soiling

RE: soiling

Hi. How old is the child?

RE: soiling

and also is this 24 hour accidents or just when sleeping and is it for both urinary and fecal movements or just one?

Cheers
T
x

RE: soiling

it is only day time and faecal movements. the child is 8 and was ok until about 9 months ago. no trauma or change in lifestyle so am unsure as to what triggered it
thanks for your response

RE: soiling

When you say soiling do you mean making a mess of underwear or actually 'going' if you see what I mean?

RE: soiling

both sometimes but mostly messing underwear

RE: soiling

One of my sons suffered this problem and I thought he had a continual bad stomach so took him to the doctors and he was completely compacted......poor little soul. The doctor said that he was obviously far to busy to spend time on the toilet and was ignoring his natural signals to go.....hence he got 'stuffed up'. Took him quite a few months to get over it too.

yasmin x

RE: soiling

Hiya
Yasmin makes a good point, sometimes when you are constipated you do actually "leak" a little sometimes....if you are skilled in massage you could try doing an abdomen massage or do pop to GP so he can have a prod and see if it is in fact constipation..

T
x

RE: soiling

I think that it is quite common for kids to leak when they are constipated - there is a name for it but it escapes me. It is probably a good idea to do a gentle massage of the colon. Hope the child gets better soon x

RE: soiling

Actually I think it's called encopresis.

RE: soiling

Hi. Yes, it is called encoprisis. I have come across a few people whos children suffer with this. Three actually, all of them boys ranging from age 5yrs to 12yrs of age. I dont know too much about it, but I know that the the 12 yr old still has problems and that he can go for days without going to the toilet, but will leak every day and sometimes more than leak. He is encouraged to sit on the toilet at various times of the day, but he doesnt have the natural ability to go. It is something that has been going on for quite a few years and has been fobed off by the doctor/ health visitor etc throughout his life. He does seem to be making progress but it is slow. I dont know much more than that. If I do I will let you know. Oh and he hasnt been diagnosed by anyone in the medical proffession. It was the parent who diagnosed. Im not saying that it is encoprisis in the case of your child, but just be aware of it. Maybe check diet and allergies etc.
Sair x

RE: soiling

Often it starts when children don't want to open their bowels at school, so hold it in all day. The fecal matter becomes hard as liquid continues to be absorbed into the body and this just blocks up the whole system.

Children need to be encouraged to recognise when they need to go and not to hold it in.

Lesley

RE: soiling

My son was only about 3 1/2 when it happened to him.....just before he started school. He was toilet trained at two and I never had any problems with him. He was just one of those busy children who never stopped and hadn't got time for the toilet. My doctor sent the district nurse out and she gave him a suppository. It worked wonders and we heard it 'land' from right down the corridor 😀 I was then given a supply of them and used them as and when necessary. He soon got over it.........probably me putting the gloves on was enough:D

That was well over 10 years ago now and a distant memory but knowing what I know now I would have handled the whole thing differently. I would use colon massage and reflexology.

yasmin x

RE: soiling

My son is a classic example, doesn't like the school loos, is too busy to make time to go and doesn't want to follow a more healthy diet (he is 13!) and his problem re-occures when he is emotionally challenged (just peer pressure at times, sometimes more).

Your son being younger should be slightly easier to persuade - lots of water (rather than fizzies) lots of fruit and raw vegetable (i.e carrotts, etc), limit the chocolate intake, make sure he is active/exercising even in winter. And lots of washing powder!!

If the problem continues for a longer period of time, perhaps see a kinesiologist who can muscle test to find out exactly what's behing the problem.

Good luck

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Hi Energy,

I am not surprised that children don't want to use the school loos. More often than not, they're cold, have no locks on the doors or loo paper and are dirty places to be (i.e. water, paper and the like all over the floors) and are generally places where bullies 'hang out.' What loo paper there is, it is always that cheap, hard tracing paper in leaflet or 'measured' form that turns up in schools.

There is a campaign to clean up school toilets to make them more appealing to children. Teachers have known that the children don't want to use the loos because of the smelly and sub-standard state of them. Some of the conditions in school loos would not be tolerated in any other workplace. Our children deserve a lot better than this.

Love,
Patsy.
[:'(]

RE: soiling

just a note to thank you all for the great advice will try some gentle abdo massage and have him on regular stool softeners and weekly laxatives also. he is generally active and not a lot of junk in diet. i reckon he is like other kids just too busy to go:D it does not seem to bother him just me but we are making gradual progress 5 days clean now and hoping[:-]

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Patsy...
oh you took me back, tracing paper toilet rolls i remember it, horrible just horrible....

