Many parents of children with Autism report that their child has stools with a sand-like appearance. This can be very concerning for parents who want to know what is causing this. There are a couple of very common reasons why children with Autism have sandy stools.
One of the most common causes of these comes from a lack of bile acid formation in the liver. Bile acid formation is required for fat soluble vitamin absorption. When there is a problem with bile acid formation, you will see sandy stools. One of the common remedies for this is from lack of bile acid formation is to treat with a supplement called Taurine.
Taurine is an amino acid that helps with bile acid formation and taking a supplement daily can help resolve the stools with a sand-like appearance. Another common cause of sandy stools is high oxalate levels. Oxalates are found in many leafy green vegetables and other foods. Adults who have high absorption rates of oxalates can be predisposed to suffering from kidney stones. Oxalates can combine with other minerals to create a crystal like structures that can look like sand in stools.
There are various resources on the internet to learn more about oxalates and what foods they are found in and give information on a low oxalate diet. Often times reducing the consumption of these foods can reduce the oxalate level and in return, can eliminate the stools your child may be having. So to recap, sandy stools can often times have two common causes. One cause may be a lack of bile acid formation in the liver. Supplementation with the amino acid Taurine can be very helpful in reducing it. Another common cause is a high level of oxalates in the diet. Reducing the amount of oxalates consumed can reduce it as well.