7 Yr Old Son with Adhd and Is Under Weight and Isnt Potty Trained

He was very small when he was born! Is he on medication for the ADHD? It could be the meds! My son is 6 and is on meds and it's terrible because he weighs almost as much as his 3 year old brother! So we are testing what will work. Now the issue with the pooping in the pants, something is certainly wrong. I know my son has been having a lot of Pee accidents and I notice from time to time it's when he is coming down at the very end of the day from the meds. Offer up some additional info as to his being medicated or not and what is he on??

If I were you I would take him to the GI and nutrition clinic up at Childrens Hospital Boston. They are #1 in the world. Wonderful care, and fantastic Child life program. It's only an hour away, what's there to loose?

H.,

Sounds like something else may be going on. What do the Drs. say about how he is acting. Adhd is why he poops his pants?? He is so thin, I would have him tested elsewhere. Good luck.

D.

I think the ADHD is causing him to have these accidents. Many times children with ADHD, just because of the nature of the disorder and the lack of concentration, are too busy to a)stop what they are doing to use the bathroom, and b) stop to either notice theyve gone in their pants or to tell someone. I nanny for a girl who had this same issue a while ago. She did eventually grow out of it (the accidents, not the concentration issues). I would discuss this with a behaviorist who is very familiar with ADHD.
I would say the same thing for the weight issue. He is too busy to concentrate on eating.

I am so sorry to hear that your son is having such a hard time. The first thing I thought of was celiac disease. Commonly one of the signs is being underweight. Another is stomach upset. Does he complain of a belly ache, or do you notice that he is bloated after he eats? I would recommend reading Dangerous Grains by James Braly, M.D. He talks about how the food we put into our bodies can cause auto-immune disorders such as ADHD! I am not an expert on the subject, but a firm believer that what we put into our bodies greatly affects our overall health. You are welcome to read my story at www.flournut.com click on About Us.
Please feel free to pick my brain, I am more than happy to help you and your son find health.

A.~

You didn't mention what he is on for medication for the ADHD. My nephwe and neice are both on Celexa. They are awfully thin due to the effects of the medication on their appetites.
Children on the drugs for ADHD/ADD are generally very thin. You almost have to force feed them to keep them at a healthy weight.
As for the defecating in his pants at age 7.... I have a second grade student who I tutor after school. The first day I had him, he came to me with soiled pants. At first I thought he stepped in something but after the session the mother said that sometimes he poops in his pants. (no she didn't drop him off that way... I got him at the end of the school day from the after care program). I now make certain he goes to the bathroom before he comes to me.
For him, he just gets busy and like your son will not attempt to clean or change himself...either no embarrassment or full and in denial about it.

The best you can do is continue to have him change himself when he does this. Sadly, if it is occuring in school, the other kids will notice and may be cruel.
Also... you need to check if it is solid or loose. His meds may be the cause of this too.

Are they sure he as ADHD and not something else. I would take him to a different doctor for a second opinion, testing, and evaluation.

Hi H.,

I'm in agreemesnt with Audrey M. It definitely sounds like Celiac Disease - underweight and using stool softeners. The book she recommended sounds good. I haven't read it. I'd also suggest The Paleo Diet and Neanderthin books. There's also www.ThePaleoDiet.com
I would put him on a paleo-style diet and see how he does. My guess is a whole lot better. I wouldn't bother going through the expense and invasion of a celiac test. If he gets better after removing gluten from his diet, then just keep him off it. I don't see the sense in taking a biopsy. Well, maybe if you don't see an improvement and you want to be sure he doesn't have it. Changes can take a while in some people. If he does have celiac disease, it will be a while before his intestines are better, is my guess.
The medical community is slow to catch on to the ill effects of grain. They are affected by the grain lobby and the resulting indoctrination they get that grain is good for you. Nuts and seeds are SO much better, as long as you're not allergic. If you decide to try it and need help with what to eat, send me a message.

My daughter has ADHD and is/was very thin. She is starting to fill out now, almost 12. Because they are hyper, they burn off everything they eat, hence the thinness. If he is on meds, try to get him to eat a big healthy meal before he takes the meds. Unfortunately, the meds controls their appetite and they don't eat because they don't feel hungry. This is a big issue in my house, trying to explain that their stomach is empty even if they don't think it is and they still need to eat. Basically, think of all the foods that make us fat and have him eat them. hahahahaha
If only that would work. Maybe try meal replacement bars and shakes. He won't feel like he is eating lots and still get the nutrients he needs. Good Luck and don't give up. You are doing a great job, even if it doesn't feel like it, you are.

What a challenge you have before you!

I've read all of the responses. It sounds like you might want to explore the effect of all of the meds. It may be that he is getting treated for things that the meds are creating. (Meanwhile, there is a blood test for celiac disease. I recently had a biopsy for it and they then asked for a followup blood panel. A blood test is far less invasive than a biopsy.)

If you are able to get a full review of your son's issues, perhaps at the Children's Hospital in Boston as some suggested, that sounds like the best route. Maybe it would even be worth it to ween him off all of the meds and to start over. It's just a thought but worth exploring.

I have a 12-year-old who still has nighttime wetness and occasional daytime wetness. He perpetually plugs the toilet with his BMs. (We are currently addressing his constipation to see if that helps with the wetness.) He tends toward ADHD but is not enough to medicate.

Children are complex beings and even more complex if they have issues, whether medical or emotional. Is your son able to relax in life or are his issues a main concern for the entire family? Sometimes our concern for our children can become all-consuming and can contribute to the situation. Is that a possibility in your family? We realized it was happening in ours and we began family counseling a year or so ago. It helped all of us to learn some new ways of dealing with various medical and emotional challenges.

My best of luck to you! Sounds like you are the advocate your son needs. And you are right in seeking answers. Be persistent but also remember to relax. The answers will come with diligence and patience.

Hi H.
I can only respond to the bathroom issues. I too have a son who is six and had frequent bm accidents on and off since kindergarten. We have recently discovered the accidents were due to constipation and severe encopresis. We would NEVER have guessed that because he went to the bathroom everyday. We have since put him on a daily stool softener and over the last 2 months we have had a great improvement! He still has occasional accidents but not everyday. Good luck.

H. - I too have a seven year old with ADHD, he also has PDD-NOS (on the autism spectrum). My son has just recently started having accidents in his pants but it is a result of constipation from the medication he is on. My son also started losing weight when he went on ritalin because he was barely eating a thing. Is your son on any medications that could cause either of these things? Your son sounds like he was a pretty tiny little baby to begin with. I would also wonder if there is anything else going on other than the ADHD.

I guess I would try to get him into some counseling regarding these accidents. I don't really have any good advice, I just want you to know my thoughts are with you and your son. Good luck.

Has he seen a gastrointerologist (GI)? That may be the route of the problem and it may also be part of the ADHD problem as well since when you don't feel well you don't perform at your best. Just a guess. Best of luck.

I think you have to rule out any physical issues first. I have found Children's Hospital in Boston to be excellent. Poor thing. This can't be easy on him in school. I wish you all the best!