His poop is perfectly normal, so it's not as if he's doing it by accident. My 3 yr. old boy won't poop in the toilet!? Now these folks are dealing with kindergarteners who have accidents in class, bedwetting 10-year-olds who won’t go on sleepovers, even teenagers who are terrified they may go off college with giant pull-ups. Is she so busy playing that she doesn't want to stop when she feels the need to go? In the piece, frustrated mom Danielle Campoamor seeks to solve the mystery of her 3-year-old’s refusal. He expresses his needs very well but very stubborn to accept a change. I don't know what to do. If you have ruled out leakage I'd say just give it as little attention as possible throw the clothes … Help for 7 year old who won't poop by: Anonymous My daughter did the same thing wouldn't poop in the toilet. She writes that “dealing with a steady stream of poop-filled diapers assures me that my son is having regular bowel movements.”. If your child pees in the potty without problems but resists using it for BMs, he's probably fearful of making a mess -- maybe he had a bowel movement accident at school and people overreacted, or maybe he … I'm not looking for opinions or the standard text book information. Is she scared to sit on the toilet seat, or does the flushing noise frighten her? It’s rooted in attention span. Get more tips on encouraging older children to poop on the potty and toilet training in general. She was dry all day and during naps and at night. Wow, how easy, I thought. It isn't unusual for children to refuse to poop in the toilet. Actually, no. 6 year old too lazy to go to the toilet (51 Posts) ... Hi, I have a lovely bright 6 year old boy who is perfect in most every way, but he is a lazy so and so. 3 1/2-year-olds have better things to do than poop. My 3 year old has no problem going pee in the tiolet but completely freaks out when it's time to poop. Be positive and supportive. Chronic constipation is the top cause of bedwetting, daytime pee and poop accidents, and chronic urinary infections — conditions that are a major source of stress, embarrassment, and exhaustion for parents and kids alike. At 2.5 my daughter potty trained in a day and a half by wearing thick cotton training pants. I have been the doctors and they have ruled out constipation. When you ask him why he doesn’t want to go, he says it hurts. "You will definitely lose.". when even mentioning it or sitting on the potty to "practice" she cries and shakes. He has done it once or twice but he poops in his underwear almost daily. “He will hold his poop until we put a diaper on him, then he goes,” I’m often told. If I sound alarmist, it’s because my patients have a long, long history of constipation, and nobody noticed. He’s a willful child engaged in a power struggle with his parents, rebelling against the constant reminders to sit on the toilet. When a parent tells me her child won’t poop on the potty, constipation is the first thing I look for. Campoamor herself tries to put her latest parenting challenge in perspective, writing: “I know that, on the whole (pun intended) this is nothing more than a minor inconvenience.”. They have a problem with their bowels that dulls the normal urge to go to the bathroom. Support and solutions from Steve Hodges, M.D. Our only obstacle is pooping in the potty. I'm a single mom with a wonderful almost three year old girl who won't/can't poop on the potty. "Don't get into a power struggle with this issue," counsels Faull. My son just turned 3. When you ask him why he doesn’t want to go, he says it hurts. Sometimes we parents want our kids to be just like other normal kids. Worst mistaken we can make. At 6 years old changing George's pants or nappy when he poos is an easy option. Sometimes we parents want our kids to be just like other normal kids. Well, that’s when I recommend a method, detailed in The Ins and Outs of Poop by Thomas R. DuHamel, Ph.D., that helps the child gradually work up to pooping in the toilet. Campoamor seemingly dismisses the possibility that her son could be constipated. New guidelines, charts, tools, and stories! shodges@wakehealth.edu They just don’t fully empty, so “regular” is meaningless. We have had problems with him not going to the toilet when he needs to go before but over the last two weeks it has happened 4/5 times. We will always find ways to avoid pain. He stays dry all night so doesn't have the need for pull ups anymore. He is still not potty trained. 6 year old son refuses to poop in the toliet. The diarrhea Campoamor describes is also a classic sign of constipation. Reward bowel movements in the toilet. he will hold it for days. Sometimes children avoid pooping when bowel movements are uncomfortable or painful because of constipation. Keep in mind there could be a medical reason your child won't poop in the toilet, too. I appreciate her patience, as I’m all for giving kids time and space. Must-read books for kids by Steve Hodges, M.D. As frustrating as this may be for you, being forceful will only make things worse. Feel free to contact Dr. Hodges or Suzanne directly: Can *Not* Get My Kid To Poop In The Damn Toilet, What To Do If Your Child is Constipated (Hint: Treat Aggressively), I Read 14 Potty Training Books And Found Some Really Bad Advice, The Problem with Preschool Potty Training Deadlines. What if a 3-year-old is absolutely, without a doubt, not constipated but will still only poop in a pull-up? If his focus on bowel movements is derailing his toilet training, however, you can put him back in diapers any time he's … A new baby in the family, a move to a new house, family conflict, or any other emotionally stressful situation may cause your child to revert to an earlier level of bathroom mastery—possibly involving bedwetting, puddling, withholding of … I have to send him to school in a diaper and get teachers to change him. Human beings do not like to do things that hurt! Most people are on their own regular schedule and poop at roughly the same times every day. 2.5-year-old won't/can't poop in the potty April 2003 . Download print-ready version of Children who will only poo in a nappy and other toilet avoiders (PDF file) Usually the child just doesn’t want to sit on the potty and wait for the poop to come out. He is now 5 and shows no signs of starting any time ever. I appreciate her patience, as I’m all for giving kids time and space. 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