Reply from Mr John(Papa), Child's Age xx - 5/2/03 - IP#: 63.208.41.246Chris...Both Mike and Steven previous posts have responses which suggest possibilities in dealing with your situation. You have not yourself told us if your youngster has a nighttime problem also nor what you have been doing, for 4 months yet, to manage the pooping. And neither do you mention if your son also wets, as that would also be something that he would neglect to respond to when playing or have other priorities on his mind. Nevertheless, you seem to be convinced that he only needs to just be "helped over this hurdle."....Chris, given what you have shared with us, your son does so have the symtoms of encopresis. While you did not say if he ever had any evidence or discomfort of constipation, or that he sometime was deliberately witholding bowel movements, such would develop into encopresis and lack of control.You will have to see a GI doctor(gasterentoroligist), preferably for children, to diagnose this. Should this be the case, your son might be so plugged up that his colon is over-distended and that there is no way to stop the normal control which is taken for granted for most children. Home remedies may not be enough to treat this and you may waste your time and effort to try. Doctor would suggest or prescribe medications to accomodate the case, and could require a regimen carried out over an extended time to get things back to normal. I repeat, make sure you have a Dr. conversant with this condition. That is why a Pediatric Doctor with a GI special practice is preferable...Meantime, there is certainly no reason to avoid having your son put into a diaper, regardless of which you choose, in an attempt to avoid odors and unpleasantries. Cloth diapers would be better in my recommendation, though I suspect that pull-ups are more often given preference by moms. Given the circumstances, plastic or rubber pants can be added if and as needed. After all, you do need to contain your son's messies and make some effort to masque the odors and evidence of his accidents or indiscretions...Please keep in touch and post again should you need more help or advice and we will do whatever we can to assist. Hope the above gives you some direction. Best wishes and much luck....mr j |