6 Year Old Fecal Inconitinence and Manipulation

[Doxbox]

My 6 year old daughter defecated(well formed stool) in our beachhouse's outdoor shower when she was with her cousin about 2 months ago. She told us that her cousin, another 6 year old girl, encouraged her and told her it was ok. Prior to this she has had no remarkable toilet training issues,(she was  trained by 2, largely self motivated,  with no stress or conflict and with a  few lapses of bedwetting -3X over 4 years.)  Subsequently she has had increasingly more frequent "accidents." Most often she is engaged in play. It has happened at outdoor playgrounds twice but most often at our house when she is alone. Yesterday she had an all  day play date and defecated three time in her pants and at some point began to manipulate her feces, with her friend present, by spreading it over a basket that holds her toys.

She has a very hard time articulating what happens. Initially our reaction was to minimize the events, tell her that it happens sometimes,  talk about how loose bowels can surprise you, and hope that it was simply a temporal phase. We brought up our concern with our pediatrician, 2 weeks ago and he agreed, but with the admonition to bring her back in if these behaviors persist.

My level of concern is high now.  She is a very bright, and social kid, with a seemingly healthy pattern of development.  At first I thought it was just a single bad choice. Then I thought she was just so engrossed in play that she pushed the limits of control and failed. It is occuring right at he end of the school year so I thought it could simply be a reaction to the stress of a transition in her daily schedule. Now I am worried.

How could she move her bowels unwittingly?
Is she so focused on play that it supercedes normal behaviors?
Why does she wait, in some cases a considerable time, to react to her accident?
Isn't the new development of manipulating her feces evidence that she has crossed some important line?
I would really appreciate some direction to web resources that address this particula issue if they exist.
Thanks

[margypops]

You should take her back to the Doc as was suggested by him, Has she had any new happenings that could cause some Anxiety in her, are you watchful of any play with the friend who suggested she did it in the first place and did the friend have the same behavior, Observe anything happening in her life.