Any tips for Mr Poopy Pants?!

DD1 had encopresis when she was 3.5... that's the "technical" term for a kid who holds in/leaks out poo, according to our pediatrician at least. The issue with her, as our doc explained it to us, was she held one in so long that she lost the ability to "Feel" when she needed to go. Her bowel was stretched out basically. And the small soiling in her panties from time to time wasn't that she was pushing out poo, it was literally leaking out :( It took 6 months of getting her to go regularly (and using laxatives to induce regular movements) before things returned to normal and she could feel and respond properly to the need-to-go again. She hasn't had any issues since then thank goodness!

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Originally Posted by begonia

DD1 had encopresis when she was 3.5... that's the "technical" term for a kid who holds in/leaks out poo, according to our pediatrician at least. The issue with her, as our doc explained it to us, was she held one in so long that she lost the ability to "Feel" when she needed to go. Her bowel was stretched out basically. And the small soiling in her panties from time to time wasn't that she was pushing out poo, it was literally leaking out :( It took 6 months of getting her to go regularly (and using laxatives to induce regular movements) before things returned to normal and she could feel and respond properly to the need-to-go again. She hasn't had any issues since then thank goodness!

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Sorry you have had too go through this too.... can you PM me exactly what you did to "fix" her? I am really losing it with my DS!

Aww Hobbers, you must have the patience of a saint! One of my friends has the same problem with her little boy but much worse than me and she's been getting so upset about it.

He's not at all shy Purple, he just likes to poo in peace (like his dad!). Mummy doesn't have that option - I always have company lol!

Atomic - he was the easiest of the 3 to potty train! He was 2 years 4 months and I did DS1 at the same time. I had most difficulty with DS2 who I left until he was older!

I guess we just needed to give it time!

Hi Zan, my DS1 is a bit of a 'holder' and was also not keen on doing number 2's in the potty. It got to the point where he was so constipated he wouldn't eat and was just miserable (probably felt rubbish!) I have to say that I don't think it has anything to do with the baby either, I just think it is him!

What we did to help DS1 was to encourage him to always sit on the toilet/potty straight after the bath as the warm bath water sometimes help bring along a movement and if he sat there and tried to do a poo, he would get a sticker on the star chart. It did help and he still most days will go for a poo after the bath (only now he asks!)

I think DS1 will always be prone to constipation and once it has been in there for a few days he is then scared to let it out and it makes the problem worse. I sometimes give him some syrup of figs to get things moving along which gets us back on track.

Other than that, try as hard as you can (and I know, it is REALLY HARD) to ignore it and I am sure it will go away soon!

Good luck xx

Zan, I'm glad he is going now like a big boy! ITA, pooing in peace is the way to go. Men like their time in there. My daughters even laugh about how DH "is probably pooping" when he disappears for 30 minutes.

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Originally Posted by maybeoneday

Hi Zan, my DS1 is a bit of a 'holder' and was also not keen on doing number 2's in the potty. It got to the point where he was so constipated he wouldn't eat and was just miserable (probably felt rubbish!) I have to say that I don't think it has anything to do with the baby either, I just think it is him!

What we did to help DS1 was to encourage him to always sit on the toilet/potty straight after the bath as the warm bath water sometimes help bring along a movement and if he sat there and tried to do a poo, he would get a sticker on the star chart. It did help and he still most days will go for a poo after the bath (only now he asks!)

I think DS1 will always be prone to constipation and once it has been in there for a few days he is then scared to let it out and it makes the problem worse. I sometimes give him some syrup of figs to get things moving along which gets us back on track.

Other than that, try as hard as you can (and I know, it is REALLY HARD) to ignore it and I am sure it will go away soon!

