What is the psychological rationale for patients who hold in their bowel movements?

---

I'm wondering what the rationale is for patients who stop themselves from going to the bathroom. I believe the condition is called Encopresis, but I may be mistaken. Anyone have any info? What do they think they are doing or preventing? What stops them? What do they get out of it?
I don't know whether this is a general question or a personal problem, not that it makes a difference to us, other than you know more about yourself or the person you are thinking of.
If you are talking specifically about bowel movements, i.e. not urination, the reasons for holding back could be many, and not all psychological. But you ask only about the psychologcical, so I will hazard a few guesses.
If the problem only occurs in bathrooms away from home, or if there is company nearby, fear of embarrasment and associated smells and sounds could be an issue.
If it is a constant problem, and not physical (are you ASOLUTELY sure?), it could be from trauma from poor toilet training or a fear of losing control. Really I am not a psychoanalyst. It may even be related to anal abuse in the past. Psychotherapy, behavioural therapy, relaxation techniques, all may be helpful.
I do not think anyone gets anything out of witholding bowel movements, it is not pleasurable and the drive to eliminate waste is powerful and essential for survival. More often then not the cause is physical, but psychology can play a significant part. There is nothing to be gained from blaming the person, as they are suffering greatly regardless of the reason.
If you want to talk about physical causes, then do post again.  (+ info)

4 yr old with Encopresis (not from constipation)?

---

My daughter was almost potty trained at 2, then we got a foster placement (her baby sister who we eventually adopted) and had a son all within 1 year. She quit potty training when her sister arrived. We thought it was just regression, but it got worse. She seems to be using the potty as a control mechanism.
The pediatrician told us to give her miralax to make sure her stool is soft so she doesn't get constipated. She refuses to poop on the potty, she shakes because she tries to hold it in. She 'leaks' poop several times a day, but will only do a real poop (in her undies) at nap or bedtime. It's not hard, it's normal and soft. Even if she sits on the toilet for an hour, she will not poop on it.
We have a referral to a behavioral health place that deals with extreme potty training issues. The wait is about 6 months and I was hoping to find out if anyone else has a child with encopresis that was more emotional than physical.
If her poop isn't hard and constipation doesn't seem to be the problem, could there still be a physical problem or is it most likely emotional?
Thanks!!
My 11 year old has had issues with his bowels since the ago of 2. He has been diagnosed as having encopresis as well. In encopresis, the withholding of the poop causes the bowels and colon to stretch. The "leakage" that you see is what is seeping around the large mass of poop. (The gastroenterologist showed us an x-ray to where my son had poop from his rectum to his colon). I fought with my pediatrician for years and his only solution was Miralax which did not help at all.

Please make an appointment with a pediatric gastroenterologist, get a referral if you have to. It has completely turned my son's life around. In order to re-train the whole bowel mechanism, you have to remove that large mass of stool that has collected. The reason that the poop leaks during sleep is because that is when the bowel is relaxed. You will also need to make sure that nerves in the bowels function properly.

Please do not punish her for this. She truly cannot help it and I guarantee it is not intentional. The large mass of stool is impossible for her to pass without help. What she "leaks" is not controlled by her. The withholding of the stool has caused all of the nerves to be stretched out and disconnected. She no longer feels the urge to poop. There is a total disconnect.  (+ info)

I think my 18 Month Old Daughter Has Encopresis?

---

I have worried about her Bowl Movements since she was about 3 months old. She had Reflux so we had to add rice cereal to her bottles which made her constipated. Laxatives & Karo helped. But I noticed she seemed like she was "holding" even back then. She is now 18 months and she continues to have problems. She Tenses up every time she has to go... her legs are straight & stiff as boards 7 she tightens her butt cheeks. She cries all the time when she has to go & is constipated about 3 times a week. Sometimes for days at a time. She "holds" it in as long as she can and sometimes little bit of watery feces gets through. I have to help her go a lot a in hold her legs back and even help pull it out. It's really hard and large I'm afraid he little butt cant handle it and on top of it all I think she already has aHemorrhoidd!

have you ever heard of Encopresis?
does it sound like it to you?
do you know anyone with it?
How do you treat it?
Have you ever heard of anyone so young having it?

