ABOUT
Occasional accidents are common for children younger than age four, especially as they master toileting training. Bedwetting can also often occur in school-age children. When a child experiences an absence of bladder or bowel control, beyond what is expected for their age or current stage of development, they may have an elimination disorder.
Children may experience one of two types of elimination disorders:
Enuresis: Repeated wetting the bed or urinating in clothing
Encopresis: Repeated bowel movements at inappropriate times and places
Children usually grow out of enuresis by adolescence, but it can be an embarrassing experience. Potential causes of bedwetting include genetics, difficulty detecting a full bladder overnight, and too much fluid before bedtime. Potential causes of daytime wetting include genetics, delayed toilet training, stress, and being too involved in play or other activities to stop and use the bathroom.
Children with encopresis often have an early history of chronic constipation (i.e., irregular bowel movements), fear and/or pain associated with bowel movements, and toileting avoidance.
Parents who notice toileting difficulties in their child should see their child’s pediatrician first to rule out any other medical causes and then ask for a referral to a behavioral therapist. There are recommended treatments such as using a urine alarm at night for enuresis or enhanced toilet training for encopresis.
WHAT A PARENT WOULD NOTICE IN THEIR KEIKI
Repeated urination in their bed or clothing either on purpose or not
Wetting only at night (nocturnal only), only during the day (diurnal only), or both (nocturnal and diurnal)
Distress or problems at home, school, or other social environments or areas of functioning
Repeated bowel movements in inappropriate places such as clothing or the floor either on purpose or not
Constipation
Trying to hide or clean up involuntary passed bowel movements
Urinary tract infections
FACTS
Enuresis is estimated to occur in 15% of 6-year-olds, and 1-2% of adolescents
Enuresis is more common in boys than girls
Children with enuresis may have emotional/behavioral problems due to ongoing embarrassment, social stressors, or punishment or shaming associated with accidents
Encopresis is estimated to occur in approximately 4% of 4-year-olds and 1.6% of 10-year-olds
Encopresis affects boys three to six times more often than girls
Children with encopresis might experience peer teasing and rejection, embarrassment, lower self-esteem, and anger/punishment from caregivers.
Information for this site has been obtained from the following resources:
