dd - 6 soiling herself after a bout of constipation

[roundabout1]

dd was constipated, never normally has this problem & got a very sore bottom. Thought everything was all sorted, had been putting cream on her bottom but since everything is back to normal she keeps soiling herself. She thinks she is passing wind but then soils herself & often sits on the toilet thinking she needs to go doesn't manage anything & then after wards her pants are filthy. Any advice?

It could be overflow if she's still a bit backed up. Are you sure the constipation is cleared?

I thought itwas as dd1 said her tummy didn't hurt but thinking about it it may not have cleared, she didn't passthat much really I suppose considering she's been constipated. She's had weeks of tonsillitis & antibiotics so wondering if that's upset everything.

What's overflow? OP, my ds1 was constipated for a week. He was ill and didn't eat much, which I think caused it. Anyway, the day after he finally 'went' I found him crying in the toilet at 11pm with his hands covered in poo. I think he woke up, went to do a wee, scratched his bum and got hands covered in poo. Maybe you can also get a bit de-sensitised. Could you ask your dd to wipe her bum after every loo visit 'just in case', whilst this gets sorted.

Sounds like she's still constipated. You can get "de-sensitised" too. If she's normally fine, then I'd probably work on trying to get her to drink lots, eat lots of fruit (not bananas) and get her to stay on the toilet for longer (read to her perhaps) ANd praise her to the skies if she produces anything.

If that's not clearing then speak to the GP. My dd2 got constipated and it took about 2 years to get her back to normal.

Gosh, 2 years DeWe. I think overripe bananas are quite good. Boiled eggs are bad (according to my Mum). I gave my ds lactulose as well. What made hin go in the end was an abundance of cashew nuts, which he loves!

Overflow is basically where there is a hard mass of stool which is blocking the rectum, and loose stool flows around the edges of the mass and causes soiling. It's pretty common.

Is she on any medication? Maybe some sort of movicol?

If there is an impaction then medication such as movicol will be needed to clear the impaction. This can lead to serious pain, lack of appetite and ultimately lack of growth and low iron levels etc if not cleared.

My understanding is that lactulose or diet/increased drinking do not clear the impaction but they will help to prevent it reoccuring once it has been cleared although as dewe says children may have to remain on movicol for years.

It is very easy for us as parents to not realize a child is impacted and think the bowels are OK because poo is being passed daily when it is actually overflow or perhaps it is only passed after warm bath etc.

Thanks everyone - well she seems ok the last two days, two big poos daily, no soiling other than the occasional skid mark! She seems a lot happier in her self too. Will be keeping an eye on it though.
Thanks again