Well we finally hit "the wall" Friday. She wet her pants and pooped her pants several times. Saturday was a repeat. Unfortunately, I was expecting this as every previous potty training "method" usually was successful for about a month. We did as the book recommended and went right back to the first day training, and today was accident free, so I guess there's something to the idea that she's trying to persist, and having been successful with her persistence in the past by getting us to put her back in pull ups after about a month, she was testing us to see if she could get us to do it again. Saturday morning I told her, "we're never buying pull ups again." She was cranky and difficult all day and into Sunday morning. We had a Sunday wedding to attend (to which she was also invited), but because she was being so difficult, we explained we were having a sitter come to watch her and she couldn't go to the wedding. She actually pulled a drawer out of a cabinet and threw it on the floor--major meltdown! This morning she was a different person--very cheerful. cuddly and eager to be a helper--and she stayed dry all day on her own. There is clearly something to this behavioral management method. Still trying to stay optimistic.
I can relate to the wiping situation and poo in the pants if I'm not there to assist. And yes why always when I'm eating or after I've freshly showered. My son is 6 and was diagnosed with SPD last year. I also have twin Boys who are 3. Sometimes I feel all I do is wipe bottoms all day. I hope he will one day be able to accomplish this on his own. As much as I feel your pain it is a relief to read its not just my little one. He really tries but its just not happening.... yet. Anyway thank you all very much for sharing your expoeriences. It really helps.
I hear you Vivian. I never thought my life would revolve around wet pants, but it really does affect everything we do or want to do. We were advised by her OT not to let her wear Pull Ups anymore because if she already struggles with not sensing wetness, the Pull Ups will prolong the problem. So now we're back to not really being able to go places we would like--visit family and friends, movies, eating out--unless we're willing to spend about 25% of the time in the toilet changing wet pants or making her sit on the floor so she doesn't soil friend's/family's furniture. We're coming up on the two month mark with the behavioral management method, and it's pretty much the same as the first couple weeks. A dry day here and there, most days with one accident, and here and there a two or three accident day. There's no rhyme or reason to it. We've put her on a silicylate free diet (feingold.org) in case that is contributing to the problem, but I feel like I'm grasping at straws. We keep a diet/behavior diary, but for the six days I've been keeping it, I don't see any particular food connected with the accidents. Sigh!!
After keeping the diet/behavior diary for a week, I finally found a common thread. Every time she eats a food with citric acid, she has accidents for the next several hours. The days she has had no accidents, there was no citric acid. I'm looking at all the foods in our house and pursuing this theory. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
Good Luck! I hope it works
