Sudden Onset of Incontinence in 2 3/4 Years Old Daughter

Updated on May 07, 2010
T.L. asks from Cleveland, OH
6 answers

My Daughter is almost 3 yrs. old and has been potty trained for about 6mos. No accidents in the day or night time. all of a sudden about 4 wks ago she became completetly inncontinent. She was going on herself without exageration like 20 xs a day wich is way too many times for anyone to use the restroom. ( atleast thats my opinion) but, I knew that something was wrong so I took her to the ER and they tested her urine and found out that she had a UTI.She was prescribed with antibiotics and she took the exact dosage for 10 days. One week after that she is still incontinent and is constantly pooping her pants too now. She doesnt even say She has to go. If I confront her about it she starts crying and starts peeing on herself right in front of me!!! something is not right and any sound advice would be greatly appreciated.

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I.G.

answers from Seattle on

Please put your poor child back in diapers or pull ups for a while, without making a big deal about it! At that age potty training regression is SOOO normal, especially after an illness like a UTI. The fecal incontinence could be a side effect from the antibiotics, which often mess with with the digestive system - it can take a while to recover from that.

The more pressure you put on her, the harder it will be for her to regain her skills. It's just one of those phases...you gotta take it in stride.

I would also suggest that you follow up with your pediatrician, sometimes one course of antibiotics is not enough to clear up an infection completely.
Your doctor can also help you assess the situation and give you additional tips on how to deal with it.
Good luck.

3 moms found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

Oh gosh the poor thing... I feel so bad for her.
Please don't express disappointment/frustration on her.... even if you do feel it. She is obviously stressed and having anxiety about all of it.
As the others said, take her back to the Doctor for a follow-up and even re-testing her, to make sure the infection is all gone. Completely. Even if still there at a low level, it can affect her.

As for the pooping, there is also something called "Encopresis." Which means an INvoluntary leaking of feces.... which the child cannot control. So maybe check for that as well.

Her accidents may be medical based... as well as now, emotional based. So.... try to sympathize with her. I really do not believe, she is doing this willfully nor on purpose. So punishments or lecturing her or confronting her... will not help but exacerbate the issue.
On the other hand, talking with her sympathetically... may help her understand that you are not "disappointed" in her... but empathize "with" her... and talk about it, maybe she has something going on internally that is bothering her or affecting her. Has her life changed? Any new stresses? Any new Caretakers? Any new schedule changes? etc....

Often times too, "stress" can create accidents in kids, who are potty trained. My daughter had stress related accidents when she was about that age.... when she had started Preschool.... and then when I was pregnant with my 2nd child....
There can be many reasons.... so until it is found out... try your best not to admonish her... I am sure it is just as hard for her too and not fun.
Try to find out the reason.... and think widely and openly about it.

all the best,
Susan

2 moms found this helpful

M.L.

answers from Hartford on

My daughter is prone to UTI's! The UTI goes away with antibiotics but then months later they come back! We finally ended up at a children's hospital some months later and long story short she was diagnosed tih A urinary Reflux and is on a low dose antibiotic.

Talk to DR and keep a watch on her and UTI's They have over the counter tests that I use! then if her levels are off I take her to the Dr.
Send over any more questions- I love to help!

1 mom found this helpful
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J.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

Your instincts are right: this is NOT normal. Take her to her pediatrician as soon as possible- or back to the ER if your Dr can't get her in by tomorrow. In fact, I'd even consider calling her ped now, and seeing if he/she recommends sending her to the ER tonight. If you think she's in pain, don't wait.

Almost certainly, her UTI wasn't cleared- did they run another culture after the 10 days of AntiBs?- and at this point could be in her entire system. I don't want to scare you, but these symptoms actually present as possible damage to her kidneys. Also, the pooping could be a result of the medication, or even bacterial infection.
There could also be some psychological issues from the chronic pain (very common at this age), but you need to find out where her illness ends and the fear and pain start.
It's all treatable, but get her in to the doctor!

1 mom found this helpful
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C.G.

answers from Davenport on

Take her back to MD. They antibiotic may not have taking care of the UTI. The pooping may have to do with the antibiotic. I would put her on probiotics too.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.T.

answers from Indianapolis on

Antibiotics usually cause very loose stools so she may have alot of trouble holding it.

Did the doctor take an x-ray to see if she is/was impacted? Encopresis in girls usually presents itself as wetting due to their anatomy and how it presses on the bladder. The soiling made me think of encopresis. If you aren't familiar with it, it's a rather common (1 in 10 kids have it although it usually goes undiagnosed) condition. A kid gets constipated for whatever reason and a hard lump forms in the colon. The colon gets stretched out and loose stools seep around it, resulting in uncontrollable soiling. A child can not feel it or have any control over it. Most people don't think of constipation because the child has frequent, loose bowels. Anyways.... it's something to check into and get ruled out.

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