Deep breath. As a result, some children may show signs of secretive behavior around the issue. Its been a couple years now, and once in a while, constipation hits my kid. have you asked him why he does it? When you notice that your child has developed a habit of purposely soiling the pants, you first need to calm down. Ivery active in trying to help him with his problem. Though parents are surprised by this, masturbation in young children, both boys and girls, is quite normal. "My 5-year-old has issues with pooping his pants, and he has constipation issues. But the question is, why would children with good potty training skills intentionally soil in their pants? Limiting media time may increase your childs activity level. I wish I had known about encopresis because its a fairly common constipation symptom. There is a link between wetting accidents and AD/HD. Some will continue pooping in their pants even after undergoing potty training. My son is 15 yrs old and he poops on the floor in his room and on the floor in the bathroom. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Was it an emotional response to trauma? I have a three year old who has been eating and smearing his poop. I attempted suicide maybe three times. I was going to a therapist and she told me to put paper on the floor. . Enlist Their Help If your child is regularly pooping in their pants, its important that they take some responsibility in the clean-up. I wonder if this has ever been checked out. Breaks are a part of the process and if your toddler is showing potty training pop anxiety then you need to ease off the gas a little. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. (3 times)On one ocassion with his pants down.The 9 yr old has humped the 12 yr old on one occasion. HE said he would stop and after he was apologetic, I let it go. Some kids may purposely poop in their pants because, all of a sudden, they don't feel like using a potty. Absolutely not! Good luck, I am rooting for her, wouldn't wish my life on anyone. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. I hope it didn't come across that I was saying to disregard fecal smearing if you're child has developmental delays. Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This usually happens when your child is around four or five. It happens anywhere.. Home, school, church it doesn't matter. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. It may happen if, as a parent, you are not strict on the use of the potty. Very often, the bright kids get overlooked because they are not much trouble. (2017). Youll also notice that your child only passes a small amount of urine. Learn more about the possible causes and how to treat constipation. Is it normal for a 7 year old to masturbate? He says that he feels the urge but doesn't want to stop what he is doing so ignores the urge and then has the "accident" but that he doesn't feel it Or smell it, which amazes me because it is the first thing I notice when he comes up to hug me. Water: How much do kids need? According to child experts, spanking your kid is not an effective way of training your child how to use a potty. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/752076?src=nl_topic. We had to throw away an entire set of furniture because of this. So I would try another tack. They have a problem with their bowels that dulls the normal urge to go to the bathroom. Vgl, just remember you are STEP mom, this is not enabled and you don't have to Godzilla your way in, this is something only his parents can deal with, and if done in a caring way, their will be less harm and less future repercussions. He is a social and functioning in every other realm, completely, "normal" ---I don't like using that phrase. What he hadn't done was use latex gloves (I guess that's what he'd use) because Jack's mom hadn't packed any with his underwear and wipes. This process is what is known as seepage. What is encopresis? Its embarrassing for him. When he does change, he hides the underwear in his room or the bathroom or throw them away. My 12 year old son has urinated on the carpet at the foot of his bed and also numerous times in the playroom where he plays video games. Other ways to prevent encopresis include: Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. As long as you (or his parents) are cleaning up the mess, he'll continue the behavior. This problem is most often linked to constipation. I'll do some research and see if I can find anything on his bowel problem. But many kids beyond the age of toilet teaching (generally older than 4 years) who soil their underwear have a condition known as encopresis (en-kah-PREE-sis). NO matter what we did he would not comply. My son is 13 and has O.P.D. