Hi guys,
Feeling like a bit of a failure. My 6 year old child won't stop pooing herself. It is driving me insane. I have tried absolutely everything even resorting back to bribery and praise like when she forst started toilet training. I have taken her to numerous doctors and they all say the same thing, there is no reason she should be doing it. They have done an allergy test just in case she was allergic to something but she isn't. I have no idea how to make it stop or why it started. It only started in the last 12 months. At first it was the odd accident here or there but now it is every day. I feel like i am failing at this parenting thing and am just ready to throw in the towel because I don't know how much more I can take. Has anyone else had this problem?
Failing as a parent
Failing as a parent
Posted in:
Health & Wellbeing, Behaviour, Kids
6 Replies
How often does she go and is there a time of day she tends to do it? Does she poo herself at school or only at home?
If you haven't seen a peadiatrician yet, see one.
But in the mean time I'd be watching her like a hawk, look for signals that she needs to poop and take her to the toilet.
You could also start taking her to the toilet at set periods. Having things like books in the toilet could help so she has something to entertain her while on the loo and she sits and relaxes long enough to poop.
Is she doing it to just be lazy or for attention? If so, I'd be making her get herself cleaned up and do the washing (and not in a machine first off, actually scrub it off!).
If she has no idea she is doing her, I'd see a paediatrician and go from there.
Could it be encopresis?
My daughter was doing this last year (at school too, she was 5 at the time). For her it was an anxiety thing, which was very surprising to me because she's such a happy go lucky kid. She was holding in her poos until it literally started leaking out (tmi I know lol) and it's easily mistaken for diarrhea, our doctor diagnosed encopresis which is basically constipation and is usually associated with toilet anxiety in kids also they tend to lose a bit of the "i need to poop" sensation because theyre so full. An xray will be able to determine this. If it is related to anxiety I warn you it's a long process to get back to normal but she will get there with lots of positive reinforcement and no pressure. Either way I'd maybe asking for a referral for a gastroenterologist (stomach specialist) to get to the bottom of it .
Also, a frustrating as it is please don't get cross with her. It only makes the situation worse.
My sister had her daughter always wetting the bed every night. When she came to visit for the holidays it was a nightmare of washing sheets every day and getting rid of the smell. When she got back home I suggested she use pull ups when she goes to bed. A week later she couldn't thank me enough for all the washing and grief she saved. I would suggest you just put her in pull ups and when she is ready she will graduate to undies when she is ready. Saves everyone mess and embarrasment!