I'm hoping I can be helpful here. I'm very sorry about your son. I can't imagine dealing with IBS as a child or a parent!
#1- It is very common for children with autism to have bowel problems. This is part of the reason why diet has been so influential in helping children with autism. Of course, there is a controversial topic, but I think it's pretty well documented that some children with autism do have some difficulties with certain foods, particularly gluten.
#2- I'm sure others on this board will say the say- go to the doctor! You said you already called the doctor, but I just want to emphasize the importance of this. The symptoms of IBS can often be symptoms of other serious diseases and your son needs to be checked for these as well before they can determine that IBS is the definite problem.
#3- It is certainly possible that your son's IBS was triggered by stress at school in first grade. First grade is quite a difficult transition for many children and there are many more challenges for your son. If this is the case, you will need to find ways to minimize the stress on your son. Even with proper diet, it is difficult to manage IBS without managing stress. Does your son have an aide at school? Have you talked to the teacher? They should really be designing instruction so that it is not so so stressful for your son. As a teacher, I know this can be difficult, but it needs to be done for the sake of your son's health and attitude towards school.
#4- Finally, you may want to read about soluble and insoluble fiber on this website and see if you can change your son's diet and see if that will help at all. Obviously it can be difficult to restrict the diet of a child, but particularly if your son has an aide at school you can get him or her on board and pack his lunch each day. Try to stick to soluble fiber foods and limit junk food as much as possible. Lots of kids cereals are safe- I love Cheerios. For lunch you can pack turkey sandwiches or even small amounts of peanut butter on white bread. Baked chips can make a good side. There are tons and tons of ideas on this website. It's certainly worth trying Heather's diet to see if that helps!
Good luck!
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Re: Child with IBS
