My 5 year old son poops in his pants

Question

I was reading of of the other mother's questions on her son pooping in his pants and the behavior and patterns seem very similar. We have been having an issue with our son for years now. I can honestly say he has never pooped in the toilet. We never had an issue with peeing in the toilet and he actually went to bed without a pull up very early on in age. Everyone said that he would grow out of it, that it's normal and that give it time. We are now coming to the end of his first year in school and no improvements. Last year we were referred to a pediatrician and we went to see him to discuss the issues we would have. My son would never really have a full bowel movement, it would always smears, sand-link or muddy substance, very foul smelling and not very formed. I knew at this point he was constipated. We were recommended laxatives, which did release him, but then he would just get back the same way. I say at this point we have tried everything, tough love, for him to sit there till he pooped. The we tried the reward aproach, basically if pooped fell from him bum, he felt he should get rewarded. We tried getting upset, not saying anything, understanding, now we feel hopeless. At school, he is going 5 days a week, full time, we provided pull ups, wipes and change of clothes, there were a few accidents in the beginning but now I think he has trained himself to hold it in. I seek medical advise from a natural path, we also take him to the chiropractor, maybe this misalignment and getting adjusted would help. Yes after he gets adjusted he goes, but not in the toilet. We try to get him to sit there, but he will wait till he is off the toilet. Pull up, pants, pjs, underwear, it doesn't bother him to go, he doesn't even tell us he goes. We basically have to ask if he pooped his pants and he flat out lies. At this point, we are trying a more natural approach as the laxatives only made it like diarrhea and not helping. We have been giving him asphedolophis along with CodLiver oil syrup. It loosens things up, but doesn't create any improvement on feeling comfortable to poop on the toilet. Every time he poops on the toilet, we just get him to sit there for 2 mins. His sister has been trained since before she was 2, I thought that would have helped, seeing his younger sister trainer, his friends, but no. My husband wants to start punishing, but I don't believe this would help. I question going back to the pediatrician, but his advise didn't help and I know he is going to advise to do the same thing. I am off of work with the kids for the summer, and I am determined to solve this before his returns to school in september. Please help!

This discussion is related to 5 1/2 year old pooping his pants.

goutjazz · Answer

It doesn't seem like there is any answers.  I have been searching on line for a year.  My son is 5 and is having the same issue.  He was potty trained at 2 but he has always been constipated from the time of birth so he never quite got the pooping in the toilet down.  My pediatrician prescribed miralax but all that did was give him diareah for a few days and then he would go right back to constipation.  I read to put pull ups back on him and i tried that and that only made it worse because then he started peeing his pants.  I then started doing mineral oil every day instead of the miralax and that got rid of the constipation.  It has been six months since he has been constipated and he still poops his pants 2 or 3 times a day, he also pees his pants 2 or 3 times a day.  I have tried literally everything and i feel there is no means to and end.  I feel like a failure of a mother and i am emotionally drained.  I just wish that someone had the answers.

thb2708 · Answer

hearing the same problems, not hearing any answers.  HELP!  I'm crying for my girly who can't poop without leakage first.xoxox

momofthree12 · Answer

I could have wrote your question.  I have been experiencing the same issue with my 5 year old son.  He pooped on the potty probably 2-3 times when he was 3, and not since. His older brothers once mentioned there was a poop monster in the toilet.  So we thought that might have started this whole process. We have talked to pediatrician many times, sometimes get the feeling she feels its our fault for some reason.  He goes in the bathroom to pee and then poops.  Ive tried chasing him in their to get him to sit on the potty, rewards, discipline, ignoring the situation, etc.  We also have seen a behavorial counselor which didnt help at all.  now they think we need to find the "right" one.  he also claims he cant feel it coming out and by the time he gets there its in is pants.  Any suggestions out there would be welcome.

beci15 · Answer

Have you taken him to a pediatric GI?  We have the same situation - 5 year old who can hold it in for a long time, never really being potty-trained for poop.  We waited 4 months to get an appt with the ped gi.  We had to go through a pretty rigorous 3-day treatment of enemas and laxatives to completely clear him up.  Although it was tough, he was actually excited that poop came out in the potty and did not hurt like constipated poop.  After the 3 day period, he has been on track with pooping each day.  He does take miralax every day and will have to stay on it for a long time.  After 3 more months, the dr. will start to wean him off very gradually.  He said it could be a year long process.

Good luck!  I just wanted to let you know that there is an end in sight!

margypops · Answer

This sounds like it is anxiety related , maybe too much emphasis has been put on the behavior, punishing is not the way to go, it creates the anxiety .Perhaps just a samaller reactiom from you. step out of it, let him be in control ,he is only 5 years old some children are slower, so back off a bit, let him be in control of going to the bathroom.make less of it ...