Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
close window
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffThere are several causes of encopresis. The most common are:
- Constipation. Most cases of encopresis are the result of chronic constipation. In constipation, the child's stool is hard, dry and may be painful to pass. As a result, the child avoids going to the toilet — making the problem worse. The longer the stool remains in the colon, the more difficult it is for the child to push stool out. The colon stretches, ultimately affecting the nerves that signal when it's time to go to the toilet. When the colon becomes too full, soft or liquid stool may leak out.
Common causes of constipation include eating too little fiber, not drinking enough fluids or consuming an excess of dairy products. Sometimes, a child with a cow's milk intolerance may experience constipation, although milk intolerance causes diarrhea more often than constipation.
- Emotional issues. Emotional stress also may trigger encopresis. A child may experience stress from premature toilet training or an important life change — for instance, the divorce of a parent or the birth of a sibling.
References
- Ferry GD. Definition, clinical manifestations, and evaluation of functional fecal incontinence in children. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 29, 2010.
- Soiling (encopresis). American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org). http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/emotional-problems/pages/Soiling-Encopresis.aspx. Accessed Oct. 6, 2010.
- Har AF, et al. Encopresis. Pediatrics in Review. 2010;31:368.
- Ferry GD. Treatment of chronic functional constipation and fecal incontinence in infants and children. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 29, 2010.
- Montgomery DF, et al. Management of constipation and encopresis in children. Journal of Pediatric Health Care. 2008;22:199.
- Nijman RJ. Diagnosis and management of urinary incontinence and functional fecal incontinence (encopresis) in children. Gastroenterology Clinics of North America. 2008;37:731.
- Hoecker JL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Oct. 7, 2010.
Find Mayo Clinic on