ASD/ADHD/Tourretes son with a need to touch his own poo

[Somanychanges]

My son is a fantastic little boy who is almost 7. There have been many challenges and we still have a lot to cope with. He is high functioning and attends a mainstream school. His academic ability is fantastic although he tries to avoid writing at any cost. He is a very physically able child and absolutely loves sports.

So the thing that I can't get my head around is his toilet habits and I really would like to hear from anybody who has experienced similar. When he was being potty trained he completely refused to poo in the toilet. I think it took about 8 months to do so. So we always ended up with him pooing in his pants then taking it out etc.

Once he started pooing on the toilet he refused to be clothed and would always strip off. Plus he wouldn't sit on the seat but would stand on the seat and then squat. This is still how he goes for a poo to this day. This I can cope with. However, every time he does a poo he touches it and then of course he has poo on his hand which he tries to wipe off somewhere resulting on poo on the toilet seat, wall and hand towel etc.
I just cannot get my head around this, it is so disgusting. I have asked him why he does it and he says he can't help it and he doesn't know why.

I deal with a lot with my son sometimes life can just seem such a struggle. But with a strong family unit, a wonderful DH and a great older child and the programme that we started 'tinsley house clinic' life is easier. But this is just one thing that gets me really upset. I think mostly because I don't understand the behaviour and secondly I cannot understand why he would still think it acceptable at nearly 7yrs to do this.

This is something you hear of 2 year olds doing not 6 year olds. I also have never heard of any other children at this age who do this. Therefore, I am left feeling completely bewildered about it.

Has anyone experienced similar?

My dd does this and is a similar age with similar diagnosis. I don't know what the answer is and find it hugely stressful (she smears too) but wanted to tell you its not just you! It's as if she can't help it too, very hard to know how to deal with it.

Sorry you are going through the same thing. It is helpful to hear its not just him. I wish someone could tell me exactly why he does it and what can be done to stop it. I got so annoyed last night after I walked in to find him with poo on his hands and a poo in the bath, that I said from now on I will have to supervise him going to the loo. He is very distressed at the idea of this he likes his poo routine and likes his privacy.

He is not bothered with other things like showers etc where he is happy for my help. But when it comes to him doing a poo he likes to be on his own. But I don't know what else to do to stop it and I have had enough. I can imagine he will probably refuse to go to the toilet as me being in there will be out of his routine. But I just have had enough of cleaning up poo.

polter I think he actually holds it and sometimes plays with it. He is not touching his bum but the actual poo itself. I have walked in and seen him just examining it.

It's weird because he is very germ conscious and won't even touch certain things or can't enter certain rooms if they have a certain smell. Once his scooter had goose poo on it and he had a complete breakdown and said it needed to go into the bin as he couldn't ride it again.

So this is why I am just so confused. How can he be happy holding his own poo. My daughter can't understand him either she would faint at the thought of ever having to touch poo haha she thinks her brother is disgusting.

I have explained and explained to him why he should let his poo just go into the toilet. But it has no effect he says he cannot help it. I asked him last night is there a voice or a thought telling you to touch it, he burst out laughing and looked at me like I was mad. He said "a voice mummy? Where would that be coming from, of course not". So who knows I just don't know.

About a year ago I remember it being really bad I came into the bathroom and it was everywhere. I really got mad with him when usually I try to stay calm. I got him a bucket, gloves and a cloth and said he would have to clean it all up. He was singing away happily whilst cleaning "it's a hard knock life for us" and said to me " mummy I am not in an orphanage I really shouldn't be doing this". That's the thing he is not distressed he doesn't do it in a stressed out way. He just doesn't seem bothered about it what so ever.

No advise but just wanted to let you know you are not alone.

My DS last night did one at the bottom of the stairs, then when I was clearing it up I was giving him the tissues to then put in the toilet and he thought it was some kind of hilarious game. The thing is that I was in the room while he did it so he must have known I was about to find out and go mad.

He has stopped smearing it all over his room (hes 5 next week) but he just seems to go in places like the living room and then place a cushion or something over it in order to hide it.

I just don’t get why, everything else with him I get or understand but whats with the poo?

battery and pink what are your DC's diagnosis? Have their consultants mentioned why they might do this? I really thought my son may have taken on board what I said yesterday but it appears not, either that or he really just can't help it. Maybe it's like one of his tics he has to do it to release tension or something.

But he isn't stressed or tense when he does it it's just like part of what he does on a daily basis. Tonight I didn't even realise he had gone for a poo as he was in bed. Then went to the bathroom and he had poo on his hands and there was poo on the toilet seat and sink where he had wiped his hands. Plus poo all over the hand wash where he had quickly tried to wash his hands as he heard me coming upstairs.

He knew I was going to be angry I just looked at him and told him how disappointed I was. I actually felt like crying, we have had 4 years of this and I just feel like it will never stop. He said he forgot not to touch it. He was actually quite upset at seeing how upset I was. The thing is, is that if he really can't help it I don't want to keep punishing him and making him feel bad about it. I would just love someone to say "yes my child did this and this is how we put a stop to it".

Could it be an OCD-type compulsion> OCD goes hand in hand with Tourette's (TS). No idea how to stop it, though, sorry :(
My son's OCD things (he has TS) tend to last for a few weeks then go away for ages, then come back as something else.

MrsBaffled I am starting to think it must be something like that. It's like the urge is to strong to stop it much like a tic that needs to be ticced.

I am going to try sitting in the toilet with him and giving him a book to read so that he holds the book to keep his hands busy. Maybe if I can keep talking to him about his book he can get over the urge. I know this is going to be a huge battle as he does not like anyone around when he poos but I think it's one we must have. Imagine he was 10 and still doing this

Does he have any other compulsions? The neuro who dx DS earlier this year added co-morbid OCD tendencies to his dx. He said it is often the OCD which causes more problems than the TS. There are things that can be done like CBT, but we haven't got to that stage yet. It might be worth asking GP for a referral if you can't crack it yourself x

I have two with Tourettes, and I just want to express my sympathy. It's just such a horrible,complex illness.
I would say that it sounds like a compulsion and to ask for help. My children are on Risperidone and my DS has just been started on Prozac for Compusions.

I think, although the touching is disgusting to us logically, to him it's just a compulsion to touch something. And it has no further meaning. Try not to let it wind you up. He is at the mercy of this strange illness.

My daughter was in tears tonight over her Tourettes. She normally copes so well, and it just brought home to me again that their brains aren't normal and their actions and words aren't under their control.

Tics and compulsions can pass. But equally I think you should ask for help. It may be an idea to keep a diary in case any factors which make things worse can be pinpointed.