NDIS Dietitian Support for Constipation, Diarrhoea and Bowel Management

Let’s be honest, nobody enjoys talking about poo. But bowel health affects almost every part of our lives.

We’ve all had those moments when our tummy doesn’t agree with us—maybe from something we ate or a stomach bug and suddenly, our whole day changes. We might:

Skip a morning walk

Take a sick day from school or work

Avoid shops or social events in case of a bathroom emergency

Change what we eat to try and settle symptoms

For some people, though, this isn’t an occasional issue, it’s an everyday reality. And when constipation, diarrhoea, or other bowel changes become ongoing, they can seriously impact health, independence, and quality of life.

Why People Living with Disability Often Struggle with Bowel Issues

People living with disability are more likely to experience constipation, diarrhoea, and gut discomfort. This can happen for many reasons, including diet, medications, mobility, and lifestyle.

Intellectual disabilities – linked to low fibre/fluid intake, limited diet variety, medication side effects, inactivity, poor toileting position, or delaying the urge to go.
Psychosocial disabilities – often influenced by low-fibre diets, stress, anxiety, inactivity, or medication effects.
Neurological and physical disabilities – bowel changes may stem from impaired mobility, texture-modified diets, thickened fluids, malnutrition, slower gut motility, or medications.

For participants, these gut symptoms don’t just cause discomfort they can affect engagement in therapies, participation in community activities, and day-to-day wellbeing.

Signs of Constipation, Diarrhoea, and Altered Bowel Movements

Everyone’s “normal” bowel pattern is different, but these symptoms may indicate an issue that needs attention:

Nausea or vomiting
Abdominal cramps and bloating
Excessive wind
Reduced appetite
Straining or spending a long time on the toilet
Opening bowels less than every 3 days (constipation)
Opening bowels more than 3 times per day (diarrhoea)
New or unexplained changes in bowel habits
Type 1–2 or 5–7 stools on the Bristol Stool Chart

Persistent symptoms like these are a sign to seek support from a health professional.

How Dietitians Improve Gut Health and Bowel Management

The good news is that diet plays a huge role in preventing and managing bowel issues. With the right guidance, participants can often achieve better comfort and consistency.

At Optimum Intake Dietitians, we provide bowel management support by:

Educating participants on how food and eating habits affect gut health
Adjusting diets to improve bowel regularity with practical strategies and ideas
Supporting food intolerance investigations without unnecessary restrictions
Providing tools like bowel charts to track changes
Recommending fibre supplements or medications (when needed, in collaboration with the GP)
Working with continence nurses and other professionals for a multidisciplinary approach