Dr. Robert Needlman
Specialist in pediatric behavior and development.
|
|
 Ask Dr. Needlman
New Big Brother Wetting His Pants | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Needlman,
My grandson is five years old and has started to wet his pants again, and sometimes he even has bowel movements in his pants. We think it is related to his receiving a new baby brother and/or his attending preschool for the first time, but we can't be sure and don't know how to stop it. He does seem to love both his new brother, whom he kisses and hugs all the time, and his school. Please give us some advice. Thank you.— Here We Go Again | | | ANSWER |
April 6, 2001 | | | Dear Here We Go Again,
"Receiving a new baby brother" is a lovely way of expressing an event in a young child's life that is certainly world changing in ways that are both good and bad. It's very common for older siblings to have intense mixed feelings--proud to be older and to have new responsibilities and respect but also angry at having to share the love of parents and put up with the irritations that come along with any new baby. Right up there with new baby brother on the five-year-old stress scale would have to be going off to school for the first time.
So, you probably are right that the wetting and occasional bowel accidents are related to the stresses your grandchild is experiencing. He's handling it very well overall: being kind to the baby and enjoying preschool. But the stress expresses itself in another area (toileting), which is not fully under his conscious control.
I think the best approach is to not make a big deal about the problem and to try to reassure your grandson that a few wet or soiled underpants are no big deal. Let him know that he will be able to be in control of his peeing and pooping again soon. Make sure that he understands that you have complete confidence in him.
The medical problems that are most likely to cause bowel and bladder accidents are urine infections and constipation. In general, if it seems very likely that the problem is caused by stress, it makes sense to wait a while for the problem to simply go away on its own as the stress decreases with time. If there are other signs of bowel or bladder problems--such as needing to urinate too frequently or infrequent bowel movements--or if the problems seem to be getting worse or have not gotten better in one or two months, then by all means your grandson's doctor should be consulted.— by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
|
