Gastrointestinal disorders

Gastrointestinal disorders are conditions of the digestive system, and in children they rarely stay in the gut: constipation, reflux, bloating and selective eating are among the most common findings in children with autism, ADHD and other neurodevelopmental conditions, and they affect sleep, mood and behavior. At WIN in Houston and San Juan, evaluating and treating the gut is part of nearly every neurodevelopmental protocol, because a child who hurts, cannot digest or cannot absorb nutrients has a harder time learning.

What are gastrointestinal disorders?

Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are conditions that affect the organs of digestion, from the esophagus and stomach to the small and large intestine. In children, common ones include chronic constipation, gastroesophageal reflux, food sensitivities and allergies, inflammation of the intestinal lining and imbalances in the gut microbiome, the community of bacteria that lives in the intestine.

The gut and the brain are in constant two-way communication through the vagus nerve, the immune system and the chemical messengers the gut produces. Research points to this gut-brain axis as one reason digestive problems are so common in children with autism and ADHD, and why treating the gut can change behavior.

A GI disorder is not the same as "picky eating" or a behavioral problem. A child who refuses foods, melts down at mealtimes or cannot sleep may be responding to discomfort that no one has identified.

Early signs parents notice

Young children cannot always say that their stomach hurts. In many families, the first signs are behavioral, and the digestive connection is only recognized later.

• Constipation: hard stools, straining, going several days without a bowel movement, or soiling accidents after being toilet-trained
• Loose stools, diarrhea or stools that alternate between the two
• Reflux or frequent spitting up in infants; burping, sour breath or arching after meals in older children
• A visibly bloated or distended belly, especially after eating
• Pressing the belly against furniture or lying over the arm of a sofa for relief
• Very selective eating: a short list of accepted foods, often white, crunchy or starchy
• Mealtime battles, gagging, or refusing to try new textures
• Night waking or restless sleep with no clear reason
• Irritability, aggression or meltdowns that cluster after meals or around bowel movements
• Eczema, rashes or dark circles under the eyes alongside digestive symptoms

If digestive symptoms have lasted more than a few weeks, or if your child's behavior or sleep seems tied to eating and elimination, request an evaluation rather than waiting for the child to outgrow it.

What causes gastrointestinal disorders in children, and why that matters for treatment

GI problems in children usually have more than one contributor. Research points to food sensitivities and allergies, an imbalanced microbiome, inflammation of the intestinal lining, nutritional deficiencies that affect gut motility, and genetic variants that influence how a child digests and metabolizes certain foods. Children with neurodevelopmental conditions often add sensory factors: textures and smells that the nervous system finds overwhelming narrow the diet, which in turn worsens the gut.

WIN evaluates for each of these because each calls for a different response. A child whose constipation comes from a sensitivity to a specific food needs that food identified and removed; a child with an inflamed gut and deficiencies needs the lining supported and the deficiencies corrected; a child whose selective eating is sensory needs the nervous system calmed before the diet can expand. Treating the symptom alone, with laxatives or reflux medication, can be necessary in the short term, but it does not change the cause.

How WIN evaluates gastrointestinal disorders

The Phase I initial medical evaluation lasts about 1 to 1.5 hours with Dr. Báez-Franceschi and roughly 3 hours in the office. Along with the medical and neurodevelopmental testing, she takes a detailed digestive history: stool patterns, feeding history from infancy, current diet, reactions to specific foods, antibiotic use and the timing of behavioral or sleep symptoms relative to meals.

Specialized laboratories are chosen for the child. For GI concerns they commonly include stool testing to assess the microbiome, digestion and inflammation; a food allergy panel; nutritional deficiencies; metabolic panels; and genetic testing when variants affecting digestion or metabolism are suspected. Results are reviewed at the follow-up appointment, where the first dietary and medical protocol is written.

In Phase II, the WIN neurodevelopment evaluations show how digestion and development interact. The Franceschi Method development test and the primitive reflex test are the most relevant, since retained reflexes and sensory-motor immaturity frequently sit behind oral-motor difficulties and selective eating. The listening test (CAPD) and tympanogram complete the baseline. Parents walk away with a written, individualized protocol.

How we treat gastrointestinal disorders: the three phases

Phase I — Evaluation and planning. The initial evaluation, specialized labs and follow-up appointment identify what is driving the digestive symptoms. If reflux or severe constipation needs conventional medication for relief while the cause is addressed, it is included in the plan.

Phase II — Evaluation results and protocols. Medical and nutritional protocols start right after the follow-up, and for GI disorders they are the core of treatment. A nutrition plan removes foods the labs identified as problematic and builds a diet the child can tolerate and that supplies what the brain needs. Individualized supplementation addresses deficiencies and supports digestion, and functional medicine protocols target the microbiome and inflammation. Dietary restrictions are reassessed as the gut heals; the goal is a wider diet over time, not a permanent list of forbidden foods.

Phase III — Multisensory and psycho-emotional therapy. Therapy supports the child whose eating and regulation have a sensory or emotional component. The sensory room helps the nervous system tolerate textures and smells, and behavioral health works with the family on mealtime routines and anxiety around food. Progress is measured constantly, and parents receive reports and training to carry the plan into the kitchen. The full approach is on the Franceschi Method® page.

What families can expect

GI treatment is mostly carried out at home, which makes it well suited to telemedicine follow-ups for families in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico; international families travel to Houston or San Juan for the in-person evaluation and therapy. Follow-up visits track stool patterns, diet, sleep and behavior, and the protocol is adjusted as labs are repeated.

Early progress often looks like more regular bowel movements, less bloating and better sleep, and many parents then notice calmer behavior and better attention. The pace varies with each child. Parents do the daily work: preparing the diet, keeping a simple food and symptom log, and reporting what changes.

If your child's digestion and behavior seem connected and no one has looked at both together, request an orientation with WIN in Houston or San Juan. We will explain the evaluation, the labs and what a gut-focused protocol looks like, in English or Spanish. Contact us to begin.