my 5 year old still poohs herself and just dont seem to want to get clean

[diamondmummy]

hi there, my daughter is 5 and is in primary school, she has alot off friends and is just a normal outgoing child but she is always poohing, she dont seem to care about it either, she was fast at potty training and was clean all the way through nursery, but the last 6 months or so she is in a pattern were she will NOT go to the loo, myself and her dad have tryed all sorts to get her clean, rewards, bribing and being firm, but nothing seems to work she just dont want to do it, she even soils herself at school which is rather embarrising for myself but she dont mind about the smell or the fact that its dirty, i really dont know what to do, its not going to be long before her friends at school realise whats goingon and i dont want her to lose friends at school because off it please someone give me some advise as im at the end off my teather now :(

I'm not sure how much advice I have, but you should know that you're not alone. My 4 year old son poos himself fairly regularly at school and at home, and doesn't seem to mind. He'll just sit in it and not tell us, either. I have no idea why he does it, and we've tried everything you've said. The only thing that has helped (a bit) is making sure he sits on the loo every morning after breakfast (a hot drink at breakfast helps a bit) and if need be, after he gets home from school as well. But just breakfast usually does it. Good luck, and try not to worry. They won't still be pooing themselves when they're 18.

okay

a few questions:

the poo, when she soils, what is it like?

soft, and skiddy, or a big lump, or rabbity poos?

I am asking because a chronically constipated child will get a really stretched bowel, and lose the sensation that they need to 'go'

lots of skiddy pants, or diarrhoea, can indicate a block of poo too big to pass, with fresh poo flowing around the block and leaking out

I think you ought to get to the GP for advice

poor DD

My ds is the same but has always had a problem with pooing. We have been doing a rewards plan system at school and home where he has to sit on the toilet for 4 mins every hour and afterwards lots of praise and a star whether he does anything on the toilet or not, but after a few months of this is has not worked at all and the school nurse has referred him for counselling as she thinks that he has a mental block of some kind when it comes to him going to the toilet, as he seems to want to do well but something is stopping him for being able to go for a poo in the toilet. Hoping this will work. Agree with PCBH that the GP is your first port of call, as that will hopefully be something that can be more easily helped with if it is chronic constipation. (not easy but easier maybe)