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Parenting

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Original poster

5yr old suddenly started having toilet accidents

11 replies

greenbirdsong · 22/12/2022 19:52

My 5yr old son has started having toilet accidents. Both wee and poo ones.

He's been toilet trained since he was 2.5 and we've never had issues before.

This has started in the last couple of weeks. He started school in September.
I've had a few calls from school where I've had to come and sort him out.
He's coming home smelling like wee.

He says he "doesn't know" why it's happening.

Why would he suddenly start doing this?

His behaviour is good at school, he's been very tired since he started so behaviour at home has been a little wild at times (not listening, pushing boundaries etc).

Anyone been through this?

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EezyOozy · 22/12/2022 19:52

Could he be constipated ?

Brenna24 · 22/12/2022 19:58

Is it only happening at school. If so could he be scared of the toilets at school? Or constipation could be causing it. Or he is coming down with a bug (but I would expect that to be short term). Or he is stressed about something (possibly the change and starting school). DD had been fully toilet trained for 6 months before the 1st lockdown. No accidents at all. We had 2 weeks of puddles all over the house which I suspect was just the stress of the sudden change in routine. It stopped as soon as we found a new routine that she was happy with.

Original poster

greenbirdsong · 22/12/2022 20:12

It's been happening at home and school for about a month now.
He just broke up for Xmas holidays today.

He was always really regular with his poos, once a day.
I think there has been an element of holding it at school and then going at home but he's now just going in his pants and not saying anything.

Can't work out if it's behavioural or something else.
He's just never had accidents since he was toilet trained.

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PritiPatelsMaker · 22/12/2022 20:13

Agree with the others. It could be constipation or it void be an indication of of him perhaps worrying about something else?

Could he be overtired at all? The first term can be extremely tiring for the little ones and they can get a bit overexcited and overtired on the run up to Christmas.

Perhaps a couple of early nights and some quite time at home might help?

Morechocmorechoc · 22/12/2022 20:16

When we had relapses it was caused by an event that caused worry, new teacher was one, child hitting him but no-one seeing was another. Took a long time for us to figure out something was wrong and fix it as nothing was said.

SingingWaffleDoggy · 22/12/2022 20:24

My DD has wet herself twice at school and has wet the bed 3 times since starting school in September. She said she was “too busy” or didn’t want to miss out when at school. The night ones she has woken already wet.
She has also been out of nappies since 2 1/2 and has otherwise been very reliably dry. She hasn’t had any UTI symptoms so I’m just putting it down to the change of starting school and not worrying about it for now

Skyeheather · 22/12/2022 20:42

The problem we have with DS is that he is too scared to ask the teacher if he can go to the toilet so he prefers to go in his pants and hopes nobody notices.

In Reception I spoke to his teacher and we agreed he would be sent to the toilet at set times and this worked and everything was fine.

It started again in P1 different teacher and the Reception teacher didn't pass on the issue to the new teacher/assumed DS had got over it. The P1 teacher has said that DS just needs to ask but DS is still too scared to ask and so continues to come home with wet/soiled pants although the teacher does find a puddle on the floor now and again which prompts them to try and remember to send DS.

I remind DS everyday to ask the teacher when he needs to go. He'll get picked on soon, that's my worry.

Original poster

greenbirdsong · 23/12/2022 12:41

Thanks for the replies.
I am wondering about constipation. He's never suffered before but the accidents do seem to be little hard lumps or just wet.
He's not complaining of tummy ache.

OP posts:

EezyOozy · 23/12/2022 15:58

Could be “overflow diarrhoea” caused by constipation blockage

MolliciousIntent · 23/12/2022 18:14

I don't want to panic you, but accidents in a previously toilet trained child can be an indicator of sexual abuse. As this started when he began school, I'd be wanting to investigate that. Have you taken him to the GP?

Geneticsbunny · 23/12/2022 18:23

I agr e with others that it might be constipation. Read the Eric continence website. it is very helpful and try him on some gentle laxitives. If that doesn't work then go and see the GP.

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