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Four year old intentionally wetting himself?

2 replies

expatkat · 07/04/2004 03:04

There have been a few recent threads about 4 yr-olds wetting themselves at school. The consensus seems to be that these are accidents that occur when a child is engrossed in what he's doing &/or doesn't get to the toilet quite on time. But my ds, 4.5, seems to be intentionally wetting himself. Not only does it happen at school, but at other children's houses, in the car, and in our own home, sometimes a few times a day, and often when he's just been reminded to use the toilet. Today, for example, when I went to to collect him from school, the teacher informed me about his most recent "accident" and ds smiled through her whole story then proceeded to wet himself AGAIN right then and there. It's so unlike him. He's shy, sensitive, well-mannered and not at all aggressive. It's a brand new development--has been going on for about a week or 2.

Can stress cause this? We've been in the US for 6 months. He's made friends & developed a life here, & now knows that he will soon be returning to London to his old school etc. He doesn't seem upset about the prospect, & yet he's wetting himself. Any other ideas? --expat
PS I tried to talk to him about it today. At first he wasn't interested in discussing it, but later said that he doesn't want to "interrupt" the teacher and can't seem to hold in the wee. And yet I saw him smile and do it again, clearly on purpose. His nanny has observed the same.

OP posts:
expatkat · 07/04/2004 13:23

Just bumping this query, which I wrote in the middle of night. Any experience, anyone?

OP posts:
rsv1000r · 07/04/2004 18:03

My ds (5 just)does this as well, although I am not sure it is intentional on his part. Again, he gets engrossed in what he is doing and doesn't seem to get the signal that he needs to go. He does have cerebral palsy but it is mild and his paediatrian doesn't seem to be bothered about it - but it is really a pain. He also still has to wear a nappy at night as he doesn't seem to be able to manage dry at night either.

Could it just be attention seeking, if you are in the process of moving etc then your energies may be focussed elsewhere and he may be picking up on that.

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