Medical Issue regarding toddler.

My son is three years old, and we are desperately trying to potty train him, but we are faced with a challenge that seems to be blocking our efforts.

My son has not had a solid diaper for as long as I can remember. My daughter is lactose intolerant, and my son would drink a gallon of milk a day if allowed. We heavily regulate his milk intake, and have switched him to Lactaid as well for over three months. No luck.

We ensure that he drinks more water than juice, and even then it is Fruitables which is 66% Juice from fruits and vegetables. We don't allow caffiene or carbonated beverages, teas or sugary drinks. His food is the same as ours, and he prefers veggies to meat, and only really likes eating chicken.

He stools about twice a day, and it's rancid in smell, it can really clear a room if you're not used to it. He never tells us when he's about to go, and I'm starting to think his bowels are so loose that he doesn't have time to tell anyone before it hits.

We don't spank him or anything when he doesn't potty, we just ask him where his "Potty Power" is, and he seems genuinely upset with himself, and I'm a hard guy to pull a fast one on.

If anyone could give me some tips to help him have a more solid stool, or if it might be something more serious, please let me know.

Potty training...so much fun...don't think this is a medical condition friend so lets not get crazy. Some kids potty train faster than others so don't compare your child to others. What helps is even if the child does not have to go you should have him sit a few times a day on the potty just to get use to it..my kids likes to look at books.

If your child's stool is very runny it can still be the milk that he's allergic to even though the lactose has been removed as that means nothing for the person with allergies. I would switch to soy or rice in the meantime just to see what goes on. I would also eliminate dairy for a few days just to see how the stool firms up.

Keep in mind that when he does do in his diaper it may look very loose but if he was to use the potty the form of the stink bomb might be drastically different. People are going to say soy is not a good option but neither is milk but that shouldn't drive you crazy. Both my kids have dairy and peanut allergies but if you would like to harden up the stool have the kid eat more bananas preferably a bit on the greener side.

It's ok to also reward the kid for even peeing in the potty but it's just getting him use to the idea of sitting on it. As for the smell some kids can just clear a room. If you are concerned about allergies a blood test can be taken that is very specific for allergies and it works better than the prick test however they are drawing blood so if you are not willing to hold your child when they draw blood the prick test may work. You can also rub some cheese on his arm to see if he reacts (small spot not all over) but I would insist on seeing an allergist if it keeping you up at night or if he is getting severe diaper rash.

Not sure of the frequency of the movements though and the main thing is that he's going. Bottom line get him on the potty and give him lots of praise even just sitting on it..

My 18 month old is the same way and always has been. He frequently has blow outs where it just runs right out of his diaper. And the smell... is putrid. It is just awful

Ever heard of the brat diet? You probably have, but I will touch on it just in case you haven't. Bananas, rice, applesauce and toast, recently yogurt has been added to the diet for the benefits of the active cultures. Our doctor suggests this diet when our kids have a stomach bug but our littlest one is on it A LOT because he has such a problem with his belly. Bananas, yogurt and whole wheat bread have helped a bit.

He eats a banana and wholewheat peanut butter toast for breakfast, yogurt for a snack, and we limit milk and juice. We have to stay away from apple juice because it makes it worse. We also steer clear of sugary drinks/snacks. We also switched him from whole milk to 1 or 2 percent, and that has helped a bit as well.

I also have noticed that the smell is worse if is sick or has recently been sick. He is sick pretty frequently.

Have you asked his doctor about it? They might have some suggestions. They also might want to look into it a little deeper by running some tests.

I would suggest getting him tested for Celiac's disease, which is a wheat/gluten allergy. This disease is becoming very prominent these days. Celiac's Disease can be very severe and can even lead to death, as my dad passed away from this. I would get him checked out, if nothing else, to at least be on the safe side. Or you just go straight to feeding him gluten free food only for at least 6 months and see if anything changes, if so keep him on the diet, if not something else is going on.

reply to post by sbctinfantry


Don't fret! My daughter didn't fully potty train until she was 4 years old. You can't force the issue, because that causes other problems. She would do fine with urination, but when it came to bowel movements, she would go in her pants. Positive reinforcement and a bit of bribery worked. There are these little fruit snack things she likes, and well...we'd deny her the tasty treat unless she pooped in the potty. When she would poop in the potty, we'd praise her like she won the Nobel Prize and then when we gave her a piece of the treat. We would also be sure to tell her that she received the treat because she pooped on the potty. After a couple of days she no longer had accidents, and then when she would poop and ask for a treat, I would deny her the treat telling her that she was supposed to poop in the potty and you're not rewarded for things you're supposed to do. However, we would allow her to have the treat as an afternoon snack again. It worked like a charm for my daughter.

