Soiling
Soiling means a healthy child aged more than four years repeatedly defecating into their underwear because they don’t manage to poo in the toilet. Holding back results in the pressure in their bowel mounting until poo is spontaneously excreted. Sometimes this problem is related to constipation and painful defecation, but on many occasions the cause is a mystery.
Parents and other caregivers often think that helping the child means they must discover why, unlike their peers, a child refuses to go to the toilet in time. Children affected by this problem usually don’t know why they are behaving in this way and the explanations that adults propose are usually little more than speculation. Focusing on pinning down the reasons why your child behaves like this is seldom profitable and may even be counterproductive.
What skill is needed here?
A better way of approaching this problem is to focus on working out, together with your child, which skill they need to learn in order to successfully defecate into the toilet. Do they need to learn how to sit on the toilet, to go to the toilet regularly, or to spend more time sitting on the toilet? Are they afraid of something and need to develop a bravery that will help them go to toilet in time? The Kids’Skills steps can help your child acquire the skill they need.
If your child is old enough, six years or more, you can coach them to start taking more responsibility for their cleanliness. For example, if they’ve had an accident, show them how to take care of it on their own. They can learn to put soiled clothes into the washing machine, to shower and then dress in clean clothes
Responsibility for staying clean
If your child is old enough, six years or more, you can coach them to start taking more responsibility for their cleanliness. For example, if they’ve had an accident, show them how to take care of it on their own. They can learn to put soiled clothes into the washing machine, to shower and then dress in clean clothes. Factors that contribute to resolving this problem include expecting a child to show a level of independence appropriate for their age, and their acceptance of responsibility for what has happened.
Possible skills
- the skill of going to the toilet on a daily basis
- the skill of sitting on the toilet for longer periods of time
- the skill of telling an adult that you need to go to the toilet
- the ability to enjoy sitting on the toilet patiently
- the skill of cleaning yourself up if you’ve had an accident
- “Toilet bravery” – the courage to sit on the toilet regardless of any fears you may have about doing so
This article is owned by: Kids’Skills http://www.kidsskillsapp.com/
