Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

In being at the end of my tether with ds? (Toilet issues.)

186 replies

bigflowerdog · 01/11/2019 18:32

Name changed for this as people on here know me irl but I've been around for ages and promise I'm not a weird poo perve.

DS is nearly 6 and just started school this September. He's been fully potty trained since he was about 2.5 (I think, around then anyway) with no issues.

He's just started pooing himself everyday! Sometimes twice a day. It's been about 2 weeks now. We've been very gentle and understanding but yesterday it ashamed to say I got pretty angry with him. I realised he had poo all over his hands and clothes and was just carrying on as normal! He got really upset and obviously I felt like a very shitty parent. Sad

He's also been hiding his pooey pants in places.

Today I got a call from his teacher, he's done it at school. Is this something I should take him to a doctor about? Could it be a physical thing? I yet can't see how or why it would be psychological.

The other kids are going to start to notice, it's a small community, people remember things kids did 30 years ago. He'll forever be the kid that used to shit himself. Sad

Anyone ever experienced this? Ugh. My patience is wearing really thin with it but I want to be as gentle as possible, going in full steam clearly won't help, especially if it isn't a medical thing.

OP posts:
bigflowerdog · 02/11/2019 16:51

Sorry for the swears. I'm just sad this is happening to ds. I got severely bullied at school and it's affected me my whole life.

OP posts:
Cornettoninja · 02/11/2019 17:01

Just adding to the chorus that I think he’s impacted which is shit for everyone (pardon the pun).

Pull ups are a short term strategy but clearly you can’t just let him soil himself. It’s for the best at the moment.

DustyWindows · 02/11/2019 17:25

.

bigflowerdog · 02/11/2019 17:28

@Cornettoninja but I don't think they'll help. When he does it it's pretty runny and EVERYWHERE. And he's not noticing and going about his day. His clothes from school yesterday were plastered in it. Even the outside of his top. His teacher told him to clean himself up and he didn't. She had to do it for him. Her exact words were 'I could have been put in jail for that but I don't know what to do'. She didn't want to leave him like that and wait for me to get there.

It's happened twice more since I posted. I'm seriously losing it. (Quietly to myself obviously.) I feel like we can't even leave the house now let alone go to school.

I've locked myself in the toilet for a good cry.

OP posts:
bigflowerdog · 02/11/2019 17:29

Is there anything I can do in the short term if it is impacting? Apple juice? Or will that make it worse?

OP posts:
Countryescape · 02/11/2019 17:39

Sounds like my daughter. Very very fussy. Constant constipation with bouts of diarrhoea. You know he may have so sensory issues. Kids like this usually do. She has improved but her paediatrician said she is highly atuned to texture, taste, smell and so is put off many foods. It’s not really being fussy it’s far more extreme than that. People who don’t have kids like that just don’t get it. I hope the paediatrician can help.

Redspider1 · 02/11/2019 17:40

I think enemas are the usual treatment so not something you can do at home. My DD was constipated and given lactulose to soften her stool and it worked but don’t think she was impacted. Did your Dr feel his abdomen?

Countryescape · 02/11/2019 17:40

You’re going to have to put him in nappies. You can get special kids ones for poo.

Cornettoninja · 02/11/2019 17:50

I still think you need to try them, something absorbent has got to be better than clothes.

I’m not unsympathetic, my dd(4) really suffers with constipation and at its worst it’s like a newborns poo explosion. (Un)luckily she’s still in nappies because toilet training is severely impeded by the whole business and I don’t want her to associate it with pain but the nappies do contain it better to a point.

bigflowerdog · 02/11/2019 18:05

The doctor didn't feel his tummy.

We have big kid nappies as he's not dry at night, I'll use them.

He does have sensory issues. I do too. When I was younger I really struggled with food. I called him fussy but that's not fair. He re tries food every few months or so. He wants to like different things. For instance avocado. He loves the look of it. He keeps trying it and it just makes him reach and cry.

I can't eat egg white. If I see it it makes me feel very ill. If can't cook or see raw chicken or anything of that texture. I forced myself to cook it when dh was away (and ds would still eat it) but I'd have to wear gloves and wouldn't be able to eat it.

DS has never seen any of this, I've been extremely careful not to let him know I have these issues. Is it possible it's some weird genetic thing? We're both the same with water too. I can't stand it on my head or face or arms (I take baths, it seems to be ok if it's all at once for some weird reason) and ds is weird about it too.

