Why has my 5yr old suddenly stopped wiping her backside properly?

[notnowbernard]

She's 5.5 and for the last 2 yrs has been a very competent rear-end wiper, hardly ever ANY skids (sorry TMI but YKWIM)

For the last couple of weeks or so she has regularly left evidence that she hasn't wiped properly

Why could this be? She knows how to do it properly. There's quite a bit there sometimes! I've no experience of poo problems so any advice much appreciated

I know this is a shite unappealing subject, but would love some tips

Gosh well done for teaching her to do it properly. Mine never learnt.

Has her diet changed? Is she experiencing SPS (Sticky poo syndrome)? Leave some kandoos around and insist on a minimum of 3 wipes before hand.

LOL mrsmaidamess, I take it you aren't advising using her hand?

DG really? Is it that common for skids to be a regular occurence? Maybe I've been spoiled

No change in diet

Sticky Poo Syndrome? Tell me more!

Its a made up term in our house for when you feel like you havent had a 'clean wipe' and are in fact, just wiping the start of the next poo.

I am not saying my children dirty their pants that often (I think every child does occasionally though). It is just that whenever I happen to see them wiping, they are not doing it properly.

Have you watched your dd's technique recently?

My ds scrumples the loo roll up in to a tight ball the size of a plum and tries to use that. Its soooo not going to be effective.

I tried to teach him the 'mummify your hand' approach, but I'm not sure he's mastered it yet.

Hmm, possibly that is the explanation

She called me in to show me her skiddy pants (nice) so I checked how she'd wiped... there was evidence of drying, sticky poo left behind

She also describes sometimes having a "wet pop". At first I panicked (mildly) about constipation but I am certain she isn't

DG, I got her to show me today how she normally does it

She was effectively wiping her right buttock

May be this is the explanation I am searching for!

But was just a bit about why it had suddenly started happening

Is she in a hurry to get back to Big Cook Little Cook? That is usually the reason for sloppy bum wiping in my house.

Well, it's always been my opinion that the smug Mums who claim their 2, 3, 4 or 5 year old children wipe their bottoms perfectly actually just have children with firm poo that doesn't leave much mess behind in the first place... Maybe the consistency has changed recently?!... Any changes to the amount she is drinking/what she's eating and when?

Admittedly I may well have been smug about several things in life...

But I don't think bottom-wiping efficacy has been one of them. Seriously.

However, I do take your point that the consistency may have changed. She's just called me in to observe a wipe (lovely) and without minor assistance would have got in a right old pickle

Also told her the mummified hand tip - thanks for that one