4yr 3month old son still wetting pants and soiling or fully pooing in pants.

[H84AA]

Hi this is my first post on here, as have just joined. My son was 4 in January, started toilet training him at 3yrs, after a while he would use the potty when he had no bottoms on, but always have accidents if he had pants on. However, now he has accidents regularly whether he has pants on or not, wetting on floor or wherever. Doesn't bother him when he is wet or has poo in his pants. Took a urine sample into work and was nad on dipstick ( I am a children's nurse) to rule out a uti. Last few days he has had several loose watery stools ? Overflow. He hasn't complained of tummy ache prior to bowel moment. He usually has a poo alternate days, varying from formed to soft or loose. He has a good diet and is up to date developmentally. We have tried reward charts, or said we will get him a toy that he wants if he can stay dry for a few days, but nothing works. When he has an accident and you ask him where he should have done it he knows it is the toilet. He never tells us that he needs the toilet, and doesn't tell staff St nursery or afterschool club so often comes home with wet or soiled pants in his bag. I have movicol and am going to trial it for a while. My niece has had constipation problems for many years, movicol didn't work very well, but since she went on sodium picosulphate she has improved massively. Any advice?

[Yaleamanda]

Sounds like he is impacted and needs disimpacting.

[Hidden]

How is he with transitions in general?

[H84AA in reply to Hidden]

He is usually good, although took him a while to settle into nursery, but with covid and being in and out of school it hasn't helped.

[Hidden in reply to H84AA]

It’s such an unsettled time for them, isn’t it 😕

I meant more about going from one activity to another. My youngest struggles with this and gets super focused on what’s she’s doing, so it’s much harder for her to pick up her body cues which has had a massive impact on h her toileting.

If this sounds familiar, one thing she found acceptable was buying her a special watch with a timer, so when it went off she could take herself off to the toilet as a game (took away any power struggles). The only reason we didn’t continue it is that we introduced it after she had largely mastered wees and it’s less useful for poos, but it crossed my mind when I read your post.

[H84AA in reply to Hidden]

He doesn't have a problem going from 1 activity to another. Could try the watch idea though thanks.