Almost 1.5% of young children face encopresis disorder. Furthermore, a report suggests that 1.4% of people face encopresis, which includes 0.9% of adults aged 40-64 years old and 2.3% of adults aged 65 years and above. It affects people of all ages, from children to adults, and it is more common in women and older adults and is not only a part of aging or childhood.

What is Encopresis (Involuntary Defecation)?

Encopresis is also known as fecal incontinence or soipng. This disorder is defined as when someone unintentionally passes stool in their clothes. Typically, it occurs when impacted stool is collected in the colon and rectum, and during this time, the colon becomes full, and the pquid stool leaks around the retained stool staining in the clothes. Rarely it occurs without constipation and results in embarrassment with emotional issues. It was mainly common among children and older people. However, positive reinforcement and treatment for curing encopresis are usually successful.

There are two types of encopresis−

Retentive encopresis, i.e., type encopresis caused by constipation.

Non-retentive encopresis, i.e., involuntary leaking of stool without constipation.

Symptoms of Encopresis

There are several symptoms of encopresis. Those are −

Leakage of stool or pquid stool on clothes which can be thought of as diarrhea

Hard and dry stool due to constipation

Passage of large stool that clogs the toilet

Avoiding movements of bowel

A long period between bowel movements

Lack of appetite

Pain in the abdomen

Continuous infection in the bladder

Secretive behavior from the terror of embarrassment

Enlargement of the colon. Colon gets out of shape, which leads to periodically passing extremely large bowel movements

Causes of Encopresis

Several factors in inspaniduals cause encopresis. Those factors are −

Constipation − The most common cause of encopresis is constipation. In constipation, the stool of the inspanidual becomes hard, dry, and very much painful to pass it out. This leads to the avoidance of the toilet due to fear of worsening the condition. Due to this, the colon starts stretching and affects the nerves that signal when it is time to go to the toilet. After this, stool may leak when the colon becomes full, soft, or pquid due to the lack of control of bowel movements. Causes of constipation are −

Withholding stool due to the fear of using the toilet or because it will be painful to pass it out

Do not want to interfere in other activities

Too pttle fiber intake

Drinking too much cow milk which sometimes leads to intolerance to cow s milk

Underlying Medical Conditions − This disorder may occur due to some medical conditions. Possible conditions are −

Colonic inertia - Does not move stool as needed.

Nerve damage in the digestive tract - Muscles at the end of the digestive tract do not close properly.

Hirschsprung disease - Missing nerve ending in the bowel, which leads to blockage of the intestine to disrupt the passage of the stool.

Infection in rectum

Malnutrition or a diet composed of too much fat and sugar

Dehydration

Psychological Causes − Emotional stress, behavioral challenges, or fear can be considered a cause of encopresis. Psychological causes involve −

Does not want to go to the washroom due to interference in the current activities.

Fear of using the toilet

Oppositional defiant disorder, i.e., disobedience toward authority figures.

Behavioral or psychological problems.