Encopresis and Childhood Disorders

Reader’s Question

I been tossing around the idea of having my 7 year old see a psych. He is still using the bathroom on himself and is diagnosed SLD. He was previously diagnosed PDD and now it is SLD. I am an ESE teacher and I teach children with varying exceptionalities, and I have seen a lot of disorders and a lot of things have ran through my mind such as BP and ODD and even ADHD. Today he took some stuff that was not his and I had to have the police come and speak with him. I guess my real question is: are toileting issues part of Asperger’s Syndrome?

Thanks,
Confused and frustated

Our Consulting Clinical Psychologist’s Reply

Encopresis (soiling) is typically considered separate from Asperger’s Disorder, ADHD, or ODD. However, in clinical practice we often find an interaction between the conditions. Children with Asperger’s are very perfectionistic and often develop odd behaviors associated with bowel and bladder elimination. If this is the case, you’ll notice a type of preoccupation with bowel movements — as though paying too much attention to the event. In ADHD, the opposite often happens. Children with short attention spans often don’t pay attention to body signals from the bowel and bladder and/or disregard these sensations due to their current physical activity. As a result, they can’t accurately estimate the time before an emergency toilet break is needed. If we think about it, most folks can estimate how long they can “hold it”, something children with ADHD can’t do well. Another issue that can create Encopresis is family turmoil. If the behavior surfaced when famliy turmoil is present, that may be the cause.

As you mention, your best bet is to see a mental health professional. Encopresis at his age is unusual. It’s important to discover what might be causing the problem and that can best be accomplished by a professional consultation.

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