my 4.5 yo is wetting his pants

[spsmom]

I didn't know what to title this. I don't even know where to put this. I just know I am frustrated. My 4.5 yo ds has started having accidents during the day. a lot of accidents. and it is progressively getting worse each day. He has never transitioned to completely pull up free at night. He has always worn one at night since he started using the potty at 2.5. but he has been in underwear during the day for about 2 years, with close to no accidents at all.

he actually pooped in the yard today. the boys were in their underwear playing in the hose. he didn't even try to make it. he didn't even say he had to go. he just stood there and pooped. i have been having him wear a pull up during the day if he has an accident. he went in the pull up and it leaked all over the couch. he has peed in several spots on the carpet in the last few days. this is constant.

I just don't know what to do. i have not punished him for this. I have let him know that i am not mad. but that i just get frustrated bc he knows how to go to the potty. he is a big boy. i have asked him why he does it. his reason on the couch tonight was bc he didn't want to miss his movie. so now i am ready to throw the tv out the window. (have been for a while, but that's a different thread!)

is there something physiological that could be going on? he has not suffered any trauma, there is nothing that has happened that i can think of that would make him all of a sudden revert other than for attention.

does anyone have any ideas/suggestions? maybe something i haven't thought of.

[fantesia28]

I just want to say that you are not alone... when my son was around that age we started reverting back on the potty training. I think at that age a couple of things could be going on - but most likely he is just having too much fun and doesn't want to take the time to go potty!! Also, it could be that he has had a growth spurt and his bladder hasn't caught up yet.

With my son, it was a combination of both!! It was so bad at times that I would take him potty and then 5 minutes he had to go again and if he didn't get there within seconds he would go in his pants! In addition, he had issues with not wanting to go soon enough due to playing with his friends.

You may want to try to work with him on the behavioral part - this is what our doctor recommended for us to do. Basically, take him potty first thing in the morning, mid morning, before lunch/after lunch, mid afternoon, dinner time and then bedtime. You may even want to make a chart with the times so that you can keep him on track. I would guess based upon your email that this might fix the problem after a couple of weeks.

[kristinc]

You should really think about trying a chiropractor. The nerve that controls the bladder is situated in the low back/tailbone area. This nerve can be impinged while the child is learning to walk by the child constantly falling on their butt. The chirorpactic adjustment is highly effective, pain and drug free and generally you see results within in the first couple of visits. Try the www.icpa4kids.com to find a specially trained kid chiropractor in your area.

[spsmom]

we are semi-regular visitors to a chiro. just haven't been lately. the kids gone since birth. i always need a reminder that adjustments work miracles!


you mentioning falling a lot...he has started riding his scooter during my workout program (i workout with the kids in the stroller). and as he is getting better everyday, he does tend to fall a bit! i would never even connect the the 2!

I think i am going to pay a visit to our chiro!

and like fantesia28 says, maybe i do need to go back to basics with reminding to go potty! i sometimes just forget even though he is growing up and capable of so many things, he is only 4!

[mclisa]

Originally Posted by fantesia28

You may want to try to work with him on the behavioral part - this is what our doctor recommended for us to do. Basically, take him potty first thing in the morning, mid morning, before lunch/after lunch, mid afternoon, dinner time and then bedtime. You may even want to make a chart with the times so that you can keep him on track. I would guess based upon your email that this might fix the problem after a couple of weeks.

the local peds gi doc recommends this. And has parents do a reward system, if no accidents all day, then a sticker. 7 stickers = reward though eventually this number increases. the rewards have to be non mweterialistic. no cheap toy, but time with parent one on one doing activity of child's choice (play game/cards etc)