Constipation in Children

Encopresis »

Encopresis Overview

Encopresis is the soiling of the underwear with stool by children who are past the age of toilet training. Because each child achieves bowel control at his or her own rate, medical professionals do not consider stool soiling to be a medical condition unless the child is at least 4 years old. This stool or fecal soiling usually has a physical origin and is involuntary—the child does not soil on purpose. A large amount of hard stool is in the intestine, and stool leaks around this mass and out through the anus.

In the United States, it is estimated that 1-2% of children younger than 10 years are affected by encopresis. Many more boys than girls experience encopresis; approximately 80% of affected children are boys.

Encopresis Causes

Rarely, encopresis is caused by an anatomic abnormality or disease that the child is born with. In the great majority of cases, encopresis develops as a result of chronic (long-standing) co...

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