Encopresis is a condition in which a person withholds bowel movements and has stool leakage as a result. There are a few different things that may cause encopresis in children. The most common cause of the condition in children is chronic constipation, but it can also develop because of problems with the nerves in the rectum. Sometimes, however, it results from emotional issues or some type of child abuse.
Most cases of encopresis in children are caused by chronic constipation. When a child becomes constipated, his stools become hard and difficult to move. This results in a good deal of straining and pain when passing a bowel movement. To avoid this discomfort, a child may simply avoid having a bowel movement, which serves to make the stool harder, drier, and even more difficult to push from the body. Eventually, the child’s colon cannot contain the entire stool any longer and soft or watery stool leaks out of the anus.
Often, the nerves in a child’s rectum are affected by chronic constipation as well. As the rectum is overstretched with large, hard bowel movements, the nerves in the area become dull. In such a case, a child may not notice the urge to pass his stools. In time, the amount of stool that has to be passed grows larger and the child’s muscles cannot keep it inside. As a result, liquid or soft stool may leak out of the anus, passing by the hard stool that remains in the body.
The constipation that causes encopresis in children may result from many different factors. For example, a child may become constipated because he does not consume enough fiber or drink enough liquid. Sometimes the lack of sufficient exercise is at fault. It is also possible for a child to develop constipation as a reaction to consuming certain foods, such as dairy products. Interestingly, changes in toileting routines can lead to constipation as well.
Sometimes emotional issues may contribute to the development of encopresis in children. For example, a child may begin to withhold bowel movements in response to a troubling change in his family life. This could happen, for instance, as a result of anxiety over the birth of a new sibling or a death in the family. It might also develop when a child is feeling stressed over a divorce. It may even develop in conjunction with a mental disorder or as a result of child abuse.
