desperatly seeking poo-related assvice

Things with Beach Ball are taking a turn for the bizarre and if you know how to help, please let me know!

By and far, we have avoided big messes in our house: no puke, no runny poos, etc. Lately though, Dumpling has been having crazy nosebleeds that have required an ER visit. She is fine, we just need a major humidifier in her room and lots of polysporin. But as if spewing blood all over the main floor wasn't enough, we are now faced with smearing of poo.....

Over the last 3 days, Beach Ball will wander off, poo in her diaper, and then proceed to reach in, take it out, smear it all over her arms, legs, belly, and then whatever she can reach: floor, walls, counter, etc. It is, frankly, gross beyond words. She isn't upset, she isn't mad, she just reaches in and goes for it. (not if we are there. If we are there and smell the poo, we change her before any thing happens, but she sort of likes to hide now, a new thing). When she does start to freak out is when we have to wash her afterward. Oh my lord. The bath/shower just sends her into a tizzy. I tried to explain to her that if she doesn't touch the poo, I won't have to do this, but have you ever tried reasoning with a 2 year old?

OK, armchair psychologists and seasoned parents, go for it. Tell me what's going on, how to deal with this. Because poo, on the walls... yeah, not so much!

Comments

[Meagan]

I've had kids do this before, it is pretty gross! Honestly, if BB is smart enough to recognize that she's doing it, feel the need for privacy and going to hide than she is smart enough to start understanding a small bit of potty training as well. I haven't found it to be 100% accurate but typically I've found that when you give them something constructive to do (go in the potty) and then completely flip out and congratulate when they do, they loose interest in 'painting' the walls!

[cat, galloping]

I have no advice but if it helps to know you are not alone, my nephew used to do the same thing with the hiding and the poop smearing. And as I recall, he was a lot older than 2!

[carosgram]

Some kids seem to be in love with their own poo. It is not that uncommon but I agree with Meagan that this is a good time to start potty training. Best of luck with an 'icky' issue.

[lizard]

poop artists are not uncommon. I have seen a bunch in my practice (family practitioner basically). It most likely has nothign to do with anything beyond, well, creativity and the discovery of a new medium. Warm soft clay! Yay!

I know, it's unbelievably gross.

the best thing you can do is what you are doing-- swift (and relatively silent, if you can-- just don't make a big fuss) cleanup and moving on. When you are done the cleanup-- which is clearly enough punishment as it is-- just help her find a fun activity that does nto involve poop everywhere.

I also agree that she may be ready for potty training, given her desire for secrecy. then again, maybe not. I think kids do best when you let them tell you when, rather than spending a lot of trime trying to potty train them, but then, I think this kind of special case deserves some potty attention.

You may also need to follow her like a hawk to prevent future episodes. Really come down hard on it. She should get the picture, albeit not as fast as you would like.

[Julie]

No idea on the poo thing but I hope it's a very quick phase, but wanted to mention that after being at home for 2 years without ever getting a nosebleed, our daugther has just started getting them regularly. I've never had one in my life and I have to admit, they freak me out a bit but they don't faze her at all - thank goodness one of us can handle them!lol I just got a humidifier and have been keeping her nose "oiled up" so hopefully that will help here as well... please pass on any other tricks that might work!

Julie

[AmericanFamily]

Eew. You have my sympathy. I would go for preventing access to the poo. The only thing I can think of is making her wear a onesie and pants until this phase passes.

[Pronoia]

I've got nothing useful on the poo, but I had nosebleeds like that when I was little, and nothing stopped them, NOTHING, until I got an allergy test and the accompanying allergy shots. Then poof--gone forever. It would be worth the test, especially if you can find an allergist that just takes a vial of blood instead of one who pokes 78 holes in your kid with tiny little crochet hooks.

[Katie J]

Yeah, no advice here, but my nephew used to do it and I truly hope Buttons never gets the urge to smear the poo. You have my sympathies on this one. Good luck!

[Brooklyn Mama]

BB seems to want/enjoy the tactile experience. Some kids really need that kind of sensory play. I'd suggest you give her some messy materials like soft clay or playdough, fingerpaints or glue and let her play with it to her heart's content. A great gloopy material is cornstarch and water (just enough water to make it liquidy) - it's terrifically messy, but cleans up easily.

[Angee Jensen]

Oh wow. Thank the Lord mine didn't go through that! I don't deal with poop well, even in the diaper. We started setting Flower on the toilet a month after we got home because she made it so obvious that's what was happening. I'd just run her in there and rip the diaper off and set her down. We were trained, she wasn't but that was just fine with me. She's only pooped in her diaper twice in the last 7 months. I hope you are able to figure something out. :)

[Kikilia]

No clue what to do about the pooh. Though I vote for the onsie wearing idea.

My Pipsqueak used to get nosebleeds as well. Allergy medicine and keeping her nose moist via drops helped a lot.

[Justine]

Yep everything I was going to say has been said... onesie, fingerpaint (it works well on a big piece of paper and a plastic tablecloth on the kitchen floor) and maybe she is ready for the potty thing, just don't do all 3 at the same time! Good Luck!

[tshapedgirl]

Oh my. Wow- that just sounds plain awful. I have no advice, just wanted to extand my sympathy, with hope that this phase goes by FAST!

[Kim O]

The only thing I can think of is to put her in overalls or one piece outfitst for a while so she can't reach in there. If not, maybe put a "onsie" on under her clothes. Then when she reaches in for some goop, there is the onsie there. THen maybe she will lose interest.
After a successful diaper change with no smearing of poop, maybe congratulate her with some fingerpaint to smear.

[Shannon]

Duct tape?

Lots and lots of time playing with play-doh, pudding in ziplock bags, fingerpaint, etc. It can be a sensory thing. If she gets enough feedback in other ways, hopefully she will stop. Not uncommon.

[Meg]

get some overalls and onsies- that will at least keep her from being able to get to it!
Meg

[Lisa T.]

my nephew loves playing with shaving cream on a glass window or a table.
It cleans up very easily, isn't sticky, and smells very nice.
It actually can clean the windows nicely too. and it make his skin soft.
it is good for practicing making letters and numbers too. but it can feel good
on the arms and stuff.

or what about giving her some mild hand lotion to rub all over herself?
or a mild soap to really suds up with in the tub?
giving her a private place to be? her own little corner with her own little activity box? stuff she can do on her own? that would be stimulating...
maybe try taking her to the bathroom at regular intervals of the day, even if she doesn't go maybe she'll get that it is a place she should visit in the day, as a way to start the idea of using the potty.

good luck! I hope that it end quickly... oh my!

[kelly]

My daughter, age two, has started doing this. She did it for awhile before she was potty trained and then quit. Now she is doing it again and it is driving me crazy. She has done it four times in a row this week! Did you ever get your child to stop???? I would love to hear about it. I read the other advice and will try some of them.

Cheers, Kelly