Good luck xx

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OMG, zana and MOD. I am having the same exact issue w/ DS 1. he's 3.5 and he was potty trained at 3. He got the hang of doing #1 in a day. but #2...he's seldom tells us about, and will go in a corner or a room and close the door, try to do his business. I know he wants the peace, I interrupt every time I catch him and ask if he's gotta poopoo, then he'll say yes. he sits on the toilet seat forever and nothing comes out, because by that time he's held the poop in that he ends up constipated. he's a veryyyy picky eater and does not like fruits and veggies either. if he's at his own house, he MIGHT sometimes ask to go poo, but if he's anywhere else..for ex. mom watches him during the week. he poops in his pants most days...he only goes 2 times a week too....this is very unhealthy and I told his dr. he just suggest I give him corn syrup?! I was 40 mins late to work today bc I noticed he had to poo and was starting to do it in the pants. I took him to the potty (never used portable potties. just regular toilet with seat) he pushed and cried and nothing came out...it brought me to tears:(:(. what do you ladies give your kids to keep them going??? and how else should I encourage this poor boy to go potty?

Thankfully we don't have the constipation issue. Will he drink fruit juices or smoothies? I think all juices except citrus juices are good.

We weren't using the potty after the first few days of training but I find it helps him to go for a poo if he uses it because he can plant his feet firmly on the floor and if I put some toys/books on the floor in front of him he leans right forward and the combination of leaning forward with his feet firmly on the floor seems to help him to go. I tried getting him to use a higher foot stool and a soft toilet seat but that doesn't seem to do the trick quite as well!

Your LO is a bit older than mine - do you think he could try and blow up a balloon?! I read on a site that it uses the same muscles as going for a poo and that some had had success with getting their LOs to blow up a balloon on the toilet! My DS doesn't get it, he just puts it between his teeth and blows raspberries!

Wishing- just wanted to say my 3.5 YR old does the same thing. I actually dont think my DS would get constipated but from what I've told, the longer they hold the poop in the bowel, the more water is drawn from the poop, and therefore, they become constipated simply because the poop becomes hard inside them- and then they REALLY dont want to push it out!!

My DS eats loads of fruit but that's still not enough- he still holds it. Our ped told us to use Miralax (here in USA- not sure what it's sold as in other countries). It's OTC and non-habit forming. We have to use almost a whole capful every day- but it does force him to go. He is still terrified to use the potty- we've done stickers, books, movies to try to get him to use it. Heck, we've even told him we'll get a play set for the backyard if he poops in the potty! (That's one expensive poop!). None of it works. We just bough a package of pull ups and I told him it's the last one we're buying and when they're all gone, that's it, we're using the potty. He says ok, but who knows. Il sure he'll hold it but I'm going to stand my ground!

Anyhow- not much help but try the Miralax, it does help!!

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Originally Posted by zanacal

Thankfully we don't have the constipation issue. Will he drink fruit juices or smoothies? I think all juices except citrus juices are good.

We weren't using the potty after the first few days of training but I find it helps him to go for a poo if he uses it because he can plant his feet firmly on the floor and if I put some toys/books on the floor in front of him he leans right forward and the combination of leaning forward with his feet firmly on the floor seems to help him to go. I tried getting him to use a higher foot stool and a soft toilet seat but that doesn't seem to do the trick quite as well!

Your LO is a bit older than mine - do you think he could try and blow up a balloon?! I read on a site that it uses the same muscles as going for a poo and that some had had success with getting their LOs to blow up a balloon on the toilet! My DS doesn't get it, he just puts it between his teeth and blows raspberries!

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Oh, and the ballon idea is a great one, Zan! My DS still doesn't get how to blow up a balloon but it's a great idea!!

Ladies, those are all wonderfull ideas. I will get him the balloon, as he is totally into that stuff now. and Zana, he doesn't like smoothies and juices...some apple juice. He does like raisins and grapes..which gives him good fiber..but we have follow him around with his water bottle to keep him from getting to constipated..as HFP pointed, it's the waiting too long that makes it worse. We have spend more time outdoors to keep him moving..and I try 'hiding' veggies in his food..I can get him to eat some fiber. but he still uses the undies to do his business...

Zana, you are right about the toilet being too high...I tried the foot stool for him as well...my son won't use the baby potties..only the regular toilet ..but with the seat..and those seats are soo small ..it looks like it compresses his buttocks together...IYKWIM?? any suggestions?