6 yr old soiling himself, any suggestion?

Hello.

Encopresis is known to have psychological issues associated with it. He may grow out of it eventually, but the process can be helped with a proper evaluation of his psychological needs. Punishment or negative re-enforcements may not necessarily help him in this case. They are usually helpful with behavioral problems. But with encopresis, the problems are much deep seated.

There is an issue of strict parenting that needs to be considered. There have been reports of effective use of SSRI (selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) group of medicines being used for encopresis. You may talk with his doctor about this option. He may also need long term psychotherapy. Hope this helps.

Abhijeet Deshmukh, MD


(This post is for the purpose of providing medical information and is not a substitute for a face-to-face consultation with a doctor. This post is not intended to give or rule out a diagnosis, create a doctor-patient relationship or replace an existing one. I am not able to diagnose medical conditions online. Please consult with your doctor or a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment options)