I am the mother of a great 6 yr. old boy. My son has been potty trained for well over 3 yrs now; but recently, the last month or so, his "wiping" after using the bathroom has become an issue. He often calls me in to the bathroom to look and see if he wiped everything out, which usually he has, if not, I just help finish the job. Other times, he won't ask me to check, goes about his business and has no problems, then later in the day, will ask me to check, and by then, what didn't get wiped away comepletely leaves him irritated and it's dried on, so I use a wet wipe tissue paper, then I'll put some Eucerin on to help the irritation. The part that boggles me is, just last week, 2 mornings in a row, he asked me to "check" him before we left for school, all looked fine, not irritated or sore, but once he pulled up his pants, he walked funny and said it didn't feel right, then he would cry. I feel terrible, but there is no reddness or irritation. This doesn't happen everytime he has a bowel movement, but has most certainly become an issue in our house now. Has anyone went through this before or have any ideas? I don't want him to stop using the bathroom for fear of this uncomfortable situation and end up with constipation issues.
I'm trying to teach him, again, how to wipe better. He's always eaten lots of fruits, but lately, his BM's are no longer "clean getaways" they are looser. I'm adding more cheese and proteins to his diet to try to help with that, but just have to keep showing him how to do it better for now. We've used the flushable wipes, they're what I use when I go in to finish what he couldn't get, he, however, hates the feeling of wet wipes, so he wipes with dry tissue afterwards. I think it's just another surprise along the way of raising kids.
Maybe try a light dusting of baby powder after you check him. Then his little cheekies can slide into a position that is comfortable for him.
Hi. I have a 6 year old too and he often asks me to do the checking as well...ha! We use the toddler wipes, which can be flushed. I couldn't help but think that maybe he has a hemroid or a tear. Those could be inside and you would not see any redness. Ask him if he has a hard time having a bowel movement and if he has to push hard. If that's the case, you can try some prune juice (if he'll drink it). If not, ask the Dr. if you can give him a stool softner.
my 5 yr. went to the doc. this week for the same problem plus frequent urination. It turned out he has a yeast infection. He prescribed vusion and it seems to be working. He also suggesting baths with baking soda. Good luck!
It may be a urinary tract infection? I don't know if he can explain if it's the typical pain if he didn't wipe himself or if it's a "new" pain - I know if I have the UTI, I walk funny myself. :) I would go to the doctor's to make sure all is okay...
I have a 7 year old and we have the same issues. You need to look at it as part of growing up and learning about personal hygeine. 8 is still young to be able to do a good job wiping. Do you use flushable wipes? If you don't you might try getting some because it helps them learn to clean that area better. Be careful though because I know those wipes irritate me so I do not use them but everyone else in my house does. I put a little desitin on my son and the irritation feels much better. Don't make a big deal about it. Don't call it diaper medicine in front of him because you do not want him to feel bad about himself. Also keep in mind during the hot summer months that that area gets sweaty and that can cause a lot of irritation. That is very sensitive skin in that area and there are lots of things that can cause irritation (including the kind of toilet paper you use!!!) I learned that the hard way too. Good luck. Bless his little heart!
candida comes to mind - apparently it is an issue for a large percentage of Americans, with our diet heavily on the side of sweets, carbs, refined food. I really like the book Body Ecology (website of same name).
good luck!
Hi A.
My son is also 6 and we have a similar problem...he will wipe himself but will always ask me to check because more often than not he is a mess down there (depending on the bm). But after reading your responses, I also think that his continued feeling of uncomfort could probably be yeast. My son has also struggled with this from time to time and I usually can pin it on his diet. IF there has been a time where he was having too much sugar (including juice, white flour, etc)...I usually give my kids acidophilis. I used to just open an adult capsule into some yogurt and they'd eat it right up...but I also need to get to the store...I heard they have chewables now for kids. Those would be easier probably.
Anyway, hope that helps some.
My daughter 51/2 yr old has a issue with her bum , she does'nt like medium-hot water for bath ,it always irritates her. She says it hurts her bum , I dont see anything not even a rash. I could not understand her ,but now I make sure the water is warm and I also use Aveeno Anti-Itch Cream, 1% Hydrocortisone , that made her feel better.
You can always use the remedy my mom always used and it seemed to work....cornstarch.
Try getting him some Cottonelles - flushable wet wipes. Good Luck!
A.,
I see that what I'm about to suggest has already been suggested but I'll repeat-
In our family we used the flushable wet wipes - they work great when trying to clean after a bowel movement :)
Maybe these will work for him in getting that area a bit cleaner.
Good luck :)
In our house, we have boxes of baby wipes at all 3 toilets. Everyone uses them every time they have a bowel movement. We taught this to our children, now 11 and 10 years old, from babyhood. As adults, we have been using them for 25 years. The days are long gone when we just used dry toilet paper to wipe ourselves and were satisfied with the degree of cleanliness that dry toilet paper could give. The wetness of baby wipes is far superior for cleaning you up than any dry toilet paper. Everyone should use baby wipes----at all ages. That will prevent all irritation problems. I. Collins, Senior Director for Mary Kay, Inc. ###-###-####
