How to help a child with encopresis?

Tips for parents to help a child with encopresis without guilt.

Encopresis is one of the most frustrating difficulties in childhood.. This is true not only for the child, but also for the parents, who often do not know how to act. It can be traumatic for children to have difficulty controlling their stool.

In addition, these children are often teased by their peers and adults embarrass and blame them for their difficulty. In this article we will discuss what is important for families to know about encopresis.

What is encopresis?

Encopresis is part of the disorders of elimination of urine and feces, called enuresis and encopresis.called enuresis and encopresis, respectively. According to the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) these disorders are called excretory disorders. Although, previously they were called elimination disorders.

According to the DSM-5 To receive this diagnosis, the following four characteristics must be present:

• The chronological age of the patients must be at least 4 years old.
• The child repeatedly passes stool in inappropriate places (such as on clothing). This may be involuntary or voluntary.
• At least one of these episodes occurs every month for at least 3 months.
• This behavior does not occur as a result of substances (e.g., laxatives), nor is it due to some other medical problem.

Different types of encopresis

We can speak of two types of encopresis:

• Retentive Encopresis: This type of encopresis is associated with constipation.
• Non-retentive Encopresis: This type of encopresis occurs when there is no relationship between incontinence and periods of constipation.

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 bowels. Non-retentive encopresis, on the other hand, has no physical condition that prevents normal toileting behaviors.

• Related article, "What is Physiological Psychology?"

How to manage encopresis

Mothers and fathers often have difficulties when it comes to knowing how to handle this delicate situation. Therefore, I would like to give you some tips on how to handle encopresis if your child is in this situation.

First of all, see your pediatrician to make a proper diagnosis and explore the possible medical causes of the problem your child is having. of the problem your child is having. The doctor may detect several problems and ask you to make changes in 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.

Parents often feel embarrassed when their child has encopresis, which makes it harder for them to ask for help. My advice is not to wait for the problem to go away on its own. If the problem persists, your 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, don't punish him. And don't embarrass him or her. This kind of attitude 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 better. By the same token, don't blame your child. You won't make the problem better, but they will feel worse about themselves.

It can also be interesting to make the child see that there are other children with the same problem he has. In fact, you can explain that there are probably other children at his school who have the same problem as he does. Consider teaching your child how the bowel works and that it is possible to strengthen the muscles and nerves that control bowel function. that control bowel function.

The use of logs and rewards as a strategy

For some children it may be useful to keep a record of situations in which they have been unable to control their stools and have had an accident. In this way, you can try to find out if there is a pattern to the accidents or a specific trigger, i.e., if they always happen in the lunchroom, when he goes to the bathroom, or when he goes to the bathroom.i.e., if they always happen in the dining room, when he goes to a friend's house, in the late afternoon...

Keeping track of accidents can cause anxiety for some children, while for others it helps them feel more empowered and in control of 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 a point or sticker on a chart or table for each day that passes without soiling. When he/she gets a certain number of points, he/she 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. So, consult a professional who can advise you according to your child's specific situation and needs.

A final word

Remember that children with encopresis may have relapses and occasional failures during and after treatment.. These relapses may be to some extent normal, especially in the early stages. This does not mean that the treatment is failing, it means that it takes 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 seeing a psychologist if your child feels shame, guilt, sadness or low self-esteem related to encopresis.