world…. Yet again!

Who accuses their child of being full of S*** when they really are full of S***??

Healthy toilet and bowel habits are crucial to help maintain regular bowel movements. Kids holding on can have serious implications - case in point with my own son’s experience and school will often bring about different routines for our kids compared to the ones they have at home.

At home, my boys will happily sit on the toilet for extended periods of time. Whenever I ask them for some help folding clothes, all three of them will have an urgent need to use the bathroom and so they disappear with books under their arms and are generally gone long enough for me to finish folding the clothes in their absence.

My boys have even been known to bribe each other to sit in the bathroom to entertain the one on the toilet whilst he does his business.

I know right, ewwwwww.

It is however often a very different story when our kids are at school.

They typically do not want ANYONE in the bathroom if they need to go and often they will hold through lunch breaks and ask to go when class resumes. Unfortunately some teachers see this as the child avoiding class or being disruptive, especially if they repeatedly do this and consequently they may be denied permission to go…

And so they continue to hold on and the dangerous cycle begins.

MOVICOL products are used to relive constipation and treat chronic constipation and the gentle MOVICOL Junior range focuses on pediatric patients from 2 years of age.

The expert team behind the MOVICOL Junior range of products - are working very hard to raise awareness about the need for healthy toilet habits among our kids…. particularly our school age kids. They have introduced the MOVICOL ‘Take Five for Better Health’ campaign, as a way of educating parents and teachers on the small lifestyle changes that can have positive effects on bowel health.

There is a whole range of resources for parents and teachers, to help encourage healthier habits whilst our kids are at school.

But they need our help to get the conversation flowing. (I am SO SORRY about the visuals with my choice of words)

You know our kids love to talk about poo, right?

OK so the fart jokes may wear a bit thin and the whole ‘Mum, pull my finger’ thing gets kind of boring after the 1856th time, but we do need to talk openly with our kids about how important it is that they don't hold on.

So how do we help our kids who are nervous about using the toilet at school?

I have no idea, and so that is why I am calling in the experts to help on this one.

Dr Nitin Gupta- a Paediatric Gastroenterologist has agreed to help me out by offering advice and answering any questions we might have. Your questions, my questions and our kids questions about our kids and their often interesting ummm poo habits.

Your stories and your questions could really help others so please, I would love you to get involved in this… oh OK and I may have a little something to encourage you to speak up too.

Share with me your crappy stories (sorry, I really couldn't help myself. WHAT? I warned you I am somewhat immature with some topics), and ask your questions. By doing so you are not only helping others, but you could also win one of two $200 healthy lifestyle packs.

I’ll collate any questions you have and the expert will answer them as well as provide a short video that I will share with you soon.

Please note the image of the prize pack is an example of what products may look like. This isn't an exact replica.

These packs include everything parents need to help develop healthy bowel habits including a toilet step, five minute sand timer, fruit basket, toy snake and children’s magazine subscription… you know to keep them entertained on the toilet and all that.

All you need to do to enter is share one of your own toilet related stories or ask the specialist a question.

This competition is open now and closes 5:00 pm AEDST on Tuesday 19 May 2015. The competition is open to Australian residents only. Please view T&C’s here.

So shoot - any questions?

Any stories to share?

What have you got for me?

PLEASE NOTE: If you have any concerns about your children’s bowel habits, please go and see your GP or pharmacist.