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Peeing in the toilet is no problem for your four-year old, but he?s suddenly developed an aversion to pooping there. He?s reluctant to even sit on the toilet and hasn?t had a movement for two or three days. When you ask him why he doesn?t want to go, he says it hurts.
It?s quite common for preschoolers to withhold bowel movements, says Fabian Gorodzinsky, a community paediatrician and an associate professor at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ont. Often, the problem quickly becomes a vicious circle: Your little guy probably got constipated and had an uncomfortable bowel movement. But now, not keen to repeat that experience, he fights the urge to move his bowels ? which worsens his constipation. If you do manage to coax him back onto the toilet, another painful episode reinforces his fear (see Encopresis). Here?s help: Not quite ready"

Gorodzinsky says withholding often happens after an attempt at toilet training when children just aren?t ready, emotionally or physically. Even at this age" Yes. According to the Canadian Paediatric Society, the age of readiness for toilet learning is anywhere between 18 months and four years. So it may be that simply backing off a bit and giving your child a few more weeks or months with diapers or using the potty will relieve the problem.
If a child who?s resistant to having BMs on the toilet asks for a diaper, give it to her, Gorodzinsky advises. Quite often children who have had a bad experience need to...