My daughter has started pooping her pants. She is of normal intelligence. Nothing we have tried has helped. Anyone know of any possible causes or solutions?

What reasons does she give you or is she just too lazy to go to the bathroom?
Is she going through some stress she can't cope with?
Or seeking attention?
Doesn't she care if others might make fun of her?
Is she just doing it at home?

No she is not under any stress. Doesn't care if others know. She does it in public, at friends house, and at home. She does have ADD and possibly a mood disorder and takes Concerta and Abilify

What they eat or don't eat and toileting are only two of the way kids can take control of things. Something is going on in her life right now. Like NOhelp said, is there stress or a change in how things are done or a new person in her life or a person missing from her life? Something is bothering this little girl. Make this a calm problem-solving thing with her. Don't ask a flat-out "why." Keep your temper under control. The more upset you get, the worse the situation will become.

Go to your public library and find a book or two on toileting problems for this age. There will be suggestions on how to work with her to fix this problem.

Please let us know how things are going.

Sounds like she is just being lazy or stubborn.

The only thing I can think of is to ask the doctor and don't let her go places any more than necessary like school would be about all she can go to until she accepts that this is unacceptable behavior.
Like if she wants to go to friends tell her no because they wouldn't want you sitting on their sofa with poopy pants. Do not cater to her by having her take a change of clothes with her either because that just reinforces that she can get away with it.
Maybe some day she will embarrass herself by having a real nasty mess in public then I wonder what she would do? But they may be what it takes.

Hi mrdmom,

A young child is expected to occasionally have an accident like this, but in a 10 year old it is not acceptable.

This is a psycological and emotional problem, this little girl is suffering in some way.

I suggest you take her to your GP to be referred to professionals who will help her.

I bet someone is sexually molesting the poor girl, or abusing her in some way. She is regressing to an earlier time in her life our of severe distress. Did she just start going into puberty... developing small breasts and pubic hair?

Is your husband molesting her?

Do you have a new boyfriend?

I agree with Orphan and Choux it could be those things. Maybe informing her you are going to take her to a psychologist so they can get to the problem may get her to stop.
If not follow through and take her. Nothing else seems to be working for you and I don't think there is an easy solution.

My 10 year old does this also.And she is not being abused in any way,by anybody.She just doesn't think it is normal to go the bathroom.We have tried everything.The Doctors call it encopresis.We are hoping she will outgrow it soon.She has been lucky at school to not have any friends call her on it.So she has not gotten embarrassed.And we think that's what it is going to take.We are also making her start wearing a diaper until she can prove she can go to the bathroom.It is more embarrassing for us than it is for her.She is really stubborn and it is a power of wills at work.She doesn't care.