HELP: DS2 needs to keep his pants on

[hillview]

DS2 is 5. He has some sensory issues and possible ADHD. He PTed at age 2.9 and was night time PTed at the same time. Since he PTed he's needed to take his pants and underpants off anytime he goes poop. School has now flagged this as an issue. SO ... any tips on how to help DS2? We've tried to encourage him and offer rewards to no avail (it has been a couple of months since we tried this). He likes to sit on the potty with his legs SUPER wide so he is straddling the seat and put his hands down on the front of the potty (gross I know). He is a big kid, 55 lbs and tall.

[brittone2]

DS2 is 5. He has some sensory issues and possible ADHD. He PTed at age 2.9 and was night time PTed at the same time. Since he PTed he's needed to take his pants and underpants off anytime he goes poop. School has now flagged this as an issue. SO ... any tips on how to help DS2? We've tried to encourage him and offer rewards to no avail (it has been a couple of months since we tried this). He likes to sit on the potty with his legs SUPER wide so he is straddling the seat and put his hands down on the front of the potty (gross I know). He is a big kid, 55 lbs and tall.
How's his core strength and muscle tone? I forget if this DS went through OT. Can he reach the floor with his feet when he sits on the potty? Just wondering if he's trying to compensate a bit for lack of core strength by using that type of pottying "stance." Or if he had core strength issues when he was younger and couldn't reach, it may have become a habit as a result. Or if he had a spill into the potty or near miss with falling in (extra horrible to a kid with sensory issues perhaps!), maybe he started using that adapted way of sitting?

That doesn't help with fixing it necessarily, just wondering if you had any thoughts on core strength, balance, muscle tone, gravitational insecurity (now or when he was younger) etc. Reading that, it is what popped into my mind.

[hillview]

How's his core strength and muscle tone? I forget if this DS went through OT. Can he reach the floor with his feet when he sits on the potty? Just wondering if he's trying to compensate a bit for lack of core strength by using that type of pottying "stance." Or if he had core strength issues when he was younger and couldn't reach, it may have become a habit as a result. Or if he had a spill into the potty or near miss with falling in (extra horrible to a kid with sensory issues perhaps!), maybe he started using that adapted way of sitting?

That doesn't help with fixing it necessarily, just wondering if you had any thoughts on core strength, balance, muscle tone, gravitational insecurity (now or when he was younger) etc. Reading that, it is what popped into my mind.

His teachers and the OT say he has low muscle tone. He is great with sports and biking etc but I guess maybe he has low muscle tone.

[brittone2]

His teachers and the OT say he has low muscle tone. He is great with sports and biking etc but I guess maybe he has low muscle tone.
Interesting. I wonder if he started sitting that way to give himself a wide, supported base of support...extra security with hands there, wider stance. Or maybe it started that way when he was younger and is now a habit even if he doesn't physically need to be in that position as much.

Maybe ask the OT if she thinks that could be playing a part?

Can he reach the floor now with his feet? If not, can they allow him to use a stool?

[TwinFoxes]

No ideas, but I am curious why his school says this is a problem?

[hillview]

Interesting. I wonder if he started sitting that way to give himself a wide, supported base of support...extra security with hands there, wider stance. Or maybe it started that way when he was younger and is now a habit even if he doesn't physically need to be in that position as much.

Maybe ask the OT if she thinks that could be playing a part?

Can he reach the floor now with his feet? If not, can they allow him to use a stool?

Yeah I am not sure -- for sure he started this way. Good idea to get a stool.


No ideas, but I am curious why his school says this is a problem?

I am guessing because he may ask for help getting his pants back on (turning them right side out -- he is very good at dressing himself but the right side out could be an issue also could be that the stalls are SUPER small -- might be impossible for him to get himself dressed in them -- I couldn't fit in them and close the doors.

[Gena]

...Since he PTed he's needed to take his pants and underpants off anytime he goes poop...
... He likes to sit on the potty with his legs SUPER wide so he is straddling the seat ...

My DS is 8 years old and is the same way. I worried about this when he started school. But it turned out to not be a problem at school, because DS is strictly an evening pooper (I mean really - you could set your watch by it).

So just a thought....does he always poop at school? Is it possible somehow to reset his body cycle to poop at home instead?