9 year old daughter soiling and wetting

[kellylill]

She has never been completely dry, although occasionally has dry days. She’s had constipation issues since a baby, although she’s never really suffered with more pain apart from occasional tummy aches. She will have a proper bowel movement around every other day maybe (on one laxido at the minute) and will also leak stools. Her stools are dark and sticky and always stick to the side of the pan so we know when she’s been!

With her wetting I do think a lot of the time it’s laziness and distraction, even though she says it’s not. We’ve just recently been referred to a paediatrician but it’s hard with just phone appts. They’ve prescribed oxybutin on top of the laxido, but I stopped it after 2-3 weeks as she was getting tummy aches every day. She also had a water infection (which she gets regularly) so I thought it best just to stop all the meds, treat the infection, get back on the laxido and then think about starting the oxybutin again.

She doesn’t drink enough which is one of the problems, but it’s so hard to get her to drink more.

I’m wondering how you would approach this? Should I start on a disimpaction?

Thanks

[Alicass]

I would disimpact so you are sure she's poo free. Then find a maintenance dose and put a toilet plan in place.

Your daughter may not have the feeling of needing a wee. My son was like that. After chronic constipation he had a distended bowel which we were told would return to normal after two years of no constipation - I think we're there now.

My children don't drink enough either and I'm constantly nagging them. I give them squash rather than water as I would rather they drink something.

My 9 year old has just started Oxybutinin for an overactive bladder. He's only been on it for a few days. I'm hoping it works.

[kellylill in reply to Alicass]

Thanks for your reply.I think I will up the dose of laxido tomorrow. We did disimpaction a couple years ago, although I’m not sure we got there correctly as my gp was useless and pretty unaware of the process. Am I right in thinking you double the dose every day until you get to 12 sachets?

[Alicass in reply to kellylill]

Yes that's right. Then reduce slowly. Have a look at the ERIC website. I would also introduce toilet sits twice a day. I'm sure these have helped my son. Sometimes he poos on the toilet and doesn't realise as he is playing on my phone.

It's taken a long time to get where we are now but the toilet sits have definitely helped.

Good luck

Xx

[Yaleamanda]

Absolutely disimpact. Work up to the maximum dose stay there until you see rusty water looking stools. Then remain there for there consecutive days to ensure the impaction has gone. Only then reduce then reduce the doses down very very slowly ie one sachet every three days until you reach a suitable maintenance dose to keep on. Don't be tempted to refuge down too quickly, you will only end up back to square one again. Ensure that they're drinking plenty of liquid ontop of the laxido as this does not count towards their daily allowance of liquid. Also oxybutin is known to cause constipation.

[Robinia]

Agree re disimpaction. My son has a black metal litre water bottle for school with lime squash in and drinks the whole litre at school every day. Try to find a squash she likes the flavour of and use that for school. My son has permission to have his bottle with him all the time and drink whenever he wants.

[giul8bruce]

I ve managed the condition very well with picosulphate 5 ml x day keep her regular n safe. She hated movicol so I do not give it to her. The pretty nappies very helpful to manage accidents that happened along the way. I reall feel for you. I did all tests inc blood but no really much a specialist does except recommending movicol x disimpaction

[Maria821]

My son is 5 and soils and wets himself occasionally. We have some bad days and others when he is fine. I would say when he needs a poo and can make it, it’s always last minute. We have a paediatrician who is assessing other things going on with him and it may fit a wider sensory processing thing. She also says he has never been what we can call properly toilet trained. My question is, should we try disemactation anyway; we are in lockdown and seems the perfect time to try?? Any help would be amazing. Thanks