title: What is the role of stimulant laxatives in the management of childhood constipation and soiling?.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Constipation is extremely common in childhood and may lead to overflow soiling/encopresis. Standard treatment of the more severe case is to empty the bowels of impacted faeces by the use of oral or rectal laxatives and then maintain regular bowel movements by the continuation of osmotic and stimulant laxatives.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the review was to determine the effect of stimulant laxative treatment in children with chronic constipation who may also suffer from soiling / encopresis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Cochrane database of randomised controlled trials was searched. Additional citations were sought by hand searching of paediatric journals and from contact with known professionals in the field.
  
  
  METHODS
  All identified randomised controlled trials (RCTs) which compare the administering of stimulant laxatives to children with either placebo or alternative treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  No trials were found that met the selection criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No trials were found that adequately met the selection criteria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The need exists to establish a secure footing for treatment decisions and adequately sized trials are required to provide comparative data on commonly used drugs.
authors.affiliation: Sheffield Children's Hospital, Western Bank, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK, S10 2 TH. k.j.price@sheffch-tr.trent.nhs.uk
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Elliott
mesh_terms: D002400:Cathartics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D003248:Constipation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004688:Encopresis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D002400:Cathartics