When my mother was pregnant with me, she had significant iron deficiency. This was the early 60"s, when a pregnant woman's iron level was not checked. There was also another reason why my mother had iron deficiency. I was conceived three months after my sister was born, so my mother's body had not recovered.
Due to her iron deficiency, I was born premature and had a very low birth weight. I was born about two weeks overdue, so was premature even though I was a full term baby.
When I was born they noticed I was very anemic, so I was given a significant amount of iron, which was added to my formula milk. As is known iron supplements cause, constipation and pain when pooing. Due to the pain, I had when pooing, I started to withhold. As a baby withholding caused me to forget how to poo, so withholding became normal, so I was not consciously withholding. No matter how much my parent's tried, they could not get me to poo in the potty. During my years of suffering from this, I was admitted to hospital numerous times, for the Dr's to try different things and tests in an effort to get me to poo. In hospital and at home, I must have been prescribed every known medicine or pills to get me to poo. The Dr's conclusion was that I was being lazy and withholding was a mental issue. During the years of my condition I had plenty of enemas, must be over 500. Due to my condition I was diagnosed with a mega colon when I was 5. If my parents or the Dr's had realised I did not know how to poo and taught me, this would not have lasted 13 years.
Luckily for me, my GP (Dr) retired, so I got another one. This new GP was recently qualified, and had worked in a children's hospital. He knew immediately what the problem was and got me to describe any regular feeling I got. I explained I had regular feelings of a flush face and feeling that my hair was standing up. This was the answer he needed. He told me that the feeling was my body trying to get rid of the poo and anytime I felt that feeling I was to sit on the toilet and the poo would come out. He also told me that pooping would sometimes hurt as the longer it is in my body the more fluid it loses. I took my GP's advice and what he said worked, and I finally learnt how to poo. I do not need to wait for the previous signs I now recognise the feeling I need to poo. I suffered 13 years of soiling myself, all because no one investigated that I did not know how to poo. There are probably 100's of children going through what I did. Dr's need to learn, all that may be required is to teach the child to recognise their body telling them to poo. Due to my mega colon, I normally go every 4 to 5 days. The other issue it has given me is acid reflux due to the pressure my stomach was under when I was not pooping. Despite an operation to try and resolve my acid reflux, it is still there, I believe it is being caused by my mega colon.
I am happy to provide information and help to anyone. The medical profession should do more, they just need to speak to people like me. 13 years of experience, especially gained in the 60's and 70's is not something which should be ignored. Those of you in the UK should have heard of the Bristol Stool Chart. This was developed using my hospital medical notes, as I am from Bristol.
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