I hope somebody can speak to my concerns or has had a similar problem.  I
have a twenty-two-year-old daughter who is probably considered to have
pervasive developmental disorder--the diagnoses weren't quite the same
when she was small or at least she wasn't really diagnosed.  She also has
times when she has constipation--not hard stools but just can't go--and
the only diagnosis we've been given for that is irritable bowel syndrome.
Feeling that milk was aggravating her problems, and also considering
seriously placing her on the gluten-free casein-free diet (though
admitedly I've been edging slowly and cautiously toward that course of
action), I had removed
her milk and, at our doctor's recommendation, given her soy milk though
not in large quantities.  My main reason for giving the soy milk, and the
doctor's reason for recommending it, is our concern that a calcium
supplement would aggravate her constipation problems.  However, it has
come to my attention that she would have to drink three 8oz. glasses of
soy milk per day to get the needed calcium--she drinks about 12oz. a
day--and
Many on the gfcf diet also prove to be also soy intolerant.
Furthermore, I am now reading concerns on such websites as
http://thyroid.about.com/health/thyroid/library/weeklyaa083099.htm and
http://www.leaflady.org/soy.htm
While I realize you can't just believe every thing you read on the web,
and while I also know it's hard to get to the bottom of such things
because the soy promoters accuse the dairy industry and the dairy
promoters accuse the soy industry, I am concerned.  Also, it was
recommended to me at my local health foods store that I give my daughter a
combination calcium/magnesium to counteract possible increased
constipation.  I was warned that this did in some people (but not usually)
cause stomach discomfort--well, I should have known that it therefore
would in my daughter Rachel--and it did.  Can anybody give me suggestions
for making sure she gets enough calcium without aggravating her bowel
problems; I know some may recommend digestion-related supplements or
enzymes but with her
history of reacting to medications/supplements I don't want to change too
many things at once and then not know what is causing problems.  It's hard
enough to figure that out as it is.  Also, how concerned should I be about
the dangers of soy, as it seems that most ice cream replacements and even
a lot of substitutes for wheat products contain gluten?  I don't want to
try to jump out of the frying pan and end up in the fire.  Thanks.
If this post is a little confusing to anybody, it's because I tried to
word it so I could post it to two lists at once; just take whatever part
you have answers for and respond.  I'd especially like to hear from
anybody who is using some kind of calcium supplement and also has
constipation problems or some form of irritable bowel syndrome.

                              Cheryl