4 Year Old Son Refuses to Poop

[Hunters_mommy29]

I read some of the other questions, but think this is a little different.
After an incident at daycare that is still unclear, my son now refuses to poop after being fully potty trained for about 6 months.  We know that he went in his pants and some comments were made such as "That's icky.  That's gross."  He will let a little slip and then hold off--causing him to need multiple underwear changes throughout the day.  He has now started going in his sleep.  I have watched him and he is truly unconcsious while pooping.  He doesn't even wake up when his pants get changed.  To make matters worse, he is also refusing to eat anything but bread and butter, apple juice and milk.  We have tried suppositories, laxatives, bribery, and nothing seems to be working.  Please help.  He is not the same child.  All of his energy is spent on holding in his bowel movements, so he refuses to play.  He only takes part in sedentary activities so he can control himself.  When I ask him why he won't go, he has told me everything to that his tummy hurts to he is scared.
We have been encouraging him and asking him every day if "today is the day?".  He always says yes.  Lately, he has begun ignoring us any time we bring it up.  I have not made a big deal out of him going in his sleep.  I am just happy that he is going at all at this point.  What can we do to help get him back on track?  Thank you!!!

[Lori5]

sorry - I spelled it wrong:
www.aboutencopresis.com

[Lori5]

I found a wonderful website - everything you ever wanted to know and more....
www.aboutencompresis.com
They have a great forum going with so much advise.  It's been extremely helpful to me...

[poopx3]

I am so relieved to find this website.  I have 3 kids pooping in their pants!!!  Well, my 4 1/2 month old is allowed.  My 3 years old REFUSES to poop in the the toilet.  I let her go in a pull-up to not stress her out or else she would just hold it and I would have the same problem as my 5 year old........My 5 year old has the distended bowel, and has had for months now.  She's on Miralax everyday and seems to do the trick.  My doctor told me to hold off on extra fiber for now.  I'm hoping to get her off the Miralax and onto more natural stuff in the next little while.  I think I forgot to give it to her the other day because she's been holding it the last few days and complaining that it hurts and today..... let's just say I've been in the bathroom at least 10 times this morning cleaning up smears.  I've been putting a liner in her underwear which catches the worst of it.  another problem is her skin down there is so red and excoreated it's been agony for me to clean her up.  I had to keep her home from school today because of this.  I feel like I'm up to my elbows in poop.  It's so hard to be patient and because I've already been dealing with this for months, I don't see an end in sight.

[Hailey'smom]

molly's mom- The milk of mag. gives ger very loose stools. But she can't hold it in. we have been on the miralax for 1 week and she is now pooping regularly. Normal size~something I have never seen her do before. I have been giving her slightly less than half a capful because she was having explosive diarrhea. But my doctor only gave me a months prescription of the miralax~ I had to beg for it. The milkof magnesia is safer she says, you can take it for a year. It is gross and kids hate it. the miralax is tastless. I would love to hear from Mom's who have kids on mirlax and how it is working long term.
***@****

[Lori5]

I understand that it's not their fault and that they are just plain scared to poop (I would be if I had a bowel movement the size of theirs)  But what I don't understand is when people say they don't have the sensation to poop.  My son will run into the other room and hide, squeeze his butt cheeks together, cross his legs etc. just to hold it in.   Doesn't that mean that he is feeling the sensation?

[momof3boys]

***********EVERYONE PLEASE BE VERY PATIENT*******************

I BELIEVE THE KEY IS TO FIND THE RIGHT FIBER SUPPLEMENT (for my son it is 1/2 t. benefiber 1x/day in his juice) TO KEEP THE STOOL SOFT AND YOU WILL HAVE TO ASK THEM TO SIT ON THE POTTY AT LEAST 1X DAY FOR 5-10 MIN.

***THESE CHILDREN DO NOT FEEL THE SENSATION OF HAVING TO POOP.
***THEIR COLONS ARE SO LARGE & FULL OF STOOL AND IT LEAKS OUT.
***THIS IS WHY THEY HAVE SOILED UNDERWEAR SO MANY TIMES A DAY.
***EVENTUALLY THE COLON WILL SHRINK BACK DOWN AND THEY WILL
   REGAIN THE SENSATION.
***ACCORDING TO MY SON'S GASTROENTEROLOGIST THIS PROCESS CAN
   TAKE UP TO A YEAR FOR THEM TO REGAIN SENSATION.
***THAT IS WHY WE MUST BE PATIENT - THIS IS NOT THEIR FAULT!

OH, THIS IS CALLED "ENCOPRESIS".