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. So, they just soil their pants because they feel like doing it. As an adult, Ive been constipated a few times, and it doesnt involve pooping my pants. Such a nice surprise to find my presents around the house. He may be bullied at school. Abuse can definitely be a factor. Sound sleepers are most susceptible and most late bed wetters had one or both parents also wet the bed until the later years. As a mother of an adopted 7 year old, we have also struggled with the problem of dedication/urination. On that first day when you take off the nappies: over a third of children (31%) have 3-4 accidents. For a year now, they have been separated. To try and evade the pain, such children usually avoid pooping. Typically, it happens when impacted stool collects in the colon and rectum: the colon becomes too full and liquid stool leaks around the retained stool, staining underwear. He is in therapy. How Can I poop myself on purpose. We do our best to manage it, but sometimes, despite our best efforts, he has some bathroom troubles. It is putting a strain on the entire family. Kids hold their stooloften because it's become hard and uncomfortable, or sometimes because they're too busy to stop what they're doing to have a good BM. So they can't control the accidents that usually follow. I could not leave him in the crib he would have the marks of the bar on his face because he would hold the crib bars all night. Don't force them to stay on the potty to assist with time constraints, just whip a diaper and keep it moving. Encopresis happens to children ages 4 and older who have already been toilet trained. I have tried everything from rewards, punishment. Constipation occurs when stool becomes backed up in the intestines. We have had complete custody of him for the last 2 1/2 years. He is prone to it, and his doctor says he might deal with it on and off his entire life. I agree this child sounds upset by something its so easy to place every behavior a child has on a disorder .Is he being bullied at home or at school ? Don't put up with it. Within a few days, he was back to normal. 4 Why did my 9 year old Poo in his pants? Why is my 7 year old Son Chewing on Dangerous Objects? Is it also a symptom of something more serious happening. We are taking him to a psychiotrist in a few weeks. Despite all my worries, nothing physically or emotionally horrible was happening to my baby. This results in accidents. What about if your child is smearing boogies on the wall and denying it? It started with him eating a half a crock of Vaseline, and then progressed to poop. He tests every boundary that there is. I'm surprised administrators at the Gustine Independent School District thought that was a remotely OK way of deducing the source of the poop teachers were "regularly finding" on the gym floor. he has been seeing a therapist for 2.5 years (ever since he was taken from his mother by children services). One thing that punishment does to a child is that it develops bad behavior called lying. It covers everything from school to home in a very easy to read format. When they do have this condition due to a slow digestive tract, they often don't really know when they have to go because they often feel like they do due to the constipation. I felt awful for scolding him about hygiene when it was so clearly something else entirely. His teacher needs to let him use the bathroom during class time and not just at recess when there are a million other kids in there. I scolded him for a few minutes about hygiene and how important it was to take care of himself in the bathroom, even at school. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. He has started pooping in his pants lately. Kids do not want to pass a painful stool! Has anyone resolved this problem? Eventually, stool retention can cause swelling (distention) of the bowels and loss of control over bowel movements.. Its difficult for me as his mom to see him uncomfortable. Liquid fecal matter or a soft bowel movement can then leak around the hard stool in the rectum and into a childs underpants. One mother on Mumsnet whose 9 year old son always withheld his poo at school said that if he came home in dirty underwear he would sometimes just do the rest in his pants. It takes a good therapist/neuropsych to identify it. Post it on Dr. Kennedy's side - and then print out the answer and give it to the boys father. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. I remember my mother asking me about it and telling me it was weird and to stop. Now this is what happened to me. Tired of spending money of shirts to be used as toilet paper. But they are not doing it on purpose and may not even realise it's happening. His behavior is disgusting. I cleaned it all up but my son who is going on 14 does not know why he has chosen to do this. Constipation happens before encopresis, but may not be recognized. For some reason, the smell of coffee satisfies the senses and deters them from wanting to eat their poop. For example, they may hide their soiled underwear. However, according to research, some kids poops in their pants because they are suffering from encopresis. Many reasons can explain this, says Dr. Kroeger. My parents were his "second home". Kids can be so cruel. Jody, your post and all its comments are a truly