Encopresis is one of the most frustrating difficulties of childhood This is true not only for the child, but also for the father and mother, who often do not know how to act. It can be traumatic for children to have difficulties controlling their stools.
Additionally, these children are often teased by their peers and shamed and blamed by adults for their difficulty. In this article we will talk about what is important for families to know about encopresis.
encopresis It is part of the disorders of urine and feces elimination, called enuresis and encopresis, respectively. According to the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), these types of disorders are called excretory disorders. Although, they were previously called elimination disorders.
According to the DSM-5 To receive this diagnosis, The following four characteristics must be present:
Different types of encopresis
can we talk about two types of encopresis:
Most of the time encopresis is of the retentive type Children with this type of encopresis have an underlying medical reason for not controlling their sphincters. Non-retentive encopresis, on the other hand, does not have any physical condition that prevents normal toileting behaviors.
How to manage encopresis
Mothers and fathers often have difficulty knowing how to handle this delicate situation. Therefore, I would like to give you some tips so that you know how to handle encopresis if your child is in this situation.
First of all, Go to the pediatrician to make a proper diagnosis and explore possible medical causes of the problem your child is having. The doctor may detect several problems and ask you to make changes to your child’s diet and/or activity level. One of the most important points is to seek early treatment for this problem. The sooner we start looking for solutions, the better.
It is often the case that parents often feel embarrassed when their child has encopresis, which makes it more difficult for them to ask for help. My advice is not to wait for this problem to go away on its own. If the problem persists, the child’s self-esteem and confidence may be damaged even more than necessary
On the other hand, if your child soils his underwear, don’t get angry or punish him. Don’t embarrass him either. With this type of attitude you will only make your child’s self-esteem worse. I realize that sometimes it may seem like intentional behavior, but it may not be under your child’s control or your child may not know how to do it better. In the same way, don’t blame your son You won’t make the problem better, but you will feel worse about yourself.
It can also be interesting to make the child see that there are other children with the same problem that he has. In fact, you can explain to him that most likely other children go to his school to whom the same thing happens to him. Consider teaching your child how the intestine works and that it is possible to strengthen muscles and nerves that control intestinal function.
You may be interested: “Enuresis (urinating on oneself): causes, symptoms and treatment”
For some children it may be useful to keep a record of situations in which they have not been able to control their stools and have had an accident. In this way, you can try to discover If there is a pattern to the accidents or a specific trigger That is, if they always happen in the dining room, when you go to a friend’s house, late in the afternoon…
Keeping track of accidents can cause anxiety in some children, while for others it helps them feel like they have more power and control over the problem. Only use these types of strategies if they benefit your child, and always with the advice of a professional.
We can also use a reward system or token economy The child can receive one point or sticker on a graph or chart for each day he or she goes without staining. When she gets a certain number of points, he can receive a toy or prize. It is important to note that this approach does not work for all children. In fact, in certain cases it can be counterproductive. Therefore, consult with a professional who can advise you according to your child’s specific situation and needs.
Related article: “Token Economy: How is it used to motivate change?”
A few last words
Remember that children with encopresis may have relapses and specific failures during and after treatment These relapses can be normal to some extent, especially in the early stages. This does not mean that the treatment is failing, it means that it requires time and several attempts. Finally, it is important to note that encopresis is a problem that can be chronic and complex, but it has a solution.
The sooner we look for a solution, the easier it will be to solve the problem. It is always important to consider the option of going to a psychologist if your child feels shame, guilt, sadness or low self-esteem related to encopresis.
