3 year 8 month old will only poo in nappy

[Hulahoops]

Feeling really desperate about this now so hoping someone can help. My little boy suffered from constipation when he was a baby but this is much improved with one sachet of movicol per day and his stool is now very soft. We started potty training around 12 months ago and he has never managed to poo in potty or toilet. He will only go in a nappy sitting on the floor (in the bathroom). He strains and grunts when he goes even though the stool is very soft - I’m not sure if this is because of the sitting position. I’ve tried getting him to sit on potty or toilet with nappy on but he refuses.

He will use the toilet to do a wee but this is also a bit of a battle. He would happily wee on the floor and will always say he doesn’t need to go even when it is very clear that he does. When I do get him to wee in the toilet, I’ve tried blowing games etc. To encourage poo but he bores of this pretty quickly.

I really don’t know how to move things forward - it feels like we are going backwards. He has worked out that if he tells me he needs a poo, he will get a nappy and now he sometimes says this just so he can do a wee in the nappy rather than go to the toilet.

He is genuinely fearful of doing a poo on the toilet but the wee issues seems like he just doesn’t want to be taken away from his play.

How do I progress from here?! Thanks for listening.

[Yaleamanda]

For now leave him pooing in the nappy, but only allow him to do it where the toilet is situated i.e. the bathroom. It is actually witholding behaviour he is displaying rather than straining. Speak to your Dr about a stimulant such as senna to use alongside the movicol. How much does he drink during the day, fluid is key and will help keep the stools nice and soft alongside the movicol. What do his stools look like on the Bristol Stool chart?

[Hulahoops in reply to Yaleamanda]

Thank you so much for your reply. I will speak to the gp again. Fluid intake has always been challenging but is improving. His stools are very soft on movicol - quite mushy.

[Yaleamanda in reply to Hulahoops]

Thats good re the stools, I would leave the potty training for now, but get him used to only be able to go where there is a toilet present so he associates it with where he should go. If he gets to a point where he will try, get him to blow bubbles, you cant withhold and blow bubbles at the same time, it works.

[Hulahoops in reply to Yaleamanda]

Ok thank you. Will maybe back off for a bit and see how we get on.

[SallyandPaul in reply to Hulahoops]

Just to say i completely agree with Yaleamanda. I know its hard but as long as hes doing it all in the bathroom,just ignore it for now. Good luck

[14crosstitch14]

Tell him no more nappies. Has he got child under wear. Is it the toilet seat as my daughter if sat on our toilet seat say's oh like it hurts. Could be that he's uncomfortable. My step daughter is 5 and still will not sit on a proper toilet seat, some1 told her their was monsters. I'v just bought a paw patrol child friendly toliet seat and will try that when she's home from school. Apparently they'v got to.be relaxed. Making him laugh or keeping him occupied. Their is a pooh story that may help. My step daughter is the 1 with constipation and she's epileptic. Getting her to drink can be a nightmare.