Now, I make no guarantees that you will have similar results as we did, because all kids are different, but there are a number of methods that have been proven to work with many children.

Not to be rude, but if you have a genuine medical concern for your son, this board isn't the best place to ask. It's full of armchair-doctors, homeopathic commandos, and people who think an infowars.com newsletter subscription makes them a expert in human physiology and medicine.

Go see your pediatrician.

reply to post by Loki078


I was going to post this same thing exactly. In fact, your daughter could have the same because gluten intolerance can actually cause lactose intolerance. Now that I control my grain allergies and gluten intolerance, I can drink milk freely - and I do. I love it, even at my age.

It doesn't have to be celiac disease. Gluten intolerance and wheat/rye/barley/oat allergy also have the same physical effect on a daily basis as Celiac. The others are tolerable provided you can accept either a gluten-free or grain-free lifestyle.

My daughter and I are gluten-intolerant and grain allergic, however, my son and other daughter are not. If we're sloppy about our diet for more than a few days, the effects are felt. They clear within a couple of months of vigilance though.

I guess I should state that I'm in between doctors and battling with TriCare, the military's healthcare, to get a new doc for my kids. The last government appointed doc tried to force me to have my daughter injected with HGH,among other things, because she was 2 inches shorter than her average peer. My neighbor is an RN, and has offered a few solutions that have not worked in the mean time. I'm not concerned about potty training him, he is doing well for his age. I only mention it because combined with the very soft stool, and putrid smell, I thought it might be connected like some sort of disorder that prevents bowel control and maybe it would be difficult to detect since he's still in diapers.

Keep it fun and light in nature.
get some potty books, to be read on the potty.
Get the special potty.
Practice, practice practice.
Set up a potty chart, when he goes he gets a sticker for the day.
Put cheerios in the toilet and have him try to sink them.
It will be easier to get him to pee then poop in the toilet.
Kids are different. Don't compare yours to any others. Unless he goes till 13 and still in a diaper.
Buy some big boy underwear, let him pick them out. Let him wear them after you change him. Talk to him about not going potty in them, as they are big boy underwear.
And always, never punish for accidents.

Just what I have found that works.

Oh, and my oldest was lactose intolerant from birth to about 1 years old.
When my wife breast feed, our daughter would vomit right after. Found out that my wife was passing cows milk through to her. She had to quit milk during this.
This has since cleared.
Our son had no issues.
I think milk issues show themselves with vomiting.
Gluten is feeling and stool I believe.

Originally posted by VneZonyDostupa
Not to be rude, but if you have a genuine medical concern for your son, this board isn't the best place to ask. It's full of armchair-doctors, homeopathic commandos, and people who think an infowars.com newsletter subscription makes them a expert in human physiology and medicine.

Go see your pediatrician.

edit on 2/7/2011 by VneZonyDostupa because: (no reason given)

All I can add to the above is a very loud, heartfelt

AMEN!

Responses regarding seeing a doctor are nice, and the heart is in the right place, unfortunately the eyes are not.

Please read my OP and Reply before you post things like that.

Also, potty training tips aren't needed, I merely stated that he was potty training because it seems like he can't control his bowels and that might be related. I've successfully potty trained two munchkins, and I am not here regarding the issue.

Originally posted by sbctinfantry
Responses regarding seeing a doctor are nice, and the heart is in the right place, unfortunately the eyes are not.

Please read my OP and Reply before you post things like that.

Also, potty training tips aren't needed, I merely stated that he was potty training because it seems like he can't control his bowels and that might be related. I've successfully potty trained two munchkins, and I am not here regarding the issue.

Ok, sorry I misread.

Since you state that you HAVE seen a doc and that your relative is an RN, I assume he has been tested for some of the obvious rule-outs....but I will suggest it anyways.

The symptoms you are describing sounds very similar to a bacterial infection called C-Dif.

LINK with info


I wasn't really clear on your OP as to if he has NEVER had regular stools? If that is the case, its much less likely the cause, but always good to have it ruled out anyways. Has he been on antibiotics?

In my experience (working in an ER) the three top factors for C-Dif is the watery diarhea, greenish color of the stool and the god-awful never-to-forget smell.

Bottom line, (no pun intended) if your sons stools smell so horrid than something isn't right. You need to take a stool sample in to have it checked for bacteria or other tell-tale signs. Figure out some way to get it done, but get it done. I wouldn't be waiting.

