What Causes Fecal Incontinence In A Child?

Posted on Thu, 23 Feb 2017

Question: My 10yr old son has trouble controlling his bowels. He leaks out his anus

Answered by Dr. T Chandrakant (34 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Please give additional information

Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Thanks for your query about your 10 year old son, albeit short.
Trouble controlling his bowels - leaks out of anus - not visited a Doctor - Tried laxatives to clean him out....

Please give additional information:
Since when is he suffering from this?
Which laxative and the dosages used, since when?
Is it leakage of gas or watery/sticky discharge or feces?

I would advise you the following in such a situation:
First of all, stop laxatives.
Get the stool test.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. T Chandrakant (13 hours later)

He had been holding his feces so that he wouldn't have to stop playing and go to the bathroom. He started being constipated so I gave him magnesium citrate in a 5 oz. oral dose. It took a few days for the constipation to ease up. In the last few weeks he has started leaking feces before he can get to the bathroom. The nurse at my insurance provider said it might be paralyzed sphincter because he does not even realize that he has gone in his underwear.

Answered by Dr. T Chandrakant (15 hours later)

Brief Answer:
As detailed below.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your feedback, read it well.
I would advise him the following in such a situation:
Get an appointment of a Pediatric or a General Surgeon for clinical evaluation, actual per-rectal examination and proctoscopy followed by colonoscopy to find the cause of leakage.
This is a serious problem as it affects the psychology of the child hence get this done as early as possible.
Stop the laxatives and any other such measure.
Give him normal, usual food he was taking before this incidence.
Sphincter getting paralyzed is very very rare but then needs detailed clinical evaluation.
Please get this done and give me feedback .
Take care.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana