Non-retentive encopresis is a behavioral condition in which the child refuses to poop in a potty or toilet.
Children with this condition aren't constipated and don't seem to have any medical problems. They usually soil their diapers or pants almost every day and have normal bowel movements.
Various terms have been used to describe this problem, including functional encopresis, primary non-retentive encopresis, and stool toileting refusal.
Characteristics include soiling accompanied by daily bowel movements that are normal in size and consistency.
A physiological cause for non-retentive encopresis is rarely identified. The medical assessment is usually normal, and signs of constipation are noticeably absent.
However, a small percentage of cases that seem to be non-retentive encopresis do have medical causes, such as:
- irritable bowel syndrome
- severe ulcerative colitis
- acquired spinal cord disease (i.e. sacral lipoma, spinal cord tumor)
- rectoperineal fistula with imperforate anus
- postsurgical damage to anal sphincter
These conditions can be diagnosed and treated by your child's pediatrician. The other and more likely reasons for non-retentive encopresis are:
- The child may not be developmentally ready for potty training
- The child may have emotional or behavioral disturbances such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder or Conduct Disorder, or may simply be trying to control their environment in one of the the only ways they can
- The child is afraid. The child will urinate in the potty or toilet, but will refuse to poop in the potty or the toilet.
- Some children will also refuse to poop in the underwear and will only poop in a pull up or diaper.
- Other children will simply refuse to poop at all and end up with chronic constipation.
For more information on this subject, please continue to treatment for non-retentive encopresis.
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We have gotten the peeing in the potty down pat. It's just going poop in the potty. I have had many parents tell me that he should have already been potty trained by the age 2-3 yrs old.
I feel like I am seriously behind with him. But then, I have some parents tell me not to rush him. Now I have schools tell me that he can not be enrolled into a pre-k program until he is potty trained.
He will hold his bowl movements now to where it will be 2 maybe 3 days until he will have accidents in his underwear.
I am trying everything I know and information that has been shared with me from other parents.
I am frustrated and wondering if there is something really wrong with my son. My mother tells me that I'm not trying hard enough with him and he should have been potty trained by now.
I hope someone has the same issues as mine and I hope someone can help me with this.
Please HELP!!!!
PTC Comments
First of all - you are not alone in this - there are many parents who struggle with this issue just as you do.
Did you read the article on Treatment for Encropresis.
We also have a whole section on Encropresis. Also browse our potty training problems and advice section.
My son started having what they call streaking in Dec 2008.
They put him on Miralax to help keep his stools soft, but yet he still holds them. He has been completely potty trained 3 times.
He is now back to wetting in his pull ups or pants and refusing bowel movements at all. He has to have enemas and it is really concerning me.
They are also checking him for autism(he has some other issues also). But he has been potty trained several times before, underwear only dry at night and everything.
Then this just gradually started to happen. He is 4 and a half years old.
Is there anyone else that has had these similar problems that could offer any advice?????