Down child and fecal smearing

One of our grandson's will be 5 on Christmas and has Down Syndrome.  Recently (over the past month) he has been playing with, and sometimes smearing, his feces. He uses the potty at school (pre-K) and often at home (although he doesn't always initiate the action) but has been doing this more frequently in the past two weeks.  He recently returned from a week long visit with his mother who is in another state; he was there a week.
Does anyone have any thoughts about this?

[SimplyStar]

what kind of reaction does he get when it is discovered that this behavior has happened?  At 5 he certaintly understands most of the conversation around him , so I think I would try several things. 1.  give a toy or book for hand holding while using the toilet.  2.  make flushing the toilet and watching the stool go down a big deal.  3.  check with the school and see if it also happens there and what their solution is.  4. you say potty, is this a potty chair  or a regular toilet?  He is old enough to be taught correct toileting by a man. 5.  don't say BAD to him, say it makes me feel sorry that you did this. and make him help clean up the mess. Then say  look its all clean now, lets keep it that way. Try to stay always positve and patient with him.  Independance is slow but it does happen with the right directions.  I had a teacher one time tell me to never let my son have a behavior that would not be accepted as an adult. Do not baby him or over protect him, he needs to grow and learn.

[navyjane]

Thanks for the note, Star.  There is no negative given to him in his parent's or our household.  He is NEVER told that he is bad--we talk about behavior and separate that from the person.  So far this has only happened in his own room and has been when he's alone...it takes very little time as you know for a child to get into mischief.  The suggestions you provided are being done by all of the caretakers.  We think he is acting out something.  He does understand but is not at a place where he can clearly communicate what is going on for himself.
He uses the toilet with a seat and a potty chair. He is still small in stature for a 5 yr old, he has heart conditions and hasn't grown tall yet.  So, he uses what he feels comfortable with at the time he has to use the facility.
Thanks again for the information, I'll pass that on to his Dad.