Eventually been referred to Cahms with dd poo ritual - Anyone else had similar?

[mummytopebs]

DD 4.9 has eventually been referred to Cahms mainly for her pooing rituals. DD is petrified of poo and will only go with a nappy on in her bedroom surronded by certain things. She has chronic constipation but this is well controlled with movicol, her fear comes from when the constipation first started 3 years ago. We have tried everything we can think of but to no avail.

She is really scared of any poo and has recently started school and keeps wetting herself cos on the first week of school someone had had a poo in the toilet and not flushed it so now she is scared of the toilets at school.

Was just wondering if anyone elses child has had anything similar and if achms could help? I hope so x

Bumpity Bump anyone

Someone must have had experience of the pooing problem x Pllleease give me some hope

DS1 had a similar issue at this age - started at about the same time too. He wasn't scared of seeing poo, but terrified of actually going. He would only go in a nappy until he was about 5 and only went at night. I have to say that we tried all sorts of things but the only thing that worked was remedying the constipation (prune juice and Epsom Salts in the bath water) which meant that his bowel gradually returned to normal (we were told that the bowel had stretched and he didn't have the feeling he needed to go until there was a large amount of stool in his bowel, hence the fear). We started by sitting him on the loo with a nappy on, so he got used to sitting to poo, then took nappy off and went from there. We always sat and read with him (something he loves). He eventually started going to the loo on his own last year (he is 8) and is now comfortable with the whole process, though he still has the routine of going in the evening.

At the time I thought it would never be resolved, so I sympathise. Would your DD consent to sitting on the loo with a nappy? Could you take the things she insists on having round her into the bathroom? Reinforce the positive associations with something she loves - books, DVDs, even sweets?? Sorry - you've probably tried all this.

Our experience was similar to Sphils. Ds( also with a history of very serious constipation since babyhood) was not fearful of poo as such - just going! Ds is nearly 10 ( with LD/ASD) and I still sit and read to him on the loo although he has started to manage alone at school etc - so he is vertually sorted now. I do sympathise - I did wonder if he would ever use the loo and I found that particular problem one of the more challenging! I did not get help from CAMHS but we changed paediatrician - and we treated the constipation rather than the fear. Before that ( ds was 7) I felt totally alone with the issue. The clinic nurse learnt me a book on constipation by Dr A Cohn (can't remember the title exactly) and that was really helpful. It has been a slow process but I feel we have got there at last.

Thanks for your replies it is nice to know i am not alone x We have been reffered to cahms as the constipation is well controlled now so the constipation nurse feels there is nothing else she can do now, as it is now a psychological issue - which i agree with. I realise it will be a long slow process as as they start talking to her about poo and eventually ask her to go on the toilet her constipation will come back with avengence cos she can with hold for England (she once held it for 12 days in hospital after 16 sachets of movicol and 2 doses of picolox)

you have given me a bit of hope that dd will eventually go on the loo x

my eldest had the same problem as the others. We tackled the constipation first as you did.

The psychological fear melted away when we had a short holiday to celebrate.

He was about 4. I truly think that a change of scenery and the generally more relaxed environment removed the last traces of anxiety over the issue for him and me.

Sympathies though - it was a horrible time. Pooing is meant to be a natural reflex!

Sounds as if she needs some sort of cbt.
Poor little thing.
I have to say, I hate pooing in a strange place- can't do it in someone else#s house.
Dcs won't go at school.