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Similar but different to Spidermama's problem with a 5 yo and dirty pants....

8 replies

specialmagiclady · 01/07/2010 21:37

Since starting school DS1 has taken to crapping his pants, almost every day this week.

When he was doing it at school in the first term, I was reasonably calm. After all, it's a new and exciting place, there's a lot going on that he might not want to interrupt etc. However, he's starting doing it at home now - not even when something exciting is happening. Just playing on the floor this afternoon, he wet and poo-ed everywhere. Not pleased.

My tactic is basically to get him to clean himself up, put the washing on and then help me with whatever I would have been doing while supervising this activity (today he had to tidy the playroom and hang up the washing). I want him to understand that while it may seem a waste of time to spend time in the toilet, it's not half as much of a waste of time as cleaning up after himself.

He quite often smells of poo... it's yucky! Any tips?

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DaftApeth · 01/07/2010 21:57

Are you sure he is not constipated and that soiling is not over-flow from an impaction?

Search 'soiling', 'encopresis' on here and you will find lots of threads.

It is a common problem and there are lots of things you can do to help. If it is this, he cannot control it, so it is not his fault.

cat64 · 01/07/2010 22:02

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DaftApeth · 01/07/2010 22:05

BTW it can also make them incontinent with wee too when they have an impaction.

specialmagiclady · 01/07/2010 22:08

I don't know if this is it; when he does go in the right place it's always a good solid floaty poo (not pellety constipation poo)and he has oats for breakfast every morning.

Still, perhaps should get him checked out to rule it out if nothing else. [daunted by ghastliness of trying to get appointment at GP...]

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DaftApeth · 01/07/2010 22:18

Ds did HUGE poos when he was constipated, never pellety ones.

The colon stretches and so the poos are huge.

I'd definitely get him checked.

Does he drink lots of water? Ds has to drink loads everyday to keep 'regular' and be made to sit on the loo each day becuase he does no get the signals from his stretched colon until it is almost too late to get to the loo - although he is getting much better.

cat64 · 01/07/2010 22:28

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specialmagiclady · 01/07/2010 22:47

Ok, will up water content and get him checked. Also will make sure he sits on loo after breakfast...

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DaftApeth · 02/07/2010 07:23

I find sitting on the loo about 20mins after food is best.

You will have to really, really up the water i.e. by loads

Give him rewards fo sitting on the loo (not necessarily for doing a poo yet) and drinking more.

Try not to make any negative comment when he soils, just help him to clean himself up. It is not something he can help/stop doing.

Good luck.

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