I'm at my wits end-smearing poop all over the place

This started about two weeks ago. My one son (they just turned 3 last week) has begun sticking his hand down his diaper and smearing poop all over his face, hands and whatever he might touch. :bad: :bad:

They were still in cribs when it happened the first time. I went in there after naps and thought "oh, he pooped". When I turned on the lights his entire side of his face along with the sheets were covered in it.

He NEVER did this when he was younger. I thought we skipped that phase that I heard so much about when they were in their 2nd year.

He walked into the kitchen a little bit ago and I smelled it. I looked down and his entire face and hands were covered in it. I rushed him to the bath and when he was finished I went into their playroom. Part of their train table and their bookcase was smeared with it. :umm: :umm:

I'm trying to figure out why this is happening now. Yes, we moved them to toddler beds last week AND they started preschool, but when it happned for the first time it was before all this. It does not happen every day but enough to make me :gah:

Could this be an "in your face" way of telling me he wants to potty train?? He used to tell me when he pooped and I noticed he stopped doing that and it's been replaced by this.

I don't know what to do and I just pray this is a VERY short.

 

Oh man. I'd have those diapers gone faster than you can say "CRAP!"

YUCK and you could all get very sick!!

 

:hug: I have no advice but just wanted to send you some hugs!! That is NO fun!!

 

Oh man, that is rough! :hug: Does he show any signs of potty training? If he shows any interest, I would jump on it in a flash. Does he have predictable BM's? If he does, maybe you could try sitting him on the potty at the usual time he would go and see if you have any results. You know...cut him off to the punch so he doesn't have the opportunity to play with poo. :unknw:

 

I was wondering too, if maybe he'd be willing to at least try the poop training part of potty training. I did have this problem with mine, actually 3 out of 4 of my boys. UGH With the twins, they were pretty young. So I found ways of keeping them out of their diaper. But I started pt'ing #2 first. They got it so quickly and the problem disappeared. There were only a couple times after that it happened again. But that was because I had a small potty seat in their room. They were gated in their room, so the potty seat was just in case they needed to go.
I'm sorry your dealing with this too. It's just awful!!! YUCK Not one of my favorite jobs as mom, that's for sure...

 

I would say try to potty train... I'm amazed at how well ours are doing with it, I think that they are mentally able to do it and it's great to see their little minds understand what to do when they need to go.

of course I don't know how it will all play out with the changes you've made recently with toddler beds and preschool... adding potty training might be a bit much. But you can always try a big push for it over a weekend and see how it goes. Potty training isn't as bad as cleaning up poop from everywhere!

good luck!!

 

I've been thinking about something and I think he may have a intestinal parasite. On Christmas day, he had horrible diarrhea. His first poop "espisode" was the next day. His poops have been smelling very fishy since Christmas. He's been on omega 3's for awhile now and I just thought I might be giving him too much and it was coming out in his poop.

One of the symptoms is that your rectum itches. That could explain a lot. He's not really playing with it, but trying to scratch an itch.

His poops have been very strange looking in color lately. I'm going to call his Dr. tomorrow. They have their 3 year on Monday but I don't know if I want to wait that long.

I hate to say it, but I relly hope that's what it is. Otherwise I may :drown:

 

Good luck!!!

 

oh ugh! but you might be on to something with he itching and the difference in his stools... makes sense. I hope that's it - though I hope he doesn't have that issue either... but at least it would explain his behavior!

 

Keep us posted!!!

 

my dd used to do that. It was really gross. I gave her cold baths after her messy finger painting sessions and after doing that twice she never played in her poop again.

 

I had the same issue and it went away pretty quickly. Try not to give it any attention, I know that it is hard when you have to clean it up. Tell them that it is not okay very firmly but that is it. Maybe even dont let them see you cleaning it up if you can. Move their cribs (unless they are in beds) away from the walls.

Also, put them back in a onesie for a while so they cannot reach down their pants.

It will pass, and I suggest that you just dont put to much energy into it and don,t let them hear you talking to anyone else about it.