Constipation and soiling--outcome of treatment at one year.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the outcome at one year of a cohort of patients referred to outpatient clinics with soiling.


METHODS
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.


RESULTS
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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
McDonald
L A B
LA
Department of Community Child Health, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Yorkhill NHS Trust, Glasgow.
Rennie
A C
AC
Tappin
D M
DM
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003248:Constipation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D004688:Encopresis / Q000628:therapