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Child urinating on furniture and floors

A couple of months ago my 6 yr old son started urinating on furniture and floors. He first urinated on the couch and blamed it on the dog. He admitted to it when I was putting the dog outside. 2 days later I found a wet spot on his floor. He again admitted he did it. Since then I have found our recliner wet and he has admitted to doing that as well.  This morning he was in our laundry room and then later I went in and found the laundry to be washed was soaked with urine.  He tried to blame it on the dog again, but confessed to me. We have disciplined with time outs, taking away privelages, etc.  He says he just cant make it to the bathroom in time. I am not really sure this is the case though. We have 2 bathrooms that were unoccupied this morning. I have read that it could be acting out. He isnt upset when he does this. I have explained to him that the toilet is for using the bathroom and no where else.  He says he knows and promises not do it again. But he does. He has been diagnosed with ADHD and takes medication for it. Could this be more than just not getting to the bathroom in time? Is it deliberate?  I just need advice how to handle this problem and to correct it.
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Avatar universal
But potties for every room. Then keep him naked. That way he’ll have no excuse. If he doesn’t go on the potty make him sit. Tell him he had no excuse.
Helpful - 0
189897 tn?1441126518
COMMUNITY LEADER
To Girldani88.   It is so difficult to have to see this going on and not know what to do.  I feel for you....well, and for grandma too as this must be very hard for her too.

I agree with Specialmom.  You definitely need some outside professional advice.  I doubt that his counselor can deal with these mental or physical issues.  However, the counselor could possibly point you to the correct professional help.  And typically, the school district should also be helpful...if asked.

I have seen kids with adhd have many of these same problems, so that would be one place to start.  But, as Specialmom noted, there are several other areas that can cause similar problems.   And seeing a doctor about his pooping is a good idea.  Good link here on encopresis or involuntary seepage of stool into the underpants.  The link is  .... https://www.aboutkidsgi.org/childhood-defecation-disorders/constipation.html

And here is a link about ADHD (from a great site that may prove helpful for other questions you have)
           https://childmind.org/article/adhd-behavior-problems/

Hope this helps!
Helpful - 0
20873481 tn?1556100304
I have no answer. I am in this same awful position.  My 6 ½ yro son lives with his grandmother. Hes hitting her, standing on the couch and urinating all over it. Hes defecating on him self multiple time a day and will sit in it. Even at school. I am just so at a loss. So much of my mental space js taken up with concern and confusion. I just dont know how you go from ¹1being "the kid in school that smells like poop" to a normal adolescent with friends and such. My son refuses to eat anything but crustables and waffles. Is throwing explosive tantrums and is intensely obsessed with one thing after the next. I thought mental disorder or sexual abuse bc idk what else to think. His counselor doesn't seem to be helping. I've read that there is no sexual abuse disorder anymore with these symptoms, so that's relieving. And I dont know how they diag ose add and such in kindergarten but what is the answer!  
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1 Comments
So, let me ask you this. Is he living with grandma and not you?  This may be a trauma issue ( in that this could be very confusing and emotionally upsetting to him). Why do you believe he's been sexually abused rather than just having separation issues or abandonment issues?  What other indications of sexual abuse are there?  He definitely does sound upset.

but one thing to always do regarding issues with bowel accidents is to speak to a doctor. That can be due to chronic constipation.  Even kids who go daily can have chronic constipation issues and very hard stools.  They always feel like they have to go so it is hard to tell when it is really going to happen. Thus, accidents.

However, urinating on the couch on purpose sounds hostile and angry.  If you do not like his therapist or don't think she is helping, change to a new one!  I agree that this is concerning and working with someone who has more insight is important.

