My son is about to turn 6 an still won’t poop in a potty. He’s in kindergarten. He will pee fine but refuses to poop unless he has a diaper on. He will hold it otherwise. He is on the spectrum so potty training in general was a struggle. He just went one day an has been going ever since. He done really good with pooping to for about 3 weeks got constipated an absolutely refuses to try again. This has been almost a yr now. Any suggestions???
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Yeah at six way too old for a diaper, take it away immediately. That is his security so he knows he can. Yeah I’m sure ur pediatrician will agree!!!
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Courtney Ripberger, I agree with you. One of my cousins had the same issue and they finally took his diaper from him and after a few times pooping in his pants, he started using the toilet
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Take him underwear shopping. Let him pick out the ones he likes the best. No more diapers. If he poops his pants make him throw that pair away. (You can dig it out and wash it and hide it for later on) And replace with plain white undies. Next day start again with another pair he really likes. After a few times most get it and don’t want to keep throwing away their undies.
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We had a problem with pooping in potty. A therapist told us to buy poopouri and let him spray it before or after pooping. It worked
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Since he is on the spectrum, I would talk to his Dr about it. They are quirky and often what works for A typical kids doesnt with them.
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Every child is different, and even more so kids on the spectrum. You have to just find what works for him. I would use miralax, taking the diaper away, and making it a part of his normal day. Most kids on the spectrum thrive when it comes to consistency from day to day. It will be hard at first. He will NOT like it. But once it’s part of his day to day, it’ll get easier. Pick two times a day to have him try to go on the potty. He has great control over his bowels so that’s a plus.
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Does he have a stool to put his feet on? This has worked for a few people I know in a similar situation.
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My son was a holder from the time he was in diapers. I was terrified of using Miralax and the couple of times I did he got awful diaper rash. Now we use culturelle, it uses naturally occurring vegetable fibers. I’m not sure how the idea if changing into white undies after having an accident will work for a 6 year old on the spectrum, my son isnt on the spectrum and when we tried something similar he only got worse, he associated the undies and pooping with feeling like he upset me and let me down (i always made sure to check myself and make sure i was in the right mind space when we would change undies so he wouldn’t feel like I was mad) so i couldn’t imagine the potential fall out for a child on the spectrum.
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My son was had an emergency circumcision when he was 3…it was so painful to poop that he refused and ultimately would get constipated. For 3 almost four years he had to have enema every two weeks sometimes every week. I tried everything from miralax, benifiber, juices, increased water, fruits, oat meal bran muffins and cereal but nothing worked because it was all psychosomatic due to the post op pain. His doctor finally put him on a stool softener so he couldn’t hold it in after a year he poops on the toilet regularly with no medication.
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Any kind of reward system that will work for him. (Sticker chart, treasure box, a few minutes of extra screen time) My 5 yr old has ASD, and he is a stress holder. When his baby brother came home from the hospital he didn’t poop for 5 days, same when we moved into a new house, and when he started school. You know the best ways to help calm any anxiety he may have. It could be anything from the splash if the water, to the fear of having to wipe himself. (Which my son still currently won’t do) Be patient with him, and with yourself. Good luck!! 
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If you are still giving him a diaper to poop in that is 100% the problem! Stop giving him a diaper!!!
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When I was a child I got really constipated one time, and it hurt so bad when I finally went that I got AFRAID to goto the bathroom and would it for days and days making it much worse for me in the long run, but as a kid at the time I thought if I just held it I could avoid going and it wouldnt hurt again.
Maybe that time just scared him? And he doesnt have any painful memories of it while using a diaper. Idk
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My daughter is 6 with ASD and we had the same problem. We started her on daily vitamins and probiotics and her potty issues stopped.
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