OP posts:
bigflowerdog · 02/11/2019 18:06

I've told his teacher unless it stops over the weekend he won't be in next week until it's sorted and she's offered to drive over with wine bless her.

Obviously I don't think getting drunk would help much right now but I appreciate the thought!

OP posts:
Minxmumma · 02/11/2019 18:13

My ds went through very similar, turned out he was gluten intolerant that caused IBS type symptoms and he would go from totally impacted constipation causing leakage to the runs in days.

When he was really poorly we had glycerine suppositories and movicol which really helped keep everything moving steadily rather than stop start. We then tried food removal until we got it down to gluten. He is an older teen now and is rarely unwell, if he is we can pinpoint it to a specific food - usually one that has changed ingredients and he hasn't realised.

Speak to your gp and often school nurses can help.

It is key to avoid attaching stress to it as much as you can.

endofthelinefinally · 02/11/2019 18:14

Have you watched the poo nurses video?
It takes you through the programme step by step. You can try it at home with OTC movicol/equvalent product.

youngscrappyandhungry · 02/11/2019 18:18

Oh OP, I'm so sorry that you didn't get more help or support from the pediatrician today, though as a fellow American I'm not surprised— these days it feels like primary care doctors rush to refer out anything that is seen as even slightly new or complex. I can feel your frustration and disappointment through your posts, so I wanted to give you some ideas on things you can do and think about over the weekend.

I'm a behavioral therapist for children with disabilities who often have complex medical needs and toileting issues naturally go hand in hand with that. I often consult with schools through my work to create behavior plans and ensure that children's medical directives as being adhered to by teachers and key workers as part of their IEPs (individualized education plans, for the non-Americans). I admit that I gasped out loud when you said your son was not being allowed free access to the bathroom at school and that he has come to be fearful of school bathrooms as a result. You are absolutely right to say that no five or six year old should be denied the ability to go to the bathroom when requested, but that's doubly the case when a child is dealing with GI issues and/or having frequent accidents. It's hard to know if anxiety over using the bathroom and holding in poo is what caused your son's soiling problem, but it is has certainly worsened the problem, at a minimum. Once you've seen the specialist and gotten a diagnosis and care plan, I'd ask them to write up their recommendations for your son's bathroom needs at school and request a meeting with your son's teacher and principal to go over it and talk about how it will be implemented. His medical needs must be accommodated to the letter.

If I'm understanding your update correctly, you also suspect your son could have cyclic vomiting syndrome? How often is he vomiting? That is very concerning, particularly when paired with the soiling and frequent diarrhea and definitely needs to be mentioned to the pediatric gastroenterologist when you see him. It could be a sign that your son's chronic constipation has become severe or could signal a different GI disorder is causing his issues, such as IBS, Crohn's disease, or celiac disease. It is critical that your son gets seen as soon as possible. I would call the office you've been referred to as soon as they open on Monday and explain that your son is having explosive diarrhea multiple times a day which has worsened significantly over the past month to the extent that you can no longer send him to school because they aren't equipped to manage it. I would also mention the periods of intense vomiting and the fact that he's had what at first appeared to be stomach bugs three times in the past month, but without a fever or exposure to other sick children. Tell them in your opinion, he MUST be seen this week and you are willing to come any time or wait in the waiting room for multiple hours if that is what it takes to get him seen. If they can't get you in within that time frame, ask them to recommend another pediatric gastro in the area that has an opening sooner. Don't be fobbed off. Be polite but firm and make sure they understand just how worried you are about your son.

Back to keeping your son at home for the time being, I think you are making the right call, though I understand how stressful it is to have to clean up multiple accidents per day. I would go ahead and start your son on a children's probiotic (they make gummy ones for picky eaters) or have him eat a yogurt that is high in beneficial bacteria like Activia if he will willingly eat it, as it can help with a range of stomach ailments and has no known contraindications. I would also get him in the habit of sitting on the toilet every 2-3 hours for at least 5 minutes, regardless if he feels like he has to go, since he's become scared to use the bathroom and isn't noticing his body's signals that he needs to poop currently. Set a timer and let him do something he enjoys during that time like listen to music or watch his favorite cartoon on an iPad if that's what it takes to get him to relax (relaxed, distracted child = relaxed sphincter muscles which can help him poop). Push fluids as much as you can too since constipation is worsened by dehydration and diarrhea can cause dehydration.

