My 20 month old DS is afraid to poop...

travnicek

For the past several months, my DS has been having trouble pooping. At first, we believed the problem to be constipation, but now believe that the constipation is only a symptom of a greater problem...the fear of pooping. 

 At around 16 months, my DS began realizing when he would pee or poop in his diaper, and ever since then, he has been having problems. He holds in his poop so long, that after a few days he becomes super constipated. Four months later, and my DH and I are looking for some solutions! 

 I have heard that some little boys become afraid to poop when they are this age, but I don't know how, or what I can do to help him! We have been giving him Miralax (per his Dr. recommendation), but that is only treating the symptom of his fear...and I don't want to continue giving him Miralax for the rest of his life. 

 Has this happened to anyone else's DS/DD? Do you have any ideas on what we can do to help him get over his fear of pooping?!?!! Thanks!

 

**We've tried: making it a big deal when he goes, making it not such a big deal when he goes, trying out the "big potty chair"and talking about in continuously throughout the day. 

ncbelle

Eleanor was having on and off constipation issues - but she was definitely getting to the point of being afraid to poop (she knew it would hurt) and you could tell she'd stop herself from going even if she wasn't constipated (which of course led to her actually being constipated).  

We are doing Miralex too.  I'm not thrilled about it but it was worth it for her to not hold it.  My feeling is that this will help her "relearn" pooping - or rather to learn that pooping doesn't hurt - so that she's not afraid to go.  So far, so good.

I think it's a short term solution.  Right now I'm not sure there's much else to do to help them get over that fear until they are old enough to understand more fully.  We acknowledge when she is pooping in an upbeat and encouraging way as well. 

JnDbaby4us

DD likes privacy also, she goes in the corner or leaves the room. Even when at daycare. Sometimes she is constipated and struggles but we do bicycles to help move it along or put ointment around the area to help ease it out.

AlexKate45

OP - are you potty training now?  I just wasn't clear on this.

Anyway, my son had a similar problem around the same age.  We believe it did start because of consitpation and then he became fearful that pooping would hurt.

We began giving him prunes and were going to try PEG if that didn't work, to keep the stool soft. (I think PEG is the same thing as miralax in the US.)  Anyway, when we could see that he was needing to poop we would lie him on his back and bicycle his legs, sing songs, basically distract him.  They did the same at daycare.  Once he began to poop more regularily, it stayed soft and not painful.  Now he has no problems. 

Our ped did tell us this is common when children start potty training but we aren't there yet.