Mental health articles

Soiling clothes
Soiling means passing faeces or stools while dressed or in bed. This is abnormal if it happens beyond the age of four years. Some children know when to pass stools, but do it outside the toilet.
There are two main causes of soiling; some children may suffer both. The first is severe constipation. The other is not learning how to use the toilet appropriately. This is often a part of a general refusal of a child to cooperate with parents. Advise the parents to ensure that the child’s
food has sufficient fluids, fruit, vegetables and fibre. Give stool softeners or laxatives if the stool is
so hard that it causes pain on passing. Establish a regular routine for passing stools and praise the
child each time a stool is passed in the toilet.