My six year old doesnt mind having dirty underwear

amother

Chocolate

Tue, Mar 31 2015, 5:57 pm

For the past few months my six year old (who has been toilet trained for three years) doesn't mind if her underwear is dirty. It's so bad that she stinks and the room stinks. Sometimes she will have a dirty accident and not care but usually she goes in the toilet and just doesnt wipe properly. It just doesnt bother her. I am going crazy. Dh thinks it may be a sensory issue. Who can I talk to about this?

Emotional

Tue, Mar 31 2015, 8:26 pm

Optione wrote:

Can you talk to her teacher?

I have the same issue with my 6-year-old son. I don't think you can involve the teacher for this age. They expect 6-year-olds to handle their own bathroom needs.
I would look into a possible constipation problem.

Optione

Tue, Mar 31 2015, 8:27 pm

Emotional wrote:

To ask the teacher's advice- "what do you suggest I do..."

sweetpotato

Tue, Mar 31 2015, 9:19 pm

Emotional wrote:

If the child is having problems with this such that there is a noticeable smell (and this is happening at school), then you likely should speak with the teacher. My sister teaches 2nd grade and had a student last year who had toilet/underwear problems like this. She and other teachers kept noticing (because of the smell) and kept trying to work with the child and alert the parents. When she found out that the parents had been aware for over a year that he had bathroom issues and hadn't let the school know at all, she was a bit shocked.

OP, I don't have personal experience with this but I have read other mothers here who have had older children having accidents and cleanliness issues like this, and it can be due to a more serious constipation/psychological issue (encopresis). Maybe someone can comment, but have you confirmed that it's just a hygiene problem? Hatzlacha.