What is fecal soiling ?

Fecal soiling  is medically referred to as encopresis in children over the age of 4 years.  This is less common than  accidental urination but can be upsetting for both parents and children.

However most cases of fecal soiling is not voluntary. It results  when emotional stress, resistance to toilet training or physical pain during bowel movement  causes a child to resist having a bowel movement. This resistance or stool  retention leads to constipation, which in turn leads to  involuntary leakage and soiling when the pressure is too great. The muscle involved in stool  ejection may be begin to stretch if this continues. The nerve sensation in the area may also reduce and makes it more difficult for the child to feel the need to defecate. The intestines may lose their ability to contract , making bowel movement a challenge and fecal soiling more possible.

How to deal with fecal soiling

If fecal soiling is due to constipation, it is important to address the problem why the child is refusing to  have a bowel movement.  You can help by easing the pressure to use the potty or staying with the child as she has a bowel movement. When her  bowel movement becomes more regular, the fecal soiling may disappear.

If the problem continues beyond 1 or 2 accidents, talk to your pediatrician.  He will review your child’s medical history  and determine weather a physical condition rather than stool retention is the cause of your child’s fecal  retention. If the physical causes are limited, he will consider emotional and psychological causes. This condition  occurs when a child is anxious or emotionally distraught over some aspects of life which she has little control over. This include

• family conflict
• academic difficulties
• problems with social relationships

Physical and sexual abuse may need to be considered if soiling continues. You have to know that it is common for children to have these accidents once in a while . However no matter the cause, it is important to let the child know that what happened is not her  fault.

You can control the situation better with by quickly cleaning up and avoiding shame and embarrassment. You should also provide the child with the information to better control her  bowel movement.