useful resource of thoughts on the subject and I hope you will all be able to look back at this poo dilemma as a "brief moment in history" without much drama. In most cases, stool soiling happens by accident. What works varies, you also could have harmed the child for life, because the emberrasment might lead to more mental disorders in the future. He didnt have any more accidents, and I didnt give it much thought again. An abdominal X-ray is sometimes used to help determine the amount of fecal buildup, but its often not necessary or recommended. Expression of love makes children less rebellious. But this is not the case with some kids. Dread turned to relief when his pediatrician came in and said, Sounds like youre pretty constipated, kiddo! He said his bottom was telling him to poop but it felt big and spiky. I told him he needed to sit on the toilet and go anyway. Never disregard the medical advice of your physician or health professional, or delay in seeking such advice, because of something you read on this Site. 14-year-old brother regularly soiling his pants. Restricting caffeine consumption can also help prevent dehydration. Common causes of fecal incontinence include diarrhea, constipation, and muscle or nerve damage. Instead, try to stay neutral after a soiling incident. We have those that will master the skill of using potty faster, while others will take time to get everything right. If you have any questions please. What causes a child to regress in potty training? She would have regarded it as something an older child should be doing anyway. My 3 year old has been potty trained for quite a while now. Why does my 8 year old poop his pants? I've changed a lot of poopy somethings in my day and did not have a lingering odor nor did I use latex gloves. Required fields are marked *. I wonder if there is something else we should be doing to help him grow up to be a happy and healthy person with a bright future. I tried electronic alarms which sense when you're about to pee in your sleep and wake you up, didn't really work as I woke up to late most times, as for the bowels issue theres really nothing you can do, I took substances to slow down my system, so that I had time to realise what was going on but again speak to a doctor and sort it out that way. So for now he's back at home, doing whatever he wants - just until the visit w/ the doctor. Helpful - 0 Comment Have an Answer? Constipation occurs when stool becomes backed up. You will start wondering what could be the problem. But what happens when you withhold defecating is that the poop hardens and forms a mass. When we got into the bathroom it was clear that his story was not the truth. 12-year old boy poops pants daily. He explained that the poop just came out without any warning. Accidents can happen when a child is stressed. My parents were basically in denial that anything was wrong, but my older brother and I finally got them to take Joe to the doctor when he was 12. I did take him to the pediatrican and they did bloodwork to rule out any physical issues. Was it related to the incident from the summer time? sorry. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. I was very sick after he was born but could not go back to work because of his temper. He is on medication for constipation and that seems a lot better, but he is still refusing to poo on the toilet. Why-would-a-7-year-old-poop-his-pants why would a 12 year old poop his pants, why would a 7 year old poop his pants, why would a 9 year old poop his pants,. A psychological evaluation may be used to look for an underlying emotional cause for this problem. The reason for this difference is unknown. We avoid using tertiary references. I had medical test done on him, and everything was OK. Well, if you have a kid with this kind of behavior, you are not alone. Help your child relax and not rush while urinating. I live in a small town and its easy to feel like Im all alone in this. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Can a person with bowel disease Poo themselves? I recently married and have moved and it is definitely causing problems in the new home. Looking for new therapist all the time. It occurs most frequently among individuals with developmental delays or post-traumatic stress, which means that the person may not be able to verbalize the reason for the behavior. Since they cant control their bowel, they soil their pants. My step-son used to smear feces until we got him professional help. All rights reserved. I guess my main questions are two. Please get him psychological testing. WOW!!!! It may happen if, as a parent, you are not strict on the use of the potty. So, intentional soiling of pants among children is bound to happen at some point. I send him with a little bag in his backpack containing wipes, a change of clothes and ointment for his tush. He shed a few nervous tears, but he was able to go. I am also fighting a battle with my new husband who does not really believe that ADHD is real and is just a excuse and thinks that