I'm calling the Dr. tomorrow!
18 month olds usually do not have that much control over their bowel movements. Neurologically they aren't that developed. How can she be holding back on BMs? The thing that motivates a child to hold back on a BM is pain on defecation. I wouldn't give a child laxatives at all. She probably is constipated but its not from her "holding" things in on purpose, its from diet, or lack of fluids, or something else. Indeed she needs to see a doctor. An adult or child with constipation will leak
liquid feces around the harder matter. Cows milk causes some constipation, but it could be anything. I am glad you are taking her to the doctor.  (+ info)

Can anyone help me?? My 6 year old has Encopresis...?

---

My daughter is almost 6 years old and has suffered from encopresis for nearly 3 years now. I have tried EVERYTHING and I mean everything!! She recently was seen by a doctor that put her on lactulose to soften her stools. The problem is that she knows how to poop in the potty, she just wont do it!! She contstanly has accidents and doesnt really realize that she has done it. I am trying the "potty seating" method after every meal and in between meals, but with no success yet. I have tried rewards, stickers, potty parties and much praise....still nothing. I am completely out of options. I know that it is something that she cannot help and it is a medical conditon. I dont punish or scold her because it just makes matters worse. Is there anyone that has dealt with this and had any success??? I am desperate and in need of Help!! If you have any suggestions, I would be happy to hear them!! Thanks so much in advance!!
Do you sit in the bathroom with her while she is trying to pottie? She could have stage fright, so to speak, just point her in the right direction and see if she will do her own thing. That might not be the problem but, it couldn't hurt to try. Good luck  (+ info)

My son, 6, has encopresis,?

---

I've been giving him 2 tbsp of mineral oil a day. His doctor wants to get him to the point of having liquid poo, but with him in kindergarten half day i'm afraid he'll have an accident and other kids will tease him. we give him a ton of fiber and plenty of liquids, we've limited his dairy, it's been going on for 2 years and i'm worried about first grade next year. I've thought about giving him miralax, any suggestions will be welcome!
well I know this won't be fun for you or him but he might need to wear a pull-up diaper to school....so he will have protection if he does have an accident but if he can make it to the potty....he will be able to go.....you might wanna inform his teacher in private as well

maybe medicine will help..but I am not an expert on meds....so i am really of no help with the medicine thing  (+ info)

son with Encopresis?

---

I am a single mother of two. My oldest has this affliction and im at wits end. I understand that its involintary, but no one wants to understand when it comes to child care. he is 7 yrs old, and im now unemployed per missing to many days to stay home with him. My own family will not help out since they are in the retirement age and do not desire to be tied down with this encumberment. I am now collecting unemployment but when it runs out i need to find another avenue for income. i have looked at jobs to do online and either they are not in my field or i do not qualify for the positions because of no college degree in the area. Does anyone have a suggestion of what i can do?
he is seeing a specialist at the Hershey center. all they said was to put him on a strict diet-no milk- and substitues. so we have been doing that. as for imidetate family that maybe able to take on him...no they are either working full time themselves or not in the same state as i am or as i said...retired and not wanting the responciblity it entails. but as far as treatment.....diet is about all right now that im going on...and that is not going too affully great. they have done enimeas and like i said, the specialist has told us..."He WILL have this the rest of his life"
he has been dealing with this for a year and a half now. back and forth between drs. and specialists. it has been difficult but we have managed. Finally I told the last specialist that i wanted to be reffered to one in Hershey which is a big deal around here. this dr was the one that said that he would have it all his life but it would become manageble once undercontrol. but thay gave it a year-or two to get under control again. I cant wait a year or two....we are gonna start to need money soon they have to eat after all. anyway, i have seen other testomonials on the subject. Dr. Phil recently did a show as well. one child had this for 13 yrs and they were still having problems. apperently it can range from a week, or months to years to in my sons case life. again im at wits end.
What treatment is he getting? Is his condition improving or will he remain fecally incontinent? Can you get his specialists to support you in getting qualified for respite care? I think that might be your best option to get some time out and be able to get back to work.

