Knowing the Symptoms and Causes of Encopresis

Diapers are baby's (and Mom's) best friend until such time that babies are toilet trained. However for children with encopresis, the "call of nature" may cause more problems than expected. Encopresis, or fecal incontinence, is defined as a repeated passing of the feces in locations other than the toilet. Together with enuresis, or the repeated passing of urine into places other than the toilet, encopresis is considered an elimination disorder, fairly common amongst young children.

Encopresis may be considered a familiar trouble for children of young age; it is already considered a medical disorder, particularly for children over 5 years of age. In general, once a child reaches ages 4 or 5, he or she should already have the capacity to be a toilet trained. It is considered common for young children to have some "accidents" occasionally, but repeated events already fall under the disorder encopresis. Encopresis can also have some psychological origin.

There are three main reasons for people having encopresis. The first reason is related to curtailed toilet training of young children. When toilet training is not done properly, it is likely that children can go back to the habit of encopresis, whether intentional or unintentional. With improper toilet training, encopresis is the child's way of seeking people's attention. They may not disclose when and where they have defecated, and you'll just find out for yourself that they "made their mark" in the corner of living room, garden or even in the pool.

If you think that your child has intentional encopresis, scolding your young child is not enough to address the problem. When your child is still very young, encopresis may not just be a mischievous act, but rather a sign of deeper behavioral disturbance, particularly if encopresis happens regularly over a period of three months or more.

Encopresis can also be caused by a number of psychological or mental problems. In these cases, encopresis can be unintentional or uncontrollable. Encopresis of psychological origin can affect both children and adults. Adults, especially the elderly who suffer from degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease commonly have involuntary encopresis.

People, including children, who experience severe anxiety with unfamiliarity of a new area or surroundings, can also have encopresis. In this situation, defecating in an unfamiliar public place is quite difficult for some people with which they try to hold a bowel movement. Unfortunately, holding a bowel movement can eventually lead to involuntary encopresis, which can lead to a very uncomfortable situation. In this case, encopresis is considered elimination anxiety.

People suffering from this type of anxiety problem can likewise seek professional help for treatment. Fortunately, advances in medical science helped identify drugs and psychotherapies aimed at addressing anxiety disorder, which in turn can help address problems of encopresis.

The last cause or type of encopresis affects not just the young and the elderly, but typically people of all ages. This is called medical encopresis. Medical encopresis can be caused by constant diarrhea or constipation. Those suffering from chronic diarrhea or constipation have a constant stomach ache, loss of appetite or queasiness, increase in weight and dehydration.

In severe cases, chronic diarrhea and constipation are results of a more serious medical condition. This way, the urge to defecate cannot be felt until such time that it's already too late to prevent bowel movement. There might already be some nerve damage to the colon and large intestines, especially since the sensation to move bowel cannot be felt. This problem needs a doctor's attention, as ignoring it might cause further deterioration of one's digestive organs.

Encopresis is considered an elimination disorder which can befall people of all ages. While there are different causes for voluntary and inadvertent encopresis, different treatments may be available.

Source: http://www.medicinenet.com/encopresis/article.htm