4 yr old poop problems

[angelmommy]

My daughter was fully potty trained when she turned 3.  At 3 1/2 she started making serious "skid marks" in her underwear multiple times a day until she finally went poop on the toilet.  It really caused a stir when we were camping (ever notice the lack of privacy when you're camping?) in the summer because she was going through 6+ pairs of underwear a day.  I called the pediatrician when we got back and he said (over the phone without even seeing her) that she was constipated and to reduce her milk intake from 32 oz a day to 6 oz a day.  After about a month she stopped pooping in her pants!  Exactly 1 yr later (July 2007), she started it again!  She is still only getting 6 oz of dairy/day, so I'm wondering if it was the stress of starting preschool, or maybe the stress of me having another baby, but the baby was born last halloween!  maybe related to the season, since it starts in the summer when it gets hot?  any other ideas?  it has caused a rukus because her preschool teachers aren't allowed to help her wipe herself or clean it up!  She is reluctant to wiping herself and always asks us to do it, but we've been trying to get her to do it herself.  Maybe she tries to hold it in so she won't have to wipe herself?  She says she can't feel it when it starts to come out, but she'll leave it in there for hours because she doesn't want to admit what she's done, and I know she can feel that!  Plus she was going on the toilet for a year with no problems!  We don't punish her for it, we just have her clean it up, which is what the Dr. suggested.  So gross!  help!

[cutiegirl]

maybe she has a sore bottom, or an anal fissure, which could mean that she tries to hold it in because it hurts, and doesn't like to wipe because it hurts. check her anus (yuck I know but still..) and ask her about pain. If you can't get anything out of her, try assuming she doesn't like pooing, and ask her why. Try giving her a treat every time she does poos properly, but don't punish her if she doesn't. good luck