7 year old daughter

[mish_18]

Why has my daughter been pooping on the floor and towels and hiding it

[RockRose]

This is a long shot,  but is she also hiding laundry, or does she have a history of hiding her laundry?

Sounds to me like she's in "hiding" about something.  What is her situation like in school,  with her teachers and peers right now?

[margypops]

It is possible that something is upsetting her and yes she holds it in and then just lets go .What is your reaction when she does it?

[AnnieBrooke]

The second part of the question is easier to answer than the first.  Why is she hiding it?  Either because she's embarrassed, or because she knows you'll be angry.  

As for the first part, why is she pooping in unusual places?  Well, what has she said about it (if you two have had a calm, problem-solving-oriented discussion about it)?  Has she said either that it happens so suddenly that she has no warning, or possibly has she said she doesn't like the toilet for some reason?  (Some kids don't like the sense of a yawning gulf below them, or dislike the occasional cold splash on the bottom that happens from a poop going into the water.)  Or is she in some way in great distress, such as being harmed by someone close to her?

If it is the first, that it simply comes on her suddenly, could she have encopresis or problems with a disfunctional bowel?  Please look up "impacted bowel" and encopresis, and see if the descriptions fit the situation.  

The thing is, at age 7, a child should be able to tell you (as much as a child can articulate) what is going on for her in regards to pooping.  That sometimes a child does not tell, can be because she is afraid of being scolded and judged (or knows already that anger is the reaction she will get).  If you are absolutely sure nothing like this is going on, try taking her to the pediatrician and see if she will speak to him or her (if it takes doing so without you in the room, it's worth trying).

We get a lot of posts about encopresis; I'd start by reading up on it.  A child can learn to "hold it" for long periods of time, to the point where the colon ceases to be able to contract properly and the kid genuinely can't tell when it is time to go.

Good luck.