I'd also ask your husband to swing by a drugstore and purchase a stash of Pull-ups or similar. In my experience, the Tena brand super overnight heavy absorbency underwear work really well. I use them with a client with cerebral palsy who still has random soiling issues once or twice a week. He wears them daily and his bowel movements are almost always contained in his Tena briefs without getting on his clothes or anything else. You can usually find them at CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, or similar.

Finally, I'd try to keep a food and bowel movements journal over the weekend. Make a note of what your son eats and drink, the amount of intake, and when he consumes it. Record every time he goes to the toilet and if he produces anything or not. Have a look at the Bristol stool scale and use that to categorize his output. Do the same for any accidents he has. Bring your notes to your specialist appointment as they will find the data very useful.

Hang in there, OP. Hope this helps!

Mishappening · 02/11/2019 18:19

Firstly please do not feel bad about getting cross - you know it was not ideal, I know it was not ideal - but you are human. When my DD did this, I used to ask my OH to deal with it as he was better at not getting cross. It is difficult not to, as part of you is saying "For goodness sake - he knows how to do this!!"

It is a bit worrying that the doc did not put a hand on his tummy. I would go and see someone else frankly. The overflow of loose stool is a very likely explanation, as others have said.

I just wanted to say - don't give up and hang on in there. It will stop.

bigflowerdog · 02/11/2019 18:36

Thank you so much again for your replies.

He's been sat on the loo for a while now and is pretty much constantly pooing.

A good friend of mine works at the local er and has actually said maybe it would be a bad thing to take him in there and see how impacted or big the blockage is. She going to call and find out who the paediatric doctor is this weekend and speak to them.

We've started the food diary. He already takes a tablet probiotic, we've done that because of the CVS. He's actually only had one attack of (what we think is) CVS in the last 6 months. He seems to have grown out of it.

We definitely will be talking to everyone involved in the school. It's sad but DH essentially being everyone's boss will probably give more weight to our requests.

OP posts:
bigflowerdog · 02/11/2019 18:38

He used to vomit every 5-6 weeks. It was brought on by tiredness, not eating a good dinner and excitement. We were on the verge of seeing a specialist when it pretty much stopped.

OP posts:
bigflowerdog · 02/11/2019 18:45

DH thinks the ER is over the top and it's not really an emergency but he's had probably 10+ accidents today. I can't just make him sit on the toilet all day!

And it's not like the NHS where we'll be using much stretched resources. We pay anyway.

My friend said there's a great paed doctor on at the er this weekend and she'll listen to our concerns if we take him in. I don't know what to do.

OP posts:
OrangeSlices998 · 02/11/2019 18:48

OP I wish I could give you a hug! You’re doing everything you can your son is very lucky to have such a wonderful mum, remember that.

Personally, I’d take him in. He could be dehydrated, it’s an abnormal number of times to be going to the toilet for a child who isn’t unwell in any other way.

namechangeick · 02/11/2019 19:07

No advice but really hope things get better for all your sake. You've dealt with this great so far Thanks

gingerbiscuits · 02/11/2019 19:22

Take him! In a heartbeat!! What have you got to lose? You could be waiting ages to be referred & the current situation sounds absolutely awful for him as well as you. Poor little man.

Pinkypurple35 · 02/11/2019 19:30

Oh this sounds hard. You can see impaction on an X-ray and id be pretty much insisting he has one. Also maybe a stool sample to rule out any infection. I wouldn’t give him any fruit juice if it is IBS it will make it worse.

Mydogmylife · 02/11/2019 19:31

I would take him .........the sooner you get a handle on what's happening the sooner you can start any treatment

blindmansbluff · 02/11/2019 19:32

Take him in! I can't believe the first doctor didn't even feel his tummy. My daughter has regular constipation and the drs can always feel when she's blocked up.

youngscrappyandhungry · 02/11/2019 19:32

Is it a children's ER or a large one that sees a mix of adult and pediatric patients? I've found that children's ERs tend to be much better about moving patients through to be seen without crazy waits. Can you go online and see their current wait time to get an idea of what to expect? I do think if he's been having diarrhea for what seems like hours, you have a valid reason for an ER visit. Young children can get dehydrated so easily, particularly kids who don't drink a lot to begin with. It may be hard for your son to keep up with his fluid needs with that much output. Does his tummy look distended (pushed out) to you more than usual? Does he have sunken in eyes or dry lips (signs of dehydration). Is there any blood in his poo? Is he having belly pain or cramping? If yes to any of those, definitely take him, particularly since you know a good pediatrician is working. Good luck!

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.

Swipe left for the next trending thread