Your son could have add or adhd, sensory integration disorder, high functioning autism, or some other mental health issue.  Typically they diagnose through various criteria being met, observation, testing.  Do you have a children's hospital in your area? They may have a developmental pediatrician that would be a great person to see to investigate what is going on.  
Avatar universal
Hi, found this post while looking for similar answers.  My son is 6.5yo.  diagnosed with ADHD, medicated last year.  I suspect can additional diagnosis of ODD, but drs have pushing to rule out Asperger's, I fairly confident he doesn't have Asperger's though.  Anyway, he goes through phases of this, but for instance in the last 3 days he's wet himself, peed in his sister's toy box and thus morning in her bed.   (He wasn't potty trained until 5yo, out of pure spite/control, it wasn't a physical issue).    Anyway so im just trying to wrap my head around stopping this, will it ever stop.
Any help is appreciated.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Hi, I am also the CL on the adhd forum.   kids with adhd have impulse issues.   It is not unusual for them to get involved in playing with something and not noticing the urges to go, and then its too late and they pee.   When he did this recently, was he on his medication?  Remembering that it usually takes about 40 min. for the normal stim meds to take affect.  Of course, I am assuming he is on a stimulant medication?
  Point being, chart the time of these accidents, that will help you figure out what might be going on.   For example, I am guessing that when he peed in his sisters bed, it was early in the morning and he had not taken his medication yet?   Hope this helps.  Please post here or over on the other site (https://www.medhelp.org/forums/ADD---ADHD/show/175) if you have any questions.
Avatar universal
Realizing it's almost a decade later, if you see this can any of you give advice now that your kids are older. My son is 5.
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Avatar universal
Although the described behaviors sound similar, each child's situation seems very different. In both circumstances, it seems to make sense to ask them what they were thinking and feeling when they did what they did, as well as trying to get them to try to provide an explanation of why they did it. Their answers (assuming it's something more than I don't know) may help shed light on this. You may have done this already but it didn't come through in the postings.

JWM73: In the first situation, assuming your son isn't having a reaction to the ADHD medication (which should probably be discussed with the professional prescribing it), his behavior impressed me as a child who may be angry. Some kids are lazy about going to the bathroom, but the frequency and destructive nature of the behavior sounds more than a child urinating in a corner as an easy-way-out of more mature toilet use. My suggestion is to ask him if he may be angry about something and to try to explore this possibility with him over time and help him voice possible anger or resentment, even if it seems like a reach.

ARsocialworker: The second situation with feces smearing sounds like a child who may be dealing with more disquieting emotional issues. His obsession with feces,urinating on the dogs, and the general description of the circumstance suggest a possible underlying emotional problem. By the way, there is no clear relationship between encopresis, enuresis and sexual abuse, although years ago, before this area of behavior was systematically studied, many professionals thought there was a "sexual abuse syndrome" that included bed wetting, nightmares, etc. as indicators of sexual abuse. This is no longer considered valid. The most robust indicator of "exposure to sexual behavior" (NB - not necessarily sexual abuse) is sexual behavior itself. In fact, many children with documented histories of sexual abuse show no symptoms at all. In any case, how is your child doing in other areas of his life - school, social relationships, family relationships, self esteem? Do you think he may be struggling with some kind of emotional difficulty?

Just some ideas to consider. Good luck. I'd be interested in what others think.
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Avatar universal
My wife and I are encountering a similar problem with our 5 year old (will be 6 within the month).  This behavior started several months ago with our son urinating on the floor in the bathroom and again in his playroom.  In both instances he was reprimanded and instructed to use the toilet for urinating.  In addition to this, he has exhibited an obsession with feces.  He has been reprimanded for spreading feces on the wall in his bathroom and defecating in the bathtub.  Of course this raised the fear of sexual abuse, as I am aware that encopresis and enuresis are symptomatic of children suffering from sexual abuse.  My wife and I have both discussed appropriate and inappropriate touching with him and have inquired if he has been in a situation where he felt someone had touched him inappropriately.  He has denied this I feel comfortable that he is being honest.  It also appears that his obsession with body excretions is not to soil himself but rather is directed at other objects.  Recently, while staying at his grandmother’s house, he urinated on her dog.  After requiring him to wash the dog, my wife discussed the inappropriateness of this behavior and received information that he had previously urinated on our own dog.  When asked if he believed that he would not be punished for these actions he stated that he didn’t think he would get caught.  At this point I am attempting to determine if this is some form of control issue for him or if there are possible antisocial tendencies. I recognize that due to his age he is egocentric by nature but this seem a bit extreme to me, even for a child.  I am stumped by this behavior and would welcome any advice that you would be willing to offer.
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