Once your child with encopresis is doing well, we work closely with you to slowly lower the dose of medication. The important thing to consider is that you are successfully managing your child’s encopresis. If your child is able to be accident free and have a happy, engaged childhood, the use of medication is a small price to pay.
Set backs during treatment are absolutely frustrating and disheartening to parents. But it goes with the territory. Withholding behavior is the default setting in your child’s brain and whenever he/she experiences stress, transition, anxiety, the problem rears its head. Last September we were flooded with calls from families whose children were relapsing as they were transitioning back to school. They key is that with appropriate support and management from experts in this field, you will address the problem in a few days and get your child back on track.
The important thing is not whether he needs more or less medication at this time, but that your child’s encopresis is being managed. Having stool accidents is much more damaging to your child’s self esteem, feelings of self worth and social acceptance than any amount of medication.
Encopresis is a chronic condition and it is important that you not judge your child’s progress by the dosage of laxatives. Be happy for you child that you can help manage this awful disorder.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel. For the most part, once children becomes an adolescents, they will take over their management and soiling accidents are much less common. They may or may not require medication, but they handle the matter independently and successfully.
