All he wants to do is eat poo

[TheDevilWearsPrimark]

This is no laughing matter, although myself and DP do snirk about it later.
My DS (2yo) has recently bcome obsessed with his poo. It started with him reaching into his nappies during the night, so we have tried putting him to bed in dungarees, but he can still get in there!
He pulls it out, and ends up with it smeared on his face and all over his hands, and then gets really upset when we take the poo away and wash him.
He now does it when we are out which causes no end of chaos.

We have tried giving him his dinner earlier in the hope he will poo before bedtime, putting him in a grobag (he hated it, fair enough) and of course check him constntly, but he just seems to do it as soon as he's filled his nappy.

Can anyone help me, it is driving me crazy, and I am worried about the health issues.

Could it be a sign that he is ready for potty training? Or am I just clutching at straws here?

Ah god

no answers

but deep sympathy

hope someone can help

My ds does this too

We are potty training at the minute & he has pants on.

Last week @ the c/minders house he reached into the nappy he had on in bed & lifted the poo out & smeared it all over her wall [sob]

We then started potty training on Monday & he has been ok since [fingers crossed]

This happened with my dd1. She was ready for potty training, but that may just be a conicidence.

The first few times we gave her a warm bath to clean her up - we really didn't know how to handle the situation - then when it carried on happening, and nothing we were doing or saying solved the problem, I gave her a cold shower to wash off the poo

That was the last time she smeared herself with poo.

I spoke to a behavioural specialist about this and other issues, and she thought it was probably down to attention seeking. She didn't exactly advocate the cold shower approach, but agreed that it worked in my dd's case.

Thanks!
Belgo , I know what you mean, the first time it happened I didn't know where to start! It was all over his cot, so he just got a very quick strip wash, then I scoured his cot and ten gave him a bath,
I think we will try him with a potty, or at least have one around the house.
I was going to wait so I am clueless about potty training tbh, must do some research!

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so it's not as unusual as I thought....

yes the cold shower worked, and hasn't left her scared of the shower, as she now really enjoys having a (warm) shower.

It really is a very nasty problem! And one that isn't obvious to solve - we felt like such bad parents, we couldn't tell anyone about it, which is why we saw the nurse specialist.

I also think she played with her poo out of curiosity - literally using it as play dough [barf!]

Mellowma, I can really empathise.

Recently he was happily playing so I called my mum for a chat, I came back to find he'd smeared poo all over the walls, his cotbars, the rug , his bookshelves and his toys (all in less than 10 minutes), and my initial reaction was anger. I didnt know where to start, as his room is the only 'baby proofed' room, so if I bathed him, I'd have to put im back in the room covered in pooh, but if I cleaned the room I would be leaving him with poo on his hair/face.
I ended up hurridly showeribg him ( he hates this too!) and putting him into the buggy whilst I cleaned the room. I swear his room constantly stinks of poo now.

I actually called DP in tears after I'd sorted it as it just seemed like such a disaster.

Belgo, I know what you mean about using it as playdo, He obviously doen't understand and sees it as fun, so is bound to be upset when he has it taken away.

Could it harm him at all? I know it comes from his own body, so I assume not, but I worry about infection from him doing this.

devil - that sounds exactly like me. Don't worry about being angry with your ds - that is a very natural reaction, and at some point he has to learn that what he is doing is wrong znd not socially acceptable.

I have never before admitted the extent of our problem, but DD1 plastered poo everywhere 15 times in total, and once in creche. It was soul destroying.

But it does stop I promise!!

devil, at the age of two, he is old enough to understand that it isn't a toy.

If he did ingest some of it, I think it could cause an upset tummy.

And I know what you mean about the smell. There's always that one bit hiding somewhere that you just don't see but can smell.....

Message withdrawn

My son did this at about the same age and was told that it was likely due to curiosity exploration...kind of on hand paint that can be used to make pretty patterns. At first it would be I would find a mess most mornings and then it gradually stopped.
As for infection try not to worry too much just think of the countless things they find to put in their mouths that you don't know were have been or come from.

mellowma - it's not something you're doing wrong - My dd2 has never once showed the sligtest bit of interest in her poo (phew)!

And typical of a grandparent to say that you're not handling it right, that's exactly why I never told my parents in law or my parents.

BTW, both my dc were very easily potty trained, so maybe potty training doesn't have anything to do with it.

Just read through and thanks so much, glad to hear I'm not alone in this.
I will post my thoughts later, need to go make diner now.