Encopresis Clinical Presentation

1. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th ed. APA; 2000.

2. Di Lorenzo C, Benninga MA. Pathophysiology of pediatric fecal incontinence. Gastroenterology. 2004 Jan. 126(1 Suppl 1):S33-40. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

3. Partin JC, Hamill SK, Fischel JE, Partin JS. Painful defecation and fecal soiling in children. Pediatrics. 1992 Jun. 89(6 Pt 1):1007-9. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

4. Borowitz SM, Cox DJ, Sutphen JL. Differences in toileting habits between children with chronic encopresis, asymptomatic siblings, and asymptomatic nonsiblings. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 1999 Jun. 20(3):145-9. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

5. Cox DJ, Morris JB Jr, Borowitz SM, Sutphen JL. Psychological differences between children with and without chronic encopresis. J Pediatr Psychol. 2002 Oct-Nov. 27(7):585-91. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

6. Joinson C, Heron J, Butler U, et al. Psychological differences between children with and without soiling problems. Pediatrics. 2006 May. 117(5):1575-84. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

7. Anderson B, Thimmesch I, Aardsma N, Ed D MT, Carstater S, Schober J. The prevalence of abnormal genital findings, vulvovaginitis, enuresis and encopresis in children who present with allegations of sexual abuse. J Pediatr Urol. 2014 Dec. 1 (6):1216-21. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

8. Mellon MW, Whiteside SP, Friedrich WN. The relevance of fecal soiling as an indicator of child sexual abuse: a preliminary analysis. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2006 Feb. 27(1):25-32. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

9. Dayan J, Creveuil C, Bapt-Cazalets N. Enuresis and encopresis: Association with child abuse and neglect. Encephale. 2022 Sep. 48 Suppl 1:S30-S33. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

10. Mellon MW, Natchev BE, Katusic SK, et al. Incidence of enuresis and encopresis among children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in a population-based birth cohort. Acad Pediatr. 2013 Jul-Aug. 13(4):322-7. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

11. Liu X, Zhang G. Functional urination or defecation disorders may be warning signs of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among children in rural China. J Affect Disord. 2022 Nov 1. 316:63-70. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

12. Loening-Baucke V. Prevalence rates for constipation and faecal and urinary incontinence. Arch Dis Child. 2007 Jun. 92(6):486-9. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

13. van der Wal MF, Benninga MA, Hirasing RA. The prevalence of encopresis in a multicultural population. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2005 Mar. 40(3):345-8. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

14. Joinson C, Heron J, Butler R, et al. A United Kingdom population-based study of intellectual capacities in children with and without soiling, daytime wetting, and bed-wetting. Pediatrics. 2007 Aug. 120(2):e308-16. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

15. Rockney RM, McQuade WH, Days AL, et al. Encopresis treatment outcome: long-term follow-up of 45 cases. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 1996 Dec. 17(6):380-5. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

16. Borowitz SM, Sutphen J, Ling W, Cox DJ. Lack of correlation of anorectal manometry with symptoms of chronic childhood constipation and encopresis. Dis Colon Rectum. 1996 Apr. 39(4):400-5. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

17. McGrath ML, Mellon MW, Murphy L. Empirically supported treatments in pediatric psychology: constipation and encopresis. J Pediatr Psychol. 2000 Jun. 25(4):225-54; discussion 255-6. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

18. Nolan T, Debelle G, Oberklaid F, Coffey C. Randomised trial of laxatives in treatment of childhood encopresis. Lancet. 1991 Aug 31. 338(8766):523-7. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

19. Borowitz SM, Cox DJ, Sutphen JL, Kovatchev B. Treatment of childhood encopresis: a randomized trial comparing three treatment protocols. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2002 Apr. 34(4):378-84. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

20. Thapar A, Davies G, Jones T, Rivett M. Treatment of childhood encopresis--a review. Child Care Health Dev. 1992 Nov-Dec. 18(6):343-53. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

21. Brazzelli M, Griffiths PV, Cody JD, Tappin D. Behavioural and cognitive interventions with or without other treatments for the management of faecal incontinence in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011 Dec 7. 2011(12):CD002240. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

22. Church JT, Simha S, Wild LC, Teitelbaum DH, Ehrlich PF. Antegrade continence enemas improve quality of life in patients with medically-refractory encopresis. J Pediatr Surg. 2017 May. 52(5):778-82. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

23. Brophy S, Brennan K, Woodgate E, et al. Comparing quality of life improvement after antegrade continence enema (ACE) therapy for patients with organic and functional constipation / encopresis. J Pediatr Surg. 2022 May. 57(5):855-860. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

24. Dobson P, Rogers J. Assessing and treating faecal incontinence in children. Nurs Stand. 2009 Sep 16-22. 24(2):49-56; quiz 58, 60. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

25. Bekkali NL, van den Berg MM, Dijkgraaf MG, et al. Rectal fecal impaction treatment in childhood constipation: enemas versus high doses oral PEG. Pediatrics. 2009 Dec. 124(6):e1108-15. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

26. Miller MK, Dowd MD, Friesen CA, Walsh-Kelly CM. A randomized trial of enema versus polyethylene glycol 3350 for fecal disimpaction in children presenting to an emergency department. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2012 Feb. 28(2):115-9. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

27. Cox DJ, Sutphen J, Borowitz S, et al. Contribution of behavior therapy and biofeedback to laxative therapy in the treatment of pediatric encopresis. Ann Behav Med. 1998 Spring. 20(2):70-6. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

28. Allen P, Setya A, Lawrence VN. Pediatric functional constipation. [Updated 2022 Aug 19]. StatPearls [Internet]. 2023 Jan. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

29. Brazzelli M, Griffiths PV, Cody JD, Tappin D. Behavioural and cognitive interventions with or without other treatments for the management of faecal incontinence in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011 Dec 7. 2011(12):CD002240. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

30. Reid H, Bahar RJ. Treatment of encopresis and chronic constipation in young children: clinical results from interactive parent-child guidance. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2006 Mar. 45(2):157-64. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

31. Ritterband LM, Cox DJ, Walker LS, et al. An Internet intervention as adjunctive therapy for pediatric encopresis. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2003 Oct. 71(5):910-7. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

32. Ritterband LM, Ardalan K, Thorndike FP, et al. Real world use of an Internet intervention for pediatric encopresis. J Med Internet Res. 2008. 10(2):e16. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

Stephen M Borowitz, MD Professor of Pediatrics and Public Health Sciences, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, University of Virginia School of Medicine

Stephen M Borowitz, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Gastroenterological Association, American Pediatric Society, North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Society for Pediatric Research

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Carmen Cuffari, MD Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology/Nutrition, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Carmen Cuffari, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Gastroenterology, American Gastroenterological Association, North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

Disclosure: Received honoraria from Prometheus Laboratories for speaking and teaching; Received honoraria from Abbott Nutritionals for speaking and teaching. for: Abbott Nutritional, Abbvie, speakers' bureau.

Jorge H Vargas, MD Professor of Pediatrics and Clinical Professor of Pediatric Gastroenterology, University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine; Consulting Physician, Department of Pediatrics, University of California at Los Angeles Health System

Jorge H Vargas, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Liver Foundation, American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, Latin American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, and North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Mary L Windle, PharmD Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

• Print this section
• Print the entire contents of
• Print the entire contents of article