A dog’s story helps to explain how to recognise, deal with and prevent difficulties when using the toilet, explain a group of reviewers with learning disabilities
The Trouble with PooMargaret Flynn, Jackie Downer, Karen Horridge and Dave Robinson Illustrated by Beth Webb Beyond Words, 2019, 61pp, paperback: £10; ebook: £4.95
We thought the pictures in the book were very easy to understand and we could understand the story when we talked about what was happening in the pictures. Some of us had slightly different ideas about what the story was saying. Some people thought that touching the dog when she was eating had made the lady unwell; some people thought the dog was unwell because it was eating chips and other food. Having a story of the dog going to the vet first was a nice way of showing that it is good to go and get checked out by a doctor if you are unwell, even if it is a bit embarrassing. The book showed how to know if your poo is not right and how you would feel. There is medicine you can take sometimes but you should also eat healthy food, drink plenty of water and exercise too. You should always wash your hands after touching animals. We thought it was very good that it showed that you can say no to a doctor if you do not want to be examined. We don’t think doctors always explain this. We looked at some of the information at the back of the book. The explanation of words was helpful as well as the chart that showed the different types of poo. We talked about the advice to support workers at the end of the book. We think that support workers should know about these things and be looking out for signs, such as people going to the toilet more or less than usual, and talking to people about it, especially when working with people who might not be able to say if they are in pain or are unwell. We thought the instructions about how to read the book would be better right at the front instead of at the end. It made a lot more sense when we discussed what was happening in the pictures but we had all tried to make sense of it ourselves before we saw that we should be talking about it.
This review was written by a group of people with learning disabilities staying as guests at the
Kingsbridge Road respite service in Kensington, London, which is managed by the Westminster Society for People with Learning Disabilities
