Problems like enuresis and encopresis in children cannot occur without a cause and are certainly not the norm. This article will focus on the second of the mentioned diseases. Consider what is encopresis in children, causes, treatment and symptoms of the disease.
What is it?
Encopresis is a condition in which fecal incontinence occurs.
For babies, this process is completely natural, since they are not yet able to control the bowels. But among children over four years old, this situation cannot be considered the norm, since it may indicate that the baby has problems not only at the physiological, but also at the psychological level.
Causes of disease
Next, let's talk about why encopresis can occur in children. The causes of the disease, as mentioned above, can be on a physical or psychological level. The main ones can be considered:
- the presence of acute inflammatory processes in one or more sections of the intestine;
- chronicconstipation;
- the presence of congenital pathologies, the appearance of which was provoked by a difficult pregnancy or complications during childbirth;
- disorders in psychomotor development;
- undergoing surgery or injury;
- early organic lesion of the central nervous system;
- experience by a child of frequent stressful situations in a family or team due to the lack of friends, a change in kindergarten or school, inconsistency with the expectations of peers or relatives, the negative influence of educators and teachers, the lack of a comfortable daily routine and personal space for games and development, and so on next;
- too persistent or aggressive behavior of parents during potty training;
- poor living conditions in the family;
- inability to get timely access to the toilet in kindergarten, school and so on.
As you can see, the list of possible reasons is not so small. However, encopresis in children in most cases occurs as a result of exposure to external factors that have a significant impact on the psychological and emotional state of the child.
Features of the disease
Depending on age, the frequency of bowel movements in a child may vary. What is considered normal in some situations may indicate a problem in others. How, then, to determine encopresis in children? Expert advice says the following.
- If the baby is less than 6 months old. Normal at this agethe number of stool discharge - up to 6 times a day. If this process occurs more often, it indicates diarrhea. In this case, there can be no talk of encopresis, since the baby is not yet able to control the situation.
- If the child is from 6 months to 1.5 years old. During this period, the child's muscles begin to strengthen, and emptying occurs already up to two times a day. At the same time, kids at this age do not understand what cleanliness and hygiene are, so they continue to stain the laundry.
- If the child is 1.5 to 4 years old. During this period, the baby's muscles finally got stronger, and he is able to control the process of emptying. Until the age of 4, the child must learn to ask or go to the potty on his own. Despite all this, encopresis in children of this age is still within the normal range and it is too early to sound the alarm. The only exceptions are situations when the baby constantly went to the potty, and after suffering stress or as a result of other factors, he suddenly stopped doing it.
- If the child is 4 to 8 years old. At this age, encopresis in children is no longer the norm. The disease indicates the presence of neuroses or other disorders, as well as problems with physical he alth. In this situation, it is necessary to conduct a qualified examination and take all necessary measures.
Symptoms of disease
The main sign of encopresis in a child is pebbles. If there is a problem, this symptom recurs regularly rather than intermittently.
In addition to the main symptom of the disease, there is also a number ofadditional. They, in turn, may differ from each other, depending on the type of disease: false or true encopresis. For greater convenience, it is worth considering each of them separately.
False encopresis
As statistics show, it is this type of disease that is diagnosed most often. The main reason for its occurrence is the presence of chronic constipation in a child. Therefore, the symptoms of the disease will be as follows:
- Peeling. Parents regularly find traces of feces on their underwear in their child.
- Difficulty in emptying bowels.
- High density of feces or even the so-called "sheep feces".
- There may be a peculiar smell similar to that observed during diarrhea.
- Feces accumulate in the large intestine.
- Stool becomes loose.
False encopresis is most often observed in very shy children who consciously try to restrain the act of defecation.
True encopresis
This type of disease is characterized by very bright symptoms, so it cannot go unnoticed. The main signs of true encopresis include:
- Permanent spotting and systematic bowel movements in underwear.
- The appearance of an unpleasant smell from a child, which is noticed even by others.
- The skin in the anal area is very irritated, redness appears on it, which is accompanied byitch.
- The sphincter is half open.
- Anus clogged with feces.
- May have urinary incontinence at the same time.
Depending on the degree of neglect, the disease can be accompanied by both several and simultaneously all of the above symptoms. The causes of its occurrence are in most cases psychological in nature, and the treatment takes a long time.
Treatment of disease
Since the causes of the disease can be different, each of the cases requires a special approach to treatment. However, there are three main directions:
- provision of psychological support and rehabilitation after neurosis;
- carrying out the fight against constipation;
- re-teaching the child the rules of the toilet.
