Playing with poop

[cincin812]

My daughter is 8 years old. She's adopted, but I've had her since 2 years of age.  She has always had behaviour problems, and now takes medication for ADD.  She does strange things all of the time, and I'm at my witts end.  Her latest thing is she plays with her poop, or does something with it, and then wipes the excess on her bed.  Her biological mother is bi-polar, her biological father has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, bi-polar, and manic depressive.  Are these things that she could inherit.  She also struggles in school, she has a hard time reading because she can't remember words.  She is very smart, but does very strange things. She's constantly going into the bathroom and staying, even at school.  She pours the soap out of the bottles and refills them with water. She hides candy and eats it in her bed, basically she puts anything in her mouth she can. Help me if you can, I'm going crazy. I have 5 other children, boys, 4 of whom are adopted, and none do these kinds of things.  Her behaviour is so off the wall, we can't leave her with anyone.
thanks.

[Sandman2]

    Really need some more info.  How old is she and what grade is she in?  Who suspects she has "adhd and/or attachment disorder."    When you say she has attachment disorder - does that mean you are divorced and she splits time between you and her dad?  If so how much does he get to see her a week?
    And yes, there is a link between bathroom issues and ADHD, but the questions above are important to answer.

[je5783]

My 8 year old son was just suspended today for wiping poop on things in the library at school. It happened at home as well. He says he doesn't know why he does it. He was just diagnosed with mild ADHD and anxiety. Not on meds or therapy yet but working on it. I don't know what to do about the poop thing. He seems to have stopped at home but now he's doing it at school. Im all out of ideas.

[Sandman2]

   Probably several things going on here.  There is a significant link between ADHD and "wetting" incidences.  So I would assume the same thing could be true for "poop" problems.
   Many times kids having "poop" problems at school are having those problems due to things happening in the bathrooms or because of having troubles getting to the bathrooms.   So I would ask him if there he has had any problems in using the bathrooms lately.
   As to why smearing it.  Kind of weird.  Where was the toilet he used? Was it his poop in the first place?  Where did he get it? What did he use to smear it?   I could go on.  It would have been nice if the school had done some problem solving instead of just suspending him.  Point is there are many reasons why he did this.  If you want to treat it - you have to figure out why.
    It might be a good idea for you to get the book, ""The ADD/ ADHD Answer book," by Susan Ashley.   It will be very helpful for you and him.  But it also give good information about 504 plans and IEP's which will help the school help him.  
    By the way, does the school know of his diagnosis?  As a retired elementary school principal - knowing a child has ADHD certainly affected how I dealt with his discipline.
   Hope this helps.  Please post if you have other questions.

[lambada]

i have a daughter of my own...I adopted my son and his 6 right now....For the pass 2 days he poop himself and then wipe in the face towel,bathroom sink....then he poop at school and he draw his poop thru the mirror at the bathroom at school...he has ADHD,IMPULSIVE,FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME(FAS)....his taking meds for the ADHD....but there is no medication on the FAS....he also steal candy at the store twice...Wet himself while his playing or watch TV....as this point im out of option and dont know what to do anymore....Nobody teach him how to lie,but he lie to much.

[Sandman2]

    yep, kids with ADHD do tend to lie.  Because they don't think before they act - they get in trouble a lot.  So they lie to avoid the trouble.  Its very common.
   Poop wise - take a look at when it is happening!  It may be his meds are wearing off and he needs an extended release med.  Or as I said in the last post - it may be the school is not doing enough to help him.   At home, he may have trouble using the toilet paper (?)  try getting the moist wipes.  They are bigger and easier to use.
   And as I suggested in the last post, " It might be a good idea for you to get the book, ""The ADD/ ADHD Answer book," by Susan Ashley.   It will be very helpful for you and him.  But it also give good information about 504 plans and IEP's which will help the school help him.  "

[fedupmom99]

I am so glad to have found this group....does anyone go through what I go through....my son is 14 and relies on laxatives to make his bowels move.....if I do not keep him cleaned out He constantly is pooping in his clothes...I cannot keep underwear bought for him fast enough and he will also steal my daughters underwear and poop in them...hides the underwear in his room and we have to find them to keep the house from smelling...I found 10 of my bath towels in his closet with poop all over them !!! Is this Encopresis ? Or something else !!!!!