Another option is to try and do some study and see if you can get yourself qualified in disability care. That's something my hubby is doing now. Our son is seven and has cerebral palsy severely, so there needs to be one of us available to care for him 24/7. So hubby is studying disability care and has been working at our son's school as an integration aide, with our son and a few other children at the school who need extra help. It's the best of both worlds for us, he's working and earning good money, and at the same time he's with his son all the time.  (+ info)

help with 12 y/o boy w/ encopresis?

---

I can't do this anymore. I need people's advice that have gone through the same thing as we are. We have taken him to Childrens Hospital, we have changed his eating habits, his bathroom habits. He has gone to a child psychologist. We have taken things from him when he lies about being dirty. He has been doing this since he was 5. I am at the end of my rope and have no clue where to go. I feel sorry for him because he is in 7th grade and if the high schoolers get a hold of it, yikes! He's a bright kid and alot of fun to be with. Any suggestions?
Dr. Phil had a show on this last season check out his website. The second link is from that show.  (+ info)

Dealing with a child who has Encopresis..?

---

My son is 7 yrs. still only smeares in his pants. Been to Doc. Am taking Magnesium Citrate this wkend along with Glycolax..If this doesn't clean his system out They will have to hospitalize him and suction it out...Have you gone thru this or r going thru it now? What's goin on?
My son is very active so exercise is already in place as far as his eating we are getting more fiber in his diet. I'm hoping these changes make some impact b4 we go back to the doctor. We've been dealing with this for years. He has no problems going to pee.
  (+ info)

Please, anyone with a child who has encopresis or soiling!!!?

---

I need suggestions. My son is 7 & has only used the toilet twice in his life! He goes for days w/o bm's & then has days where he goes several times a day from small to large! He has not been constipated for years. His bm's are usually mushy to a little firmer. Yes, I have taken him to a specialist & tried laxatives & miralax, but nothing is working! Any suggestions welcome!! How do they ever shrink their colon back to normal? How do they regain muscle control? He seems to know when he's going to "go", so I've asked him why he doesn't use the toilet & he doesn't seem to have an answer! I know he can't help it & I've been very patient & relaxed about it always, but I'm soooo confused! I thought kids w/ enco did not know when they were going to "go" & couldn't control their bowels??!! He knows when he's going to go & I've seen him "push" it out, so to me he has some control? What can I do besides the medication & potty sits????? HELP!!
Encopresis has a physical and and psychological component. You say he is not constipated but he probably is, even if the BM's are mushy he probably has impacted feces in his large intestines.
No one seems to know why these kids are so resistant to sitting on the toilet when they need to.
The key in regard to the treatment of enco is the really consistent use of the prescribed laxative and a very strict routine of toileting. For the colon and rectum to shrink back to size and the child to regain full control can takes up to 2 years of hourly/daily hard fought routine.
Unfortunately, there is no quick fix for this problem, although you will probably find that within a year or so he will start to take more ownership over his body and situation as he matures and may become more cooperative.  (+ info)

What can I do to help my son with his encopresis?

---

My son is 6 yrs old. He was diagnosed with enco 1 1/2 years ago. He has been taking mineral oil miralax and exlax to clear the blockage and stay "cleaned out". I have been taking him to therapy once a week and still no improvements. He has gone through daycare after after day care. Now I have his teacher and the school nurse pushing for answers that can't give. I am so frustrated. He is starting to get teased & I just don't know what to do to help him.
I am a school nurse and this is fairly common in school aged kids. It sounds like you are doing everything that you can by taking him to the doctor and to therapy. His teacher and school nurse should not be pushing you for information. All they need to know is that he was diagnosed and you are doing the best you can to treat it. His teacher needs to allow him frequent bathroom breaks too. I have found that it is just one of those things that kids grow out of eventually. I had a first grader at my school last year that was having accidents at least 2 to 3 times per week. I have not seen him once this year for it!  (+ info)

---

---

• Home
• Our method
• Usage examples
• Index

• Statistics
• Contact

---