My 3 1/2 year won't poop....

[Lillybeth]

This is an old thread but I wanted to reply in case anyone with this issue decides to check it out. We went through this with our daughter when she was 4, almost 5. It started with a bad case of constipation that produced a large, hard stool. This was hard for her to pass and caused her pain so she became frightened of going. It was a nightmare and I felt so bad for her. She would try and hold it in - I could always tell because she would sit on hard surface (floor, wooden chair, etc) to try and keep it in. We would gently encourage her to go to the potty but she would scream and cry. We went to the pediatrician and were told to give her suppositories. That was just as bad because she was terrified of those as well. It would work a little, but I wasn't happy with that solution due to her distress. We were already giving her lots of non-binding food and apple juice (works wonders normally). We went back to the ped and she gave us a prescription for Miralax (now sold over the counter). That was our lifesaver! It makes the stools nice and soft without having a laxative effect. Soon she was able to go without pain and that, in time, built her confidence back up. We used the Miralax on and off for a few months, along with apple juice, to keep things running smooth for her

[mplsdad]

Here is what worked for us.....we had a similar issue, although our 3.5 year old son was insistent on pooping in pullup (we found he was scared to sit on potty and push). So we told him that if he needed to poop, then he must do so in bathroom while sitting on the potty (wearing a pullup)......he pooped this way consistently for 3 - 4 months, which we believe taught him the 'position' of sitting on the toilet and pushing....and once we took away the pullups, he had two 48 - 72 hour periods where he held it in and finally went on potty with no pullup.......and then it was smooth sailing from that point on......