My son is a real piece of work. He is incredibly smart-far beyond his two years. We have been potty training with little success on and off for several months now. I feel like he should catch on but he is resisting. M&M bribes haven't even worked! I'd be fine with putting it off for another couple of months (again) to see if he will be ready then but we have a problem...lately he has been taking off his own poopy diaper-and smearing it around! On his belly, on his sheets, on the FURNITURE & CARPET! I am quickly losing my patients and if I walk into a room to find him naked and "crafting" one more time I might go crazy!
My mom suggested using play dough to satisfy some deep seeded need he seems to have for sculpture. We've spent the last two afternoons molding away and, yet, he did it again. I think he just doesn't like the feeling of poop in his pants (rightfully so)-so then JUST USE THE TOILET!!! He might have thought he was being helpful but I have made it abundantly clear that it is not. I have even resorted to taping his diaper together but he has figured out how to undo it! For the record I do not let him sit in dirty diapers. I change them as soon as I am aware of them.
Please help-what do I do? How do I make my son stop crapping all over my house?!!
I had a co-worker with this issue and they used to put the diapers on backwards. I don't know if that will help given that he can get the tape off but might be worth a shot!
On another note, my brother and his wife just moved from St. John up to the Asheville area!
You poor thing. I knew a mom once who's son was playing with his poop, even at daycare, so the daycare owner insisted they go for therapy. Turns out the boy was upset about their recent move and divorce. He also had some other "special issues", in that he had trouble making friends. The therapy helped, but he was 4 or 5 so that may not be relevant to a 2 year old other than maybe he needs some special one on one attention to adjust to the move and perhaps he misses extended family that you had nearby there. I have heard that kids with developmental delays sometimes have this problem for longer than other kids.
Here is Dr. Greene's Q&A on this topic: http://www.drgreene.org/body.cfm?id=21&action=detail&...
One doctor on another website said this “I think it is likely a brief phase, in part related to his developmental delays and perhaps his previous home environment.
For now, put a onesie on him that doesn't allow his hands to access his diaper area and, if need be, put duct tape around the diaper so he can't get his hands in there.”
Here's another Q&A on this topic:
“I'm a little embarassed to ask this, but i am out of options, and dont know what else to try!
Our 3 year old daughter plays in her poop every chance she gets, and has even eatten it while playing in it. She smears it all over herself, everything else, and eats it.
We have literally read every parenting book about what to do. We have tried putting clothes on backwards, taping her pullup on, putting up to 3 pull ups on at a time, giving her a cold shower afterwards, etc. We have tried different ways of reacting to the situtation, but this problem has been going on for almsot a year now. Because she has eatten it, she has gotten intestial infections before and put on antibiotics.
Her doctors, etc, say she will outgrow it and jsut to wait and keep her from doing it. We do are best, but she does it when we are sleeping, not looking, etc. She seems to do it on purpose, because she knows how to use the potty. She does both potty, and playing in it. What can i try now?”
“Clean her up and put her on time out immediately after. Don't give her any treats and feed her bland food when she misbehaves, and tell her why. 3 years old is old enough to understand actions have consequences. My son is 2 and he already knows doing things I don't want him to will not work in his benefit.”
Someone mentioned that it could be a craving due to a vitamin deficiency “Make sure she is getting her vitamins too. Sometimes your body tells you to do something because it is lacking a nutrient. Even if it is gross like eating poop.”
Here's what worked for one mom “My daughter is 18 months old, and started playing with her feces about 4 months ago...
My husband and I were very disturbed about this and non-the-less downright disgusted. Waking up in the morning to a wall, child, crib and everything else smoothered in poop is not fun!
I had my fair share of breakdowns. Finally I grew the nerve to talk to her pediatrician about this. She said that it is totally normal.
She told me to try a cold shower instead of a warm bubbly bath...
(Remember not to cold, just dont make it to comfortable)
Needless to say... my house doesnt smell anymore and now we are potty-training!!“
Here'a another mom's solution “I am having the same problem with my 2 yr old son. I have recently made him help me clean it up. After 2 times he has not done it again (so far). I also set him on the potty after cleaning him up and let him know this is where the poop goes. This is not for the weak. It is eaiser to clean it up yourself but he does not learn that way. He learns the hard way. More adult supevision needed also. He does this only when left alone too long. Keep at it. You will get through this and have other poopy isues to deal with.”
Here's someone else's advice ”This is an amazingly common practice. Most normally-developing kids, if they engage in this kind of behavior, outgrow it quickly.
However, for children with developmental disabilities, this may take longer and may require specific therapies, possibly medical, dietary and/or behavioral modification. This is especially true for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), mental retardation and/or sensory integration issues.
If the child presents other issues, like communication delays, poor social and play skills, obsessive or self-stimulatory behaviors, lack of imagination.
If the child displays such behaviors prior to 30 months (age), most counties will provide a FREE evaluation and reduced cost services through the county health department, usually called Early Intervention Services. After 30 months, generally such services are provided through the county school system as part of the requirement to provide a FREE and APPROPRIATE education to all children.
The earlier such issues (especially ASD) are diagnosed and treated, the better the outcome will be.”
Good luck and I definitely sympathize.
This may sound dumb, but does he know that the poop belongs in the toilet? When you find him with his diaper off maybe you should take him and the poop and put it in the toilet. Maybe what you need to do is get him to understand that the poop either belongs in a diaper that is only removed by you or that it belongs in a toilet.
Yikes! Maybe you can ask him to put his poop into the potty; or have you already tried that? Have you told him that playing with poop like that can get you sick. If he's afraid of the doctor, just tell him he may have to see a doctor if he gets sick. Maybe you should try a punishment; taking toys away when he does it, etc.
Our oldest did the same thing , I just would not let him out of my sight(it was not easy) He potty trained himself though in 3 days at 2 1/2.........A friend of mine used a onsie on her 2 year old, he was still in the crib and would always poop during nap, or early in the morning when he would wake up, but she could never catch it on time and crib and surroundings were really "suffering":)I feel for you