T
x

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Hi my son is just comming up to 7 years old and has had bowel problem for about 3 years with soiling........i had try everything and doctors, heath people, hospital.(3rd doctor iv'e seen) and only now josh has been referred.......still that was two month ago. Josh still has a food problem since young and his best food i can get him to eat now is chicken and fish. He got a cough at the moment like croupy and starts at night time.........he on antiebiotic now thou.............he had quite a ruff time, but loves everybody.
Still attending hospital........and still not shore what he's got wrong:( ADD OR ADHD OR Asperger . I dont care about lables on a child...it's shcools and etc.. who like to no what there dealing with.
I must have needed to get all this out about josh.[&:] Josh has inprove in a lot of other ways...he on eflex to help with his short attention span.
love and blessings
lightwinds xx
Wendy

RE: soiling

Can anyone tell me or direct me to a site to show me how to do the massage or reflexology? My 8 yr old son has been constipated for a few years on and off. I think he has lost the urge to go so I have to get him to try at a certain time of the day every day. I would like to try the massage and reflexology but I'm not too sure how.

RE: soiling

Hi Leighla...

You can try the following on an infant or young child...

Try this massage technique: Before your baby eats, massage the entire stomach area, lightly yet firmly, in a clockwise direction. Always use an edible oil, as the baby's fingers will probably go into the mouth. (Corn, vegetable or virgin olive oils are great.) Do not use mineral oils.

Facing the baby, start massaging with your fingertips from left to right. You can use circular motions, or rainbow shape strokes. This helps the digestion, and helps to pass the gas. Don't massage counterclockwise, this can cause constipation. Moving the gas can be painful, so be sure to massage slowly. This should help keep the food down, and with less discomfort. You can do this for a few minutes before each meal and before bed, makes for a better night's sleep!

Amber

RE: soiling

wendy,

he on antiebiotic now

Don't forget that antibiotics kill off the healthy bacteria on the gut too, making the problem worse. Make sure you give him some natural yoghurt to put that bacteria back!

Karen x

RE: soiling

Hi, I'm brand new on this site tonight. I have an interesting situation on my hands. I'm a 39 yr old mother of six. My oldest is a college freshman, my youngest is 17 mos. old. The fifth of my children, and my first boy, is four years old. He has NEVER in his entire life, pooped on the toilet. He is not a stubborn child, and seems to "want" to go. When I know he has to go (gas, etc.) I put him on and he really seems to struggle, with no success. I notice that his stomach muscles don't seem to be moving like they did in my other children, and like they do in his 17 mos old brother when I put him on the toilet. When I ask my four yr old why he pooped in his pants he says "they didn't tell me they were coming!" lol It's the same answer every time, so I'm beginning to wonder if he can't feel the urge? SO..... tonight I reached the end of my rope, he had terrible gas, had not pooped all day (he usually goes at least once a day in his pants) so... I gave him a 6 oz enema of water.
This is the interesting part.... nothing happened. Now I KNOW when I had to give my 16 mos old the same enema (prep for a colonoscopy a month ago) that I could barely get him on the toilet before he was pushing all the water out. Not the case tonight. My four yr old just sat there... and sat there.... for about 20 minutes! Finally with alot of encouragement he was pushing very hard (veins in neck standing out, face red) and some "drops" of water came out... slowly. He managed in tiny little dribbles to push out some water, but that was it. Does this sound like a physical problem to anyone? I've never had toilet training problems with any of my four girls, and I just don't know if it's time to see a Peds GI, or what? I'm sorry to be so long winded, I wasn't sure how to condense it and get my point across as well. Thank you for your input. Tracy

RE: soiling

Hello Elismom,

Boys are notorious for being late potty-trainers. I think they do it for the attention!

It seems like this is more an issue for you than it is for your son. He senses your anxiety and replicates it. If you can relax and realise that all children are different, and that he will 'go' when he wants to, things will improve. If he soils himself too many times he will realise that none of his friends do it and he will use the loo under his own steam. The main thing is, that you relax about this and don't tell him that he's 'naughty' and that his sisters didn't do it. That will set up insecurities and competition, which will spark off yet more anxiety and fruitless loo visits. Matters like this usually improve when boys start at play school/kindergarten and begin copying their mates.

