Encopresis Support Groups

Please go to the following link to sign up for an Encopresis Support Group http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/encopresis_kids/

This group was formed to support parents with children who suffer from encopresis.


Here are some other resources

http://au.messages.yahoo.com/lifestyle/teenagers/481?p=1

The Yahoo Group on "miralax" alternatives if your child is on laxatives.

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/miralax/

And here is a program that has worked for many people who were at the end of their rope, so to speak. Soiling Solutions: http://www.soilingsolutions.com/

If you are dealing with this issue, know that you are not alone. God bless.

Does Your Child Hold His/Her Poop?

*warning: this post is going to mention poop. a lot.*

I would like to start a Yahoo Group to talk with other parents who have children who withhold their poop, also known as stool withholding or functional fecal retention. E-mail me at mommy605(at)hotmail(dot)com if you want to be contacted about the group.

What is Stool Withholding?
Is your child chronically constipated? Does your child go for days without pooping and you're not sure why? Have you had to administer enemas, use laxatives, etc due to constipation? Does your child soil or go a little bit many times a day in his underwear? Does your child hide, cross legs, stand stiff-legged when he gets the urge to go? If so, he may be dealing with functional fecal retention or stool withholding.

About Me
A quick background - my son is 3 1/2 and he has been holding his poop for about a year, which means that he is physically holding it in when he feels the need to go. This can be called stool withholding or functional fecal retention. This behavior leads to constipation, laxatives, moodiness, lethargy, soiling, etc. Children who withhold often hide in the corner, cross their legs, and squeeze their buttocks together (sorry if TMI!). It can go on for years and eventually children can have difficulty with social relationships because of it.

This kind of thing is HARD on a family and HARD on a child. We have been trying to overcome it for months. We had success recently for about three weeks when he began pooping on the potty on his own and then four days ago he reverted back to withholding for no apparent reason.

This is not a potty training problem. This is a behavioral/psychological condition. Doctors usually don't really get it. Some psychologists do. But mostly, I find talking to other parents going through similar issues is the most helpful.


Connecting to Other Parents Struggling with This
If your child has similar problems and you would like to connect with other parents trying to resolve this issue with their child, please e-mail me or leave a comment with your e-mail address so I can keep you in the loop when I start the Yahoo Group. My email address is mommy605(at)hotmail(dot)com.

Edited to Add: The Yahoo Group is now set up! Go here to join: Encopresis Kids Yahoo Group This is a support group for parents with children with encopresis.