4 year old son doesn’t stay dry

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Forum -> Children's Health -> Toilet Training

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amother

Mon, Nov 14 2022, 6:58 am

Idk what to do. My DS has been toilet trained for over a year. About three months after training, I noticed he wouldn’t stay dry despite going to the bathroom. I took him to a urologist after this went on for months. He explained that kids tend to hold their urine in instead of going to the bathroom because they’re too busy playing etc and that they eventually lose the muscle that controls the flow and it comes out by itself whenever the bladder gets full. The solution was to take him every two hours to the bathroom to retrain the body. We’ve been at this for four months now. He’s a big drinker so we’ve been consistently taking him to the bathroom every hour instead of two. I’ve spoken to his daycare and they’re on board also. He is practically in the bathroom all day!! (And he goes every time!) the problem is that his underwear is soaked every single day!!! It doesn’t bother him, he could stay like that and not mention it, but I don’t like it. Also its very noticeable that he’s wet. I would like for him to remain dry. Anyone have any solutions?

amother

White

Mon, Nov 14 2022, 7:51 am

I would treat him for constipation. It’s common that kids don’t empty fully and it doesn’t leave enough room for the bladder to hold in urine. He should have a designated time that he sits on the toilet for at least half an hour a day to have a bowel movement. Even if it looks like he is fine they often aren’t emptying completely because they jump off the toilet too quickly. Especially boys.

oneofakind

Mon, Nov 14 2022, 7:57 am

Constipation

amother

Mon, Nov 14 2022, 8:00 am

He has 1-2 bowel movements daily so I don’t think it’s constipation.

amother

Mon, Nov 14 2022, 8:01 am

amother White wrote:

In addition to taking him every hour and watching that he actually urinates, we make him stay there a bit longer to make sure he’s done

amother

White

Mon, Nov 14 2022, 8:02 am

amother OP wrote:

He has 1-2 bowel movements daily so I don’t think it’s constipation.

It can be even with 1-2 bm because they don’t empty fully. Try it you have nothing to lose.

amother

Mon, Nov 14 2022, 8:17 am

amother White wrote:

It can be even with 1-2 bm because they don’t empty fully. Try it you have nothing to lose.

How do I treat for constipation?

amother

Pewter

Mon, Nov 14 2022, 8:34 am

amother OP wrote:

This is classic ensuresis caused by constipation. Even if he doesn't seem to be constipated.

amother

Pewter

Mon, Nov 14 2022, 8:43 am

amother OP wrote:

How do I treat for constipation?

I am going through this with my son, but he has encopresis as well.B"H he is doing so much better. Firstly go to a pediatric GI who specializes in encopresis. We used to use exlax and miralax. Eventually switched from miralax to magnesium gummies and probiotics along with the exlax. He does get backed up sometimes and does have the occasional accident, but it helped tremendously

amother

Mon, Nov 14 2022, 8:45 am

amother Pewter wrote:

This is classic ensuresis caused by constipation. Even if he doesn't seem to be constipated.

I’m wondering why the urologist didn’t mention that. Also can he really be constipated with 1-2 bowel movements daily? How does one treat for ensuresis?

amother

Tuberose

Mon, Nov 14 2022, 8:59 am

I’m shocked they didn’t mention it. I just went to a urologist with my 5 year old and it was the first thing they checked. He goes every day a lot and they did a sonogram and c ray and apparently he’s super backed up. We did a 3 days cleanse with dulcolax and Miralax and now miralax for maintenance. He got sick in between so I can’t say if it’s actually working yet in terms of staying dry.

amother

Mon, Nov 14 2022, 9:04 am

amother Tuberose wrote:

Maybe because I went on his fourth birthday. He told me between the ages of 3-5 this is normal. Do I make a follow up appointment and request a sonogram and X-ray?

amother

Emerald

Mon, Nov 14 2022, 9:10 am

amother OP wrote:

My 5 yr old niece has the same exact issue. Always wet. Smells awful. Except that her teachers say they can't take her to the bathroom often. If you tell her to go, she'll go, but otherwise urinates in her underwear. Her urologist said she has an overactive bladder and there's nothing to do.
It's such a struggle. I feel for you, OP

amother

Fern

Mon, Nov 14 2022, 9:10 am

Strep or parasites can also cause this.
But you will have to go to an alternative practitioner for most effective treatment.

amother

Mon, Nov 14 2022, 9:22 am

amother Emerald wrote:

So bH his daycare is willing to cooperate but he does often go to the bathroom on his own. He also tells me he doesn’t know what happened, almost like he had no control.

amother

Mon, Nov 14 2022, 9:23 am

amother Fern wrote:

Strep or parasites can also cause this.
But you will have to go to an alternative practitioner for most effective treatment.

We did treat for worms over the last year twice. Is that what you mean by parasites?

amother

Plum

Mon, Nov 14 2022, 9:29 am

amother OP wrote:

I’m wondering why the urologist didn’t mention that. Also can he really be constipated with 1-2 bowel movements daily? How does one treat for ensuresis?

Because I find that every doctor specializes in their own specialty. A urologist will deal will enuresis only and not try to find the root cause. A gi will deal with the encopresis.

They won’t cross over to diagnose a different issue in a different specialty.

Stupid but that’s my experience.

BrisketBoss

Mon, Nov 14 2022, 10:15 am

amother OP wrote:

I’m wondering why the urologist didn’t mention that. Also can he really be constipated with 1-2 bowel movements daily? How does one treat for ensuresis?

Softer poop comes down like normal around the large poop mass. It happens all the time.

amother

Fern

Mon, Nov 14 2022, 10:44 am

amother OP wrote:

We did treat for worms over the last year twice. Is that what you mean by parasites?

Pinworms is one kind of parasite. It could be he still has it or has other parasites.

amother

Mon, Nov 14 2022, 12:02 pm

So where should be my next step? Back to urologist and request cat scan? To a GI? Not sure where to go from here

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