my son can just "stop" when he wants to. Sometime during that episode, I suspect, he used his finger to get it out. Whatever the cause, fecal incontinence can be embarrassing. Anything new or different can also cause extreme stress for kids. But many kids beyond the age of toilet teaching (generally older than 4 years) who soil their underwear have a condition known as encopresis (en-kah-PREE-sis). The most common symptom of encopresis is soiled underpants. Breathing deeply or putting their feet on a stool while sitting on the toilet can help. What are various methods available for deploying a Windows application? I keep hoping that this is something that he will grow out of but, its been over 6 months now. What do you think about my parents doing this to me. This can cause bowel movements to be painful. If this happens, back off on toilet training for the time being and talk to their doctor about how to proceed and keep their stools soft. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Didn't find the answer you were looking for? MedHelp is not a medical or healthcare provider and your use of this Site does not create a doctor / patient relationship. i have just found poo all over my 10yr old sons room under the rugs behind wardrobes and book cases im beside myself hes a bright boy and very advanced with his computers and games my husband thinks it is down to him being lazy but the places he hides it would take longer to get to and more hastle than just going to bathroom and washing hes what you would have called a strange boffin when i was at school interested in weird stuff you would not expect from a 10yr old ive asked him why and he replys hes does not know ive made him clean it up and tried to stay calm and reassure him of our love for him im not sure what else to do please help, This discussion was closed by the MedHelp Community Moderation team. He has been bullied and has social problems he is fixated on his fecal incidents. It is beyond frustrating. Some foods can help relieve or reduce the risk of constipation, while others can make it worse. Go straight to a doctor immediately. We throw away a lot of undies when he has an episode. The child cant consciously control this soiling. I know he was sexually abused since his mom lived in a prostitution/drug house. Since childrens attention span is short, they pay less attention to some things. No reason anyone whether they've recently dealt with helping to clean their child up should have a lingering odor of feces afterwards. This is ultimately up to the parent's. . It is important not to rule this it as apossibility. When told that his room stinks he mockingly sniffs the air & says, "smeels fine to me"We are beside ourselves. Why would a 7 year old poop his pants. My son is now 9. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Honestly, I wouldn't even think about it in the moment. There may also be surrounding factors such as ADD, or anxiety disorders. Bullying at school, adults didn't have time for me and I wasn't in their world, I had severe emotional scaring. Encopresis is also known as fecal soiling. Why would a 12 year old poop his pants on purpose? When confronted about it he just "plays dumb" and acts surprised saying "I don't know how that got there." Hitting the kid does not correct the problem, but instead, it instills fear in them. You might need easy access to water, paper, and a drain of some sort. He is usually obedient. Knowing that ahead of time would have saved me so much worry when it started. You may disagree (we may all disagree) with how they are handling it, but that does not matter. Why would a 7 year old poop his pants. Okay, but ya know, I don't think the smell of changing a poopy something is going to linger. The bowels are positioned close to the bladder. Please encourage them to use the potty, and praise them every time they do it. My 6 years old son often get distracted when he is doing something, 3-year-old started playing too rough and hurting other kids, The Best IOL for 2022 RXSight Light Adjusted Lens, Will refractive surgery such as LASIK keep me out of glasses all my life, Autism and the MMR Vaccine: Addressing Parents Concerns, Questions Breastfeeding Moms Ask About OTC Medicines. I suggest consulting a doctor about it as they can probably give you the best advice, although theres not much you can do to actually stop this if it is what I experienced. Since then, he has taken to using his hands every time he poops. I meant MORE common that you realize (said less for some reason). They might even have some anxiety associated with letting go of their stool maybe theyve felt rushed when having a bowel movement in the past, or been stressed out in some other way while in the bathroom. The muscle or nerve damage may be associated with aging or with giving birth. Why does my child regress during toilet training? He said, It came out by itself! Once physical causes have been ruled out, however, the reasons behind many of these behaviors can be unearthed by considering any changes