Fecal incontinence is when children who are past the age of toilet training or are toilet trained with voiding but regularly have bowel movements or fecal smearing in places other than the toilet. They can’t control when and where the BM comes and are often unaware that they have soiled themselves. It can be very upsetting for children and parents.
The most common cause of encopresis is chronic constipation (not being able to go to the toilet, or straining very hard when going to the toilet). When a child has been constipated for a long period of time, their poo becomes very hard, meaning it will get stuck and stretch their rectum when they try to go to the toilet.
Sometimes, because their rectum feels stretched, children no longer feel the ‘urge’ to go to the toilet, so accidents occur more frequently. Other times, liquid poo can form around the hard ‘stuck’ poo without the child feeling it, and start to ‘leak’ out.
When to see your doctorYou should see your GP if your child is four years or older and has persistent faecal incontinence or constipation.
Treatment for faecal incontinence or soilingThe treatment for faecal incontinence depends on the cause of the problem.
If chronic constipation is the main cause, your doctor will help you work out a treatment plan based on using laxative medications and establishing good bowel habits.
You can help your child get into good bowel habits by encouraging him to sit on the toilet regularly and push. It’s good if he can do this for five minutes about 20-30 minutes after he finishes eating breakfast, lunch and dinner.
If your child has behaviour problems associated with faecal incontinence, she might need counselling, and group or individual psychotherapy.
https://www.benchmarkpsychology.com.au/an-uncomfortable-problem-encopresis/
The most common cause of encopresis is chronic constipation (not being able to go to the toilet, or straining very hard when going to the toilet). When a child has been constipated for a long period of time, their poo becomes very hard, meaning it will get stuck and stretch their rectum when they try to go to the toilet.
Sometimes, because their rectum feels stretched, children no longer feel the ‘urge’ to go to the toilet, so accidents occur more frequently. Other times, liquid poo can form around the hard ‘stuck’ poo without the child feeling it, and start to ‘leak’ out.
When to see your doctorYou should see your GP if your child is four years or older and has persistent faecal incontinence or constipation.
Treatment for faecal incontinence or soilingThe treatment for faecal incontinence depends on the cause of the problem.
If chronic constipation is the main cause, your doctor will help you work out a treatment plan based on using laxative medications and establishing good bowel habits.
You can help your child get into good bowel habits by encouraging him to sit on the toilet regularly and push. It’s good if he can do this for five minutes about 20-30 minutes after he finishes eating breakfast, lunch and dinner.
If your child has behaviour problems associated with faecal incontinence, she might need counselling, and group or individual psychotherapy.
https://www.benchmarkpsychology.com.au/an-uncomfortable-problem-encopresis/