Would you worry if....

[Britney]

your 2yo ds was doing anything from 3 to 6 poos a day, most of them soft or sloppy, BUT was eating normally, maintaining weight and generally ok in himself?

[Twiglett]

no

[piffle]

nope

[LadySherlockofLGJ]

not at all.

Happy Birthday BTW Twiglett.

[WigWamBam]

No, not at all. Sounds normal to me.

[Rhubarb]

I have just taken TLD to the docs this morning, he is 23 months and has been doing sloppy poos for months, usually about 2 times a day, but otherwise he has been fine, hence the delay in going to the docs. Turns out he has an infection and we now have heaps of medicine to give him. Take him to the doctors!

[popsycal]

My ds1 did this until he was potty trained at 2 years 8 months...
Still goes at least twice a day though.
DS1 is a healthy, big for his age, 3 year old!

[Twiglett]

'snot my soddin' birthday

[JoolsToo]

never one to agree with the masses - 6 sounds excessive to me (every day) think I would check with GP just to be sure

[popsycal]

ah - my posts crossed with Rhubarbs....
maybe take him to docs to ease your mind

[JoolsToo]

no it's April some time isn't it?

[Marina]

Not at all Britney. Some toddlers go through a phase of what is called toddler diarrhoea, although it is clearly not "stomach upset" explosive stools. It's pretty common and as you say, if they are otherwise well and in good fettle, just a lovely extra for their devoted parents.

[Twiglett]

the bowels are a wonderful evacuation instrument .. anything that comes out isn't needed .. if your child looked under-nourished or ill I might be concerned otherwise he just poos a lot

[Rhubarb]

Yes but it depends how long it has been going on for. I was advised on Mumsnet not to take TLD to the docs, was told it was probably an allergy or nothing to worry about. So we left it and I took him today because the creché advised me too. He has a gut infection. It really is worth getting these things checked out. It might just be one of those things, but it also easily might be something else.

Are his poos very smelly too?

[Rhubarb]

Sorry, that should be 'to' not 'too', just in case the grammar moderators are around!

[HRHQoQ]

Yes - but then DS1 only poo-ed every couple of days at that age, and DS2 (now 23 months) only does 2 (maximum) a day now.

[flamesparrow]

Gotta ask... TLD?

[Rhubarb]

The Little Demon of course!

[Twiglett]

if smelly poos are a sign of trouble, I'm going to start getting worried about DD .. 'cos she honks

[flamesparrow]

Oooooooooooh, I think I need to switch DD to DC then! She is always being called Demon Child

[Rhubarb]

Smelly poos are apparently a sign of trouble in the gut. If her ds is having sloppy and smelly poos, and has been having them for some time, then I really would advise a trip to the docs.

Flamesparrow, that's tame compared to what we call him at home!

[Britney]

Went to docs back in September - mentioned toddler diarrhoea and advised we took him off all dairy products. 2 weeks later re-introduced milk and pooing started again, so thought it might be lactose intolerance. Doctor agreed and eventually referred him to paediatrican. He now has soya milk & yoghurt and doesn't eat cheese. But over last 2 weeks things have become unsettled again (more excessive pooing) with no obvious reason why. Paeds appointment is next week. Now feeling like a paranoid mother!!!

[flamesparrow]

If there have been problems in the past, then I would get it checked out.

[rummum]

my son had really smelly loose pooh when he was this age, we took him to the doctor, who sent a bit off to be tested and it come back normal.... if you could call it normal... Doctor said it was toddler diarrhoea...
just like Marina said really

[flamesparrow]

Just one thing I might mention though... my friend's son is intolerant to piles of things, they thought it was all going wrong again, and then found out he'd been snaffling jaffa cakes with no-one noticing

[Twiglett]

Previous history puts a totally different light on it though and would make me think there's a food intolerance at play. I think you should mention it to paed.