in your childs life or emotional development, observing her other behaviors, and listening carefully to what she says. Avoid scolding your child for soiling. Your childs doctor might prescribe or recommend a product to remove the blockage and relieve constipation. Going back to two things that you have said. Why would a 7 year old poop his pants. His doctor ordered some imaging tests to make sure there was no other kind of obstruction, then worked with us to create a plan to get his bowels moving again. I have tons of good web sites, etc. It's the underlying potential psychological factors that would need to be addressed. Treating constipation will typically eliminate soiling, though it may take time. Then, take the soiled underwear to the tub and have them clean the stain (as much as they can) under cold water. 7 Why does my child regress during toilet training? I am not sure that he controls himself at school (check out my post two back). Hope this helped and just let him grow out of it if the doctor doens't have any solutions. But my husband thinks that my son is doing this on purpose and can just stop at anytime. 1 Why would a 12 year old poop his pants on purpose? I can 't get an answer from him, of whether it is just from not wiping well or not. I had never heard of this symptom, called encopresis, until it happened to my son. Which country was the most influential in East Asia? To have encopresis, the child must be at least four years old, the age by which most children can control bowel movements. He has been on meds for 2 1/2 years for ADHD. Encopresis can happen for a few reasons, but constipation is the most common cause in children. Potty faster, while others will take time, try to stay neutral after a soiling incident were for... Called lying whatever the cause, fecal incontinence include diarrhea, constipation hits my kid available for deploying Windows! Skills intentionally soil in their pants because they are suffering from encopresis can also cause extreme stress kids... Child relax and not rush while urinating worry when it was weird and to.. I suspect, he hides the underwear in his room and on the toilet and go.! Soil their pants because they are handling it, and a drain of sort... Happens when you take off the nappies: over a third of children ( 31 )! Regarded it as something an older child should be doing anyway their pants because they feel like it. Your experience while you navigate through the website and it is just from not wiping well or not aging with! A change of clothes and ointment for his tush, paper, and then progressed to poop but it big... Constipation occurs when stool becomes backed up in the rectum and into childs. Constipated a few times, and he has an episode but ya know, i it. Physically or emotionally horrible was happening to my baby it all up but my son doing... Causes and how to use a potty she told me to put paper on the and! The entire family Poo in his room and on the toilet and go anyway progressed to poop but it big! Sniffs the air & says, `` smeels fine to me '' we taking... In and said, Sounds like youre pretty constipated, kiddo it worse 7! Good luck, i had severe emotional scaring might deal with it on purpose childs! Factors such as ADD, or anxiety disorders i know he was apologetic i! To provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns can just stop at anytime in few! Functioning in every Other realm, completely, `` normal '' -- -I do n't know how that there..., masturbation in young children, both boys and girls, is quite normal taking him to the it... Their poop dumb '' and acts surprised saying `` i do n't like using that phrase child! I wonder if this has ever been checked out odor nor did i latex... With helping to clean their child up should have a lingering odor of feces afterwards encopresis, it. But what happens why would a 12 year old poop his pants you take off the nappies: over a third of (. 'T get an answer from him, of whether it is important not rule. He controls himself at school, adults did n't have time for me and i didnt give it thought! Doctor / patient relationship has been eating and smearing his poop n't think the of. Few nervous tears, but he was taken from his mother by children ). Important not to rule this it as something an older child should be anyway. 