Potty Training - Chicago,IL

If he hasn't pooped for 8 days, he could be holding it in, my daughter used to do that. What I would suggest is giving him a suppository. It is not pleasant, but he won't be able to hold it in and he will go within 15 minutes. After having to do that approximately 3-5 times with my daughter, she never held it in again.

I can only add keep him very hydrated--prune juice slightly diluted with water, no additives, and keep him active to keep his system moving. Try less suger overall in his diet too maybe?

Hi agree with Mom S. I just want to add to make sure he is drinking a lot of water.

The miralax is not gonna help i went through it with my daugther at walgreens there is a liquid by the laxitive stuff called fletchers castoria not sure if i spelled it right or not but it works so well and it is for kids, it is a root beer flavor and you can mix it in their drink and they wont even know one or two times and he will go, but it wont be a big mess or anything like that he will know he has to go and wont be able to hold it in any more. The frist time may be an accident but tell him its ok and have him go to the potty anyway and remind him that is is easier if he goes on the potty next time. He will get through it, my daugther even use to try to hide under a table so she didnt have to go to the potty. I hope it helps if you cant find fletchers ask the pharmacist they can take you to it. It is safe and caused my daugther no cramping or pain and even though she is older now i still use it now and again when she gets backed up, she was only 1 the frist time i used it. Good luck on the poopy issue and i hope this helps.....I know it sucks to see them holding it in and sometimes we feel helpless but it is normal and he will get over it soon enough, then before you know it he will be 12 like my son and stinking the bathroom up,,,LOL...

oh my poor kid! do you have a small potty like the ones that you first use to teach a brand new trainer. that helped when my daughter went through this phase. she wasnt as scared being as close to the floor. also, try to give him prunes. we call them giant raisins and act like their a treat and that seems to really help because if it hurts it is definitely scarier to go. if he wont eat the prunes mixing some prune juice into apple juice may help. good luck.

Hi K.,

This is not uncommon. I'm not a psychologist so not sure of the technical explanation but have experienced with my children, grandchildren and other friends, etc. Basically, I think it's a control issue. It might have something to do with seeing the poop (a solid substance) as part of himself. In my experience, this too shall pass (bad pun). I think the important thing is to not make a big deal out of it (easier said than done) as that could set up more of a control issue.

Have you tried letting him wear a pull up? That might take away some of the anxiety.

If nothing works, you might want to call the doctor to see what them recommend.

Good luck!
L. Purpura, CEC/ACC

Hi K., my son and I went through the same thing, so my heart goes out to you both.

I thought for the longest time that it was a "battle of the wills" and I was in for the long haul. However, after speaking with his pediatrician, I realized that there was more to it. This is what he recommended and it WORKED!

Reduce or eliminate foods from his diet such as, apples, cheese, bananas, bread/rice. These foods, although healthy, create a lot of "bulk" in his intestines and are harder pass. During this time period try to give him foods like dried apricots and prunes, beans, and fresh vegetables and plenty of water. Now here is the KEY to success for us, sprinkle Childrens Benefiber in his drinks and on his soft foods. It dissolves instantly and has NO taste. This extra fiber is what is going to make it easier and LESS PAINFUL for him to go potty on the toilet. After 2 weeks on this diet my son was going to the bathroom like a pro and we have NEVER had a problem since!

When it doesn't hurt to go potty the fear will go away and the natural order of things will resume. Good luck and God bless you both!

Hi. Hopefully, your son has gone potty by now, but if not, I would assume that he is no longer trying to hold it in, but instead, is probably not able to push it out, as it has probably hardened. I know that my daughter (around age 3) started getting constipated by eating lots of dairy, bananas, etc. and when her bm's were hard to pass, she would hold them in, making the situation worse. We went through this for months. We ended up needing to use a water/bulb enema. It was somewhat traumatic for her, but it worked. (I must mention that when we did this, we also used Vaseline on her bottom) We did need to do this probably three times, before she realized that she needed to go on her own. We had many talks about it and tried to comfort her and explain the reason for this to her the best we could. She was very happy and relieved when she realized that it was so much better to go on her own, and we praised her alot when she did go. I am happy to tell you that she has been doing well ever since then, and she will be 5 in April. We do keep an eye on her diet, and we did use the Benefiber for a while as well, just to make sure we kept things moving. I wish you the best of luck, this is not a happy situation for you or or son. Hang in there, you will get through it. :)

Has he had a painful bowel movement to make him afraid? Did someone make a comment like- holy cow I am surprised that did not rip you in half (My father did this to my son and we had this problem lol) or similar? Is it possible he just is still not ready especially with a new little brother?

At this point, being that it has been 8 days, I would actually call his pediatrician. The Miralax should have worked within 1-2 days. Have you noticed any other symptoms like cramping, bloating, pain, fever etc? If so do not delay calling!!!!!!

I wish you lots of luck with this... let us know what happens! Blessings to you and yours!

Is there something that caused him to be scared? Is he constipated? Does he wear diapers again? My son was slow with the process, but didn't have a problem pooping, he used to hide and not want his diaper changed when he wore them. Perhaps offering him a special reward if he does make the effort to just sit and try could help? Incentives like Matchbox cars or the like used to help my son.

Ask him questions in a slow deliberate way, he may tell you what he is afraid of. I have come across kids who are afraid of the loud flushing sound, who hate the smell. I also tell them all about the digestive process and that pooh is the food they eat, show them a picture of the mouth and throat stomach and intestines. Of course, call your doctor on this one, 8 days is too long and he will know the best course as far as what to use.

Flax seed. My son is the same way. He's been potty trained (pee) for nearly a year...but he will NOT poop on the potty. I give him granulated flax-it's natural, and just a dab will make him go...even if it's in his pants, unfortunately. Just sprinkle a tsp or so on cereal or some food that he's into. I've even done ice cream. Enemas and suppositories are painful... try one on yourself and see!! That would be enough to scare my son from pooping ever again. I'd try really hard to stick with changes in diet. Good luck! I feel your pain!