Constipation and soiling--outcome of treatment at one year

• Published in: Scottish medical journal Vol. 49; no. 3; p. 98
• Main Authors: McDonald, L A B, Rennie, A C, Tappin, D M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Scotland 01.08.2004
• Subjects: Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; Constipation - diagnosis; Constipation - therapy; Encopresis - therapy; Fecal Incontinence - etiology; Fecal Incontinence - therapy; Female; Humans; Male; Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; Referral and Consultation; Retrospective Studies; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0036-9330
• DOI: 10.1177/003693300404900309

To assess the outcome at one year of a cohort of patients referred to outpatient clinics with soiling. Retrospective case note audit of 34 children referred to hospital outpatients over a four month period with soiling stated as the main problem in the referral letter. After one year, 29% of the 34 children studied were discharged to patient satisfaction, 38% defaulted from follow up, 24% were still attending outpatient clinics and 9% had been referred back to source. Coexisting pathologies, in particular enuresis and family stress, were found in several of the children. At the time of referral, 44% of new patients and 89% of re-referrals bad symptoms present for longer than 12 months. Only 18% of the children were receiving treatment at the time referral was made. Constipation is often undiagnosed until the problem is well established with soiling present, which makes treatment a long and often difficult process. It is necessary to consider the wider social and family issues when managing a child with constipation and soiling. Hospital based general medical and surgical outpatient clinics may not be the ideal setting in which to deal with these problems.