half dozen Facts Virtually Fecal Smearing That You Need To Know

"Lawmaking brown." "Diaper earthworks." "Paint the town brown."

Whatever you telephone call fecal smearing, the question is: How exercise we extinguish this behavior?

No one likes to talk about it, simply fecal smearing, also called scatolia in medical literature, is surprisingly mutual among children and adults. Information technology occurs most oft amid individuals with developmental delays or post-traumatic stress, which ways that the person may not exist able to verbalize the reason for the behavior.

one. Multiple Causes and Treatments

If you ask an occupational therapist, sensory integration strategies will be the recommended solution. A article of clothing manufacturer volition propose compression onesies and overalls to restrict access to feces. A psychologist will ask about a history of abuse leading to this beliefs. A behavioral specialist will study antecedents to the behavior, the function of the behavior equally well as the caregiver's reaction.  A physician will look for medical causes.

Sometimes 1 of these will be the correct solution. But frequently, there are multiple causes and multiple approaches are needed. There are no simple answers for fecal smearing.  Understanding the causes and treatments is the commencement step to customizing a plan to resolve the upshot.

two. Sensory Integration

Girl playing with play dough

Some families report that scatolia occurs during periods of understimulation, for example, while the individual is alone in a darkened bedchamber at night with a case of indisposition.  If the person is deprived of advisable sensory input, then frequent periods of supervised play with soft or gummy substances such equally clay, shaving cream or bread dough tin alleviate the demand for handling carrion.  Substances with a stiff odour, such as essential oils, scented lotions, spices or cheese may satisfy the craving for odors.

three. Restrictive Clothing

Restrictive wear is frequently recommended as a preventive measure.  The principal benefit is that information technology buys a few extra minutes for the caregiver to answer appropriately.  Some examples of restrictive vesture are:

  • Overalls worn backwards
  • Onesie pajamas worn with the zipper on the back
  • One-piece compression underwear

The problem with restrictive habiliment is that information technology makes independent toileting impossible, so information technology is really just a temporary measure out while handling is being pursued.

4. Psychological Reasons

Psychologists note that scatolia tends to occur in individuals with a history of obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, ADD, autism or post-traumatic stress, especially trauma related to concrete or sexual abuse.  Author Donna Williams, who has autism, points out that rectal digging and fecal smearing serve many real purposes that are often overlooked by caregivers and medical providers:

  1. Provides a sense of control over one'due south torso and environment when other areas of life are out of control
  2. Provides a sense of buying over one'southward actions
  3. Expresses feelings of anger, frustration, helplessness and powerlessness
  4. Prevents unwanted social interaction
  5. May be associated with other comforting emotional experiences
  6. May be office of a personal ritual that provides comfort
  7. May be part of an obsession that is spiraling out of control

In each of these cases, care and attention must be given to the individual's quality of life to make sure all needs are being met.  Inpatient psychiatric treatment may be needed for severe feet or OCD.

5. Behavioral Arroyo

Behavior is advice, and scatolia sends a strong message.  Social worker Jessica Wein recommends a functional behavioral analysis to sympathise the "ABCs" of the behavior:

"A- Antecedent; what occurs directly before and/or leading up to the behavior (fecal smearing)?

B- Behavior; the behavior itself

C- Result; what occurs later the behavior including reactions of caretakers?"

Parents report that a strong emotional reaction increases the frequency and messiness of scatolia.  Wein suggests that the caregivers react in an emotionally neutral manner with as few words as possible, then provide positive attention for desired behaviors.  Additionally, social stories and children'due south books such as "Everyone Poops" by Taro Gomi can reinforce appropriate toilet behavior.

half-dozen. Medical Causes

It's a good thought to consult with a physician to rule out possible medical causes for fecal smearing:

  • Protozoal infections tin can cause rectal digging beliefs.
  • Pica, the ingestion of not-foods, may be caused by nutritional deficiencies.
  • Encoporesis (the medical term for chronic constipation, impacted stool and soiling) causes abdominal discomfort that is relieved past rectal digging.
  • Hemorrhoids are caused by straining to evacuate the bowels, and are the source of itching and pain around the anus, which leads to anal exploration and rectal digging.
  • Rectal prolapse occurs when the rectum slips out of position, and can be caused past prolonged encoporesis or low muscle tone in the pelvic flooring.  Symptoms include fecal incontinence and a sensation of incomplete bowel evacuation, which lead to fecal smearing behaviors.

All of these medical weather condition are treatable.

While you're doing that extra load of laundry tonight, remember that you are not alone. Learning the facts about scatolia is the all-time manner to foreclose future incidents.