Child Ate Poop

My son took off his diaper during the night in his crib (only wearing a big night shirt...BY THE WAY.... NOT A GOOD IDEA...I had to learn this the hard way) and he smeared his poop all over and ate a lot of it! I had a dr. apt the same morning and asked what to do. He said it is totally normal and would not harm him at all. It is his own waste. Children eat it because it seems to be something like food and smells somewhat like a food item and sometimes food is seen in it. I would guess that your son didn't want it on him and it seemed like the logical thing to do. My son now tells me that he pooped or is going to because he does not want it on him at all. I also would not make a big deal out of it and move toward the potty training maybe! Good luck-
K.

Ewwwwwwww, that's gross. But you aren't along. I just began potty train my 23 month year old son. Now he knows how to pull down his pull ups, which resulted in a disgusting mess for me to clean up. I left his in his play pin for 20 min while I took a catnap. I came back to find poop everywhere. Smeared into the carpet, on his toys, on the railing of the play pin, in his hair, fingernails, all over his hands like he was rubbing it on like lotion, and worse of all, in and on his mouth and face. I was in complete horror and wanted to vomit. He was eating the digested corn shells out of his doodoo! He didn't do it cuz he was hungry, he did it because kids are gross and will put anything in there mouths. Not to worry though, i took it as a progress for potty training because maybe he didn't want poop on his butt. Every part of his was covered in it, but his butt was spotless.

I think it's normal especially for boys if you have noticed how much they like touching "down there".
Your reaction is what is probably going to lead to it happening again - especially if he got a rise out of you. You have to act like it is perfectly normal to do that all the while explaining why we don't do that type of stuff, etc etc.
I have one of those who is absolutely going to make all of my hairs turn gray. Good luck =:)

I've never had this happen but my son liked to smell really gross things. We later found out he had sensory integration disorder and he had 2 years of ot and now is doing great. Definitely bring him to your pediatrician and have this checked out.

could be lacking in an area of nutrition, I'd call your pediatrition but it sounds like curiosity as gross as it seems. Some kids smear it on the wall, some play in the toilet, some have to taste it.

is he starting to potty train?? he probably doesnt like the feel of the diaper, especially a poopy one. my daughter is 2 and was always feeling in her diaper, i think they were itchy...she is now fully potty trained and she doesnt do it too often...only now to adjust her underwear.

I don't know much about this or what it could mean, but at the very least, I'd watch for symptoms of any of those illnesses that are transmitted via feces, like e.coli, rotavirus, etc. I don't know if you can get them from your OWN poop, but, it's something to think about for others in the house (who touch the same surfaces he does after doing this). Also, be mindful of his nails--keep them short to minimize the germs that can get trapped under there.