(I'm also a bit curious about your daughter...did they suspect turners syndrome? It is highly unusuall for a doc to suggest that treatment for simply a short stature)

reply to post by sbctinfantry


I believe children know what they need to do, when they need to do it. My son didn't potty train till 3.5. It has nothing to do with capability or intelligence. I have seen a lot of late potty trainers who decide to do it one day. It will happen. Don't push too much.
When they start to seem interested, I do a chart and when its filled, he got to go to chuck e cheese.

Don't regulate what he drinks or eats. If you make food or drink an issue, it becomes an issue.

My son too was lactose intolerant. He also wasn't interested in any substantial amount of solid food till 4. Though I had the opposite problem, regular lactose would give him constipation, not diarreah.

If your son is craving milk, give him the milk. he will grow out of it when he is ready. Offer him a food two times, if they say no. Then leave it be.

Studies show that while it looks like kids aren't eating the right variety of foods in a day, if you look over their diet for 2-3 months, it actually balances it out. So if he wants bananas for four days straight, that is normal.

I would say the sugar in all the juice is causing the diarreah. And yes, lactose intolerance makes them kinda stinky. But it can also be a condition. I would speak to your pediatrician.

It is not cheap, but goats milk is supposed to be the closest formula to human. It is low in lactose as well. I tried it on my kid and it worked well But could only be found at my local nature store for 4 bucks a quart. But if your lucky enough to have a farm nearby, I would try it.

reply to post by sbctinfantry


I don't see anything in the OP (or subsequent posts) that would contraindicate a doctor's visit. If you don't have coverage, and you are unable to purchase insurance, your child likely qualifies for CHIP, at the very least. For anyone under 12, it's actually incredibly easy to get medical help.

I'm not saying you should rush your child to a doctor. You know what is normal versus abnormal for your child better than I do. All I'm saying is that replacing actual medical advice/care with ATS is doing a great disservice to your child.

reply to post by sbctinfantry


fibers is what makes poo solid ,
try rice and carrots and other veggies even some good fish might do the trick
water or milk+ and a correct dosage of them
hard brown bread ,

if all fails have him tested for allergies or stomach viruses

you mentioned chicken is a favorite , could be salmonella

Originally posted by sbctinfantry
I guess I should state that I'm in between doctors and battling with TriCare, the military's healthcare, to get a new doc for my kids. The last government appointed doc tried to force me to have my daughter injected with HGH,among other things,

..."government approved" doc?... i suppose it could be looked at that way but i dont... they just have to accept tricare insurance... they dont have to be pre-approved by tricare like some hmo plans - at least i havent had that experience...

...maybe thats just a problem in your area... here in sa, you'd be hard pressed to find someone who doesnt accept tricare but thats cuz of all the military bases and huge retired military population...

...about your son - the only time my kids had the explosive runny raunchy poops was when they were teething... maybe he has a dental issue...

...westcoast had good advice but, of course, that involves insurance...

...i'd stop giving him vitamins - lots of junk in those, especially the ones made for kids...

...btw, did he have colic when he was an infant?...

Originally posted by Wyn Hawks

Originally posted by sbctinfantry
I guess I should state that I'm in between doctors and battling with TriCare, the military's healthcare, to get a new doc for my kids. The last government appointed doc tried to force me to have my daughter injected with HGH,among other things,

..."government approved" doc?... i suppose it could be looked at that way but i dont... they just have to accept tricare insurance... they dont have to be pre-approved by tricare like some hmo plans - at least i havent had that experience...

...maybe thats just a problem in your area... here in sa, you'd be hard pressed to find someone who doesnt accept tricare but thats cuz of all the military bases and huge retired military population...

...about your son - the only time my kids had the explosive runny raunchy poops was when they were teething... maybe he has a dental issue...

...westcoast had good advice but, of course, that involves insurance...

...i'd stop giving him vitamins - lots of junk in those, especially the ones made for kids...

...btw, did he have colic when he was an infant?...

Appointed, not approved.

Anyway, I've started him on BRAT diet, minus the apples. I substituted them for a mixture of vegetables. He gets enough fruits from Fruitables. See how it goes.

reply to post by sbctinfantry



Describe your son's stool. Is it very viscous? Sticky? Does it appear to have large bits of undigested food in it? Does the stool appear very fatty in nature? Does he have frequent diarrhea?

How is your son sleeping at night? Is he very restless? Is he prone to be gassy? Is he noticeably uncomfortable in bed,ie. tossing and turning alot, frequently waking up.. etc..

Also, what is his energy level like? Does he keep pace with other kids his age? Or is he always lagging behind?