susan_1981
Mummy to 2 boys :)
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My son is 5 and every time we go out, he says he wants to go to the toilet. We'll take him but he doesn't go. This started probably about 6-7 months ago at school. He doesn't like going in the school toilets because he says they smell. Having said that, he'll go into smelly public toilets with me without any issues. But it seems to be getting worse. He seems to be ok with going toilet at school now (they have toilets in their classroom and are allowed to go whenever they want), but now it's every time we go out or just as we arrive at school. He's absolutely fine at home though.
When this started, I took him to the doctors because I wondered if he was constipated (although whether this is a poo or wee issue, I've no idea because he'll say both). The doctor said he's not constipated but prescribed some Movicol to try and nip this in the bud before it becomes an issue, because it seems like it's more an anxiety thing than him actually having trouble with going to the toilet.
Has anyone else had this? I literally don't know what to do. We've tried not making an issue out of it and just taking him, I try distracting him so that he's not thinking about it, we've sat down and spoke to him about it, we always make sure he goes to the toilet before we go out.
Yesterday, we went shopping, the moment we step out of the car he tells me he needs the toilet and is busting (this is pretty much a regular thing now). Take him to the toilet, doesn't go and then he's fine. So, to me, it definitely seems like he's just anxious about the fact that there might not be toilets. Any ideas on how else I can tackle this? I feel so sorry for him feeling so anxious about this and I don't want to risk it getting worse. I can't think of any incidents that have happened that might have started this problem either.
I've wondered about taking him back to the doctors but then I don't really know if this is a doctor issue.
When this started, I took him to the doctors because I wondered if he was constipated (although whether this is a poo or wee issue, I've no idea because he'll say both). The doctor said he's not constipated but prescribed some Movicol to try and nip this in the bud before it becomes an issue, because it seems like it's more an anxiety thing than him actually having trouble with going to the toilet.
Has anyone else had this? I literally don't know what to do. We've tried not making an issue out of it and just taking him, I try distracting him so that he's not thinking about it, we've sat down and spoke to him about it, we always make sure he goes to the toilet before we go out.
Yesterday, we went shopping, the moment we step out of the car he tells me he needs the toilet and is busting (this is pretty much a regular thing now). Take him to the toilet, doesn't go and then he's fine. So, to me, it definitely seems like he's just anxious about the fact that there might not be toilets. Any ideas on how else I can tackle this? I feel so sorry for him feeling so anxious about this and I don't want to risk it getting worse. I can't think of any incidents that have happened that might have started this problem either.
I've wondered about taking him back to the doctors but then I don't really know if this is a doctor issue.