In no case should you scold the baby for what happened. It is important to explain to him what exactly is happening with his body. Special attention should be paid to regular planting on the potty to enhance reflexes. This should be done every 15 minutes. But here there is an exception to the rule: in cases where the baby categorically refuses to sit on the potty, you do not need to force him. Otherwise, it threatens with another stress and worsening of the overall situation.
Additional treatment includes taking medications, following a special diet, and even using folk remedies. Let's take a look at each of them.
Drug therapy
First, let's look at how to treat encopresis in children withmedications.
It is important to note that this type of therapy is very effective. But it is used in most cases only in the initial stages of the disease. As a rule, pediatricians recommend taking drugs such as Bisacodyl or Duphalac. They have a very mild effect on the children's body, but at the same time they have a fairly strong effect. In this case, parents should listen to the doctor's advice, do not self-medicate and do not replace the prescribed drugs. It is important to remember that many drugs are contraindicated for use in childhood or have too aggressive an effect on the child's body.
Basic bowel cleansing therapy lasts approximately 1-2 weeks. After its completion, it is necessary to consolidate the achieved effect. To this end, the baby's intestines should be regularly cleansed for at least 6 months with the help of the Psyllium preparation. Vaseline oil has a similar effect, improving the emptying process. It should be consumed 2 tablespoons per day.
Encopresis Diet
So, we reviewed information about such a disease as encopresis in children (causes, treatment). Komarovsky (a famous children's doctor) notes that a special diet is necessary for a successful recovery.
Baby's diet should consist of easily digestible food. It can be various cereals, sour-milk products, light soups. All meals must be steamed orboiled in water.
For better assimilation of coarse plant food, it must be served in crushed form. All kinds of vegetable or fruit purees will be ideal.
It is better to replace sweets with prunes, raisins, honey.
Additionally, it is necessary to monitor the amount of fluid consumed. It should be enough for the feces to soften and pass out of the intestines without problems.
Treatment of encopresis in children at home involves the exclusion from the diet of legumes, fatty fish and meat, muffins, spicy and fried foods, as well as fruits containing gelatin (apples, bananas). It is worth limiting the use of dairy products.
Encopresis in children: treatment with folk remedies
The key to successfully getting rid of the problem is the combination of several types of therapy in the treatment at the same time. That is why some folk methods can be used along with medicines. They will be aimed at eliminating the psychological discomfort of the baby due to the calming effect on the body of medicinal herbs.
Mint tea
Often encopresis in children is accompanied by insomnia and bouts of irritability. In such a situation, tea with mint leaves is an excellent sedative.
In order to prepare a he althy and tasty drink, you need to take a tablespoon of the plant and brew it in a glass of hot water in a water bath for 15 minutes. Furthertea must be cooled and strained, then add another glass of water.
The resulting home remedy should be given to the child at 50 mg three times a day about 15 minutes before eating.
Herbal tea
This drink has a more effective and versatile effect compared to the previous version. It is excellent at combating the symptoms of nervous tension, which in most cases is very necessary.
To prepare a decoction, you need to take valerian root, hop cones and mint leaves in proportions of 2:2:3. In the same way as in the previous version, the mixture must be poured with a glass of hot water and boiled in a water bath, then cooled, strained and diluted with the same amount of water.
Give the resulting decoction to the child three times a day, 100 g each. The greatest effect can be achieved by combining this tea with drugs that eliminate neurotic encopresis.
Relaxing baths
Another way to help relieve nervous tension and calm the baby is a warm herbal bath. Best suited in this case:
- sage;
- sequence;
- lavender;
- calendula;
- mint;
- pharmacy chamomile;
- valerian.
It is important to remember that only systematic therapy can bring a positive result. Therefore, such a bath must be taken every evening. In addition, it is advisable to regularly alternate different collections of herbs, without stopping at any one.
Enemas
An enema helps not only to empty the intestines,but also to develop the correct conditioned reflexes in the child.
To determine the correct time for the procedure, first of all, it is necessary to focus on the characteristics of the child's body. If he has daytime incontinence, an enema should be given in the morning. If the baby stains clothes at night, the procedure should be carried out before bedtime.
As practice shows, usually less than 25 enemas are enough to get rid of the disease. The main thing in this business is regularity. The procedure must be carried out daily and at the same time so that the child can form reflexes.
Encopresis in children: advice from a psychologist
We reviewed medical and alternative methods of therapy. What else can help overcome encopresis in children? Psychologist's advice on this matter says the following.
First of all, parents should provide their child with support and understanding. In no case should you scold and punish him for incontinence. After all, the baby is not guilty of such a situation, and the lack of understanding on the part of the closest people can only aggravate everything.
Be he althy!