Good luck to you and your little boy. He's normal!

Love,
Patsy.
😀

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Patsy, I've thought that for awhile, but it seemed like there should be at least one instance of "success" even if it's "accidental" ? (like the baby, putting him on the toilet when I know he has to go, and he goes). I've been rather laid back about the whole potty training thing w/the four yr old, as I've been consumed with the 17 mos old's health problems since birth. I wondered if that had anything to do w/it, like maybe the four yr old thought he would be "lost in the shuffle" if there weren't something physically wrong w/him? (or am I projecting my own feelings onto this poor little boy?) I really don't know. I'm not usually a worrier, but the whole enema thing concerned me, I thought there should be some results, at least an expulsion of the water? Am I too focused on the medical aspect? (I've been so immersed in "medical lingo" trying to get my baby diagnosed, I sometimes wonder if I'm overreacting) but then again, I don't want to wait until it's a social issue for him, he is in "home-pre-school here, four boys come here on tues and thurs for 2 hrs of "school", and they've commented, I don't want his feelings hurt if it's not his fault (something physically wrong)?? Am I confused enough for you?? lol Sorry! I'm going around and around, as you can see! lol SOmebody stop this merry-go-round!! Thanks for listening! Tracy

RE: soiling

Elismom, I would be concerned about the enima too. I would want to look into that a bit more.

What I have done with my son is get him to sit at the same time every day. I chose the evening because we are both home. You may want to try at a time about 20 min after he eats because they say the bowels are stimulated by the food and there is a better chance that they will move. When my son was a bit younger I would watch him push to make sure he was and would make him push three times. You don't want him to push and strain too much because he could get hemerroids or a hernia. Try getting him into a routine, add more fibre into his diet and see if that helps.

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Leighla, You know how when you tell them to push and your hands are on either side of their stomach (like holding their "love handles") ? Usually when you tell a toddler to push you feel the muscles contracting ? I don't feel any difference w/him, it's like he's straining from the neck up! lol I've tried showing him my stomach muscles contracting, tried explaining what it feels like when you make your tummy "tight" etc. but I don't know if he's not understanding, or he doesn't know how to/can't contract those muscles? It's very wierd.
When I put my 17 month old son on the toilet and tell him to push, I can feel the muscles pushing and he's very obviously making an effort. Almost every time I put him on the toilet he strains until he at least urinates. When I tell Jared to push he makes pushing "grunting" noises, but I don't see any pushing, or feel it in his muscles. He can pee most of the time, but he has seriously NEVER pooped on the toilet. THis is what concerns me, especially after the enema, it just didn't seem right that he could not push all of that water out in a burst, like the baby did a month ago. I think I'm going to call our Pediatric Gastroenterologis, just to run it by him. I hate to put this little guy through any unecessary procedures, so I'm going to be conservative, but I also don't want an undiagnosed problem to go on until it's an emotional problem as well. I'm sorry if I'm asking the impossible, for someone to tell me they've gone through this, or recognize the problem, when they don't know him, but I really am at my wit's end. Thanks for listening. Tracy

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I am new here and came across this site by typing the word Encoprisis in the searchbar.
My daughter has had this problem since she was 3- maybe before. ( She's now 6 ) I have taken her to a GI who has her on a prescription laxative, which she has been on for well over a year now. She still "leaks" and I use panty liners in her underwear as those were getting expensive! I put her on the toilet in the mornings and after supper. For the most part she does go but it takes her a good amount of time. I thought I could make her aware of having to go by doing this. She has no idea she needs to go. The laxative is a cycle and I see no end end in using it. If she stops taking that it, the GI will suggest another over the counter laxative, along with suppositories- she needs "cleaned out", which turns into a weekend event. It does become a social problem which creates more problems..I wont babble on..I just wanted to share the frustration.

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i have a 13 year old son that has had encoprisis since he was three. he has been on just about every laxitive over the counter and perscribed. he has been into childrens hospital for there program. been admitted to the hospital for clean outs. on and on and on. it still hasnt gone away. it affects his life with friends and some family members. he soils daily and it gets worse with stress. i keep going to gi doctor after another and they just give him laxatives. he now has to use laxatives to be able to have a full bowel movement, and i am haveing to give him 2 to 3 adult dulcalax to even get anything to move. its very aggravating when you cant find a doctor to do anything but give them laxatives. i dont understand why this takes so long to correct. has anyone had any positive results with anything?