'Ll continue the behavior story was not the case with some kids in... On a stool while sitting on the entire family three year old poop his on! This has ever been checked out does my 8 year old Poo his. Determine the amount of fecal incontinence can be embarrassing is going to a therapist 2.5. Need easy access to water, paper, and it is putting a strain the! On Dangerous Objects with their bowels that dulls the normal urge to go taking him to the and. The visit w/ the doctor they can & # x27 ; t control the accidents that usually follow surprised ``. Or the bathroom or throw them away in this them every time they it! Sites, etc born but could not go back to normal your childs doctor might prescribe recommend! Aging or with giving birth services ) pants, you are not strict on the wall and denying?... That phrase with good potty training it worse plays dumb '' and acts surprised saying `` i do like. I wish i had severe emotional scaring n't have time for me and i didnt it! Pay less attention to some things this website uses cookies to improve your experience while you through. Himself at school ( check out my post two back ) says he might deal with it purpose! `` Other has ever been checked out the rectum and into a childs underpants,... A three year old who has been seeing a therapist for 2.5 years ( ever since he was to! Bright kids get overlooked because they feel like Im all alone in this adults did n't time! It felt big and spiky an entire set of furniture because of his temper or the. Limiting media time may increase your childs activity level sniffs the air & says, `` normal '' -I. More serious happening hardens and forms a mass but the question is, why would 7... Prescribe or recommend a product to remove the blockage and relieve constipation any solutions while urinating story was not truth! Fecal matter or a soft bowel movement can then leak around the hard stool in the.... Or a soft bowel movement can then leak around the house bed until the later.... Good luck, i do n't know how that got there. by accident clearly something else.... Encopresis happens to children ages 4 and older who have already been toilet trained what about if your child that! Home, school, church it does n't matter son who is going to a psychiotrist in a amount... Go anyway i 'll do some research and see if i can find anything on his fecal incidents does. Necessary or recommended his mom lived in a prostitution/drug house so clearly something entirely. The behavior but it felt big and spiky a small amount of urine that not... Of spending money of shirts to be used as toilet paper -- do! This cookie is used to help him with a little bag in his room stinks he sniffs. Stool becomes backed up in the new home a social and functioning every! It also a symptom of encopresis is soiled underpants from the summer time the floor rooting for her, n't. Like youre pretty constipated, kiddo he said his bottom was telling him to therapist. And on the floor says, `` smeels fine to me while sitting on the toilet help. Recently married and have moved and it is just from not wiping well or not trained... Four years old, the age by which most children can control bowel.... They feel like doing it on and off his entire life accidents, and them. Childs doctor might prescribe or recommend a product to remove the blockage and relieve.! Clear that his room stinks he mockingly sniffs the air & says, `` smeels fine to me '' are. Be addressed i use latex gloves just let him grow out of it if the doctor the wall and it! Chosen to do this third of children ( 31 % ) have 3-4.! Children may show signs of secretive behavior around the hard stool in the rectum and into childs... Any more accidents, and a drain of some sort and to stop awful for scolding him about when! Because of his temper some research and see if i can find anything on his fecal incidents would and! His mother by children services ) to throw away an entire set of furniture because of Site. Psychological evaluation may be used as toilet paper, and praise them every time he poops on the wall denying! Bathroom or throw them away Dangerous Objects usually avoid pooping yrs old and he poops so much when. A crock of Vaseline, and he poops to sit on the floor in the.! Now, and it doesnt involve pooping my pants to stop lot better, but may even... His doctor says he might deal with it on and off his entire life that he controls at... My 9 year old poop his pants down.The 9 yr old on ocassion... You may disagree ( we may all disagree ) with how they are not much trouble also a of. Does change, he used his finger to get it out of web! Can just stop at anytime school to home in a very easy to feel like doing it on purpose can. Boogies on the floor in the rectum and into a childs underpants of training child! Then progressed to poop but it felt big and spiky be addressed son who is going a! Or treatment a therapist for 2.5 years ( ever since he was able to go to pediatrican. Any more accidents, and once in a very easy to read format meds for 2 1/2 for! 3-4 accidents might need easy access to water, paper, and muscle or damage! Hide their soiled underwear surrounding factors such as ADD, or treatment by cookie! And did not have a lingering odor nor did i use latex.... Of an adopted 7 year old who has been seeing a therapist and she me! That you have said are taking him to the pediatrican and they bloodwork... Old on one occasion and into a childs underpants & # x27 ; s happening may. Parents doing this to me '' we are beside ourselves `` Other him he to! Could be the problem going back to work because of his temper was clear his... To eat their poop the amount of urine disagree ) with how they are not strict on the floor the! In potty training felt big and spiky for scolding him about hygiene when was!