Poo leakage in 5yo

[PrincessWatermelon]

My 5yo DD has started leaking poo between toilet trips. Many times she isn't aware it has happened, although it is frequently before she needs the loo (so discovers it then). She struggled initially with pooing in the toilet, but had it cracked well before she was 3. She had a course of antibiotics a couple of months ago, so I put the leakage down to that. But it has carried on. Maybe 3x a week she'll have skid marks, 2x a week clean knickers and 2x a week we will chuck the knickers.

I've said we ought to visit the doctor, but she really isn't keen (I know it's not her choice!) And it seems a silly thing to go about. I feel like I've been loads as she keeps getting UTIs (no doubt related), she has asthma too.

Any experience or advice? Thanks.

Doctors- sounds like constipation.

Why don't you wash her knickers?

Sounds exactly like my dd she is 6 now and it's been going on for about a year.
Doctors were useless just took a stool sample said it was normal and basically told me she was fine!
She can be ok for ages then it suddenly happens again.
I have to throw her knickers away too, they are far too dirty to wash and they would be stained. Knickers are only cheap from Asda!

The skid marks I obviously wash. But when I'd have to scoop it out, it really doesn't seem worth it. Especially when I'm out and about. Knickers are pretty cheap.

I did wonder about constipation, although she goes at least once a day. She has a good diet with fruit and veg, so I'd be surprised if it was constipation.

Good point to take a stool sample with me to the docs if I do go.

As others have said the cause will be due to constipation. And she won't have any control over the leakage aka overflow diarrhoea. See GP and ask for a referral, I would say as a parent that has been through this process, your DD will needs allergy tests, for wheat, dairy etc and medication, to firstly remove any blockage and then to keep her regular. Given my experience, it won't just go away, and as I said before DD will NOT be able to control it. The earlier DD sees Dr the better, as the consultant we saw said for every year of constipation, equals a year of medication. I know how worrying this situation can be, my son is absolutely fine now, so it can be easily fixed, so don't worry. Good luck.

My DD was going once a day with no apparent problems, healthy diet, lots of fruit and veg. But she still had severe constipation. It took a lot of Movicol to sort it out. Takeover to the Dr and have them feel her stomach. It's much harder to spot in children because they carry on going to the toilet due to overflowing around the blockage.

Thanks for that. I will take her for sure. I think I needed to hear that I wouldn't be making a fuss over nothing. Will book her in ASAP.

I know it's involuntary and I've been careful to ensure she knows I'm not cross and just to help clean her up.

That's good, honestly nothing to worry about, GP's are very used to these situations. The consultant we saw was amazing, explained everything so simply, my DS takes 2 sachets of Paediatric Movical each morning and one 5ml spoon of pico sulphate (dulcolax) every evening. My son also had a good diet but still suffered constipation. Life is better for him and me now. Wishing you all the best.

Sorry to hijack but I was going to post almost the exact same thing asking for advice about my 3 year old. For the past 4/5 days she's been leaking a bit of poo in to her pants. She's been toilet trained for 6 months now with no prior issues. Shes always gone for a poo more than once a day, which she is still doing but she was ill a couple of weeks ago and her poo has been a bit softer than usual so I put it down to that at first, but she's been otherwise well for a week now. Should I take her to the GP do you think?

Happened to my granddaughter at about the same age/starting school. She was far too busy enjoying herself to go to the loo in time, or indeed, wipe effectively. It resolved itself.

Happened to my granddaughter at about the same age/starting school. She was far too busy enjoying herself to go to the loo in time, or indeed, wipe effectively. It resolved itself.

I'm not sure it is that she forgets because she's busy. She tells me it's not when she farts and also not just from not wiping sufficiently (we were out today and so I supervised all her toileting with my younger DD). She's pooed three times today though! But will book a GP appt.

If DD says she's not forgetting and she cannot help it, GP, no consultant will treat a child with medication if they don't feel it's necessary. It will put your mind at rest too, with my son it would NOT have resolved itself and it went on for way too long, it got worse and caused him pain and embarrassment. I tried everything to try and resolve it before visiting GP, high fibre, more fluids, increased fruit and veg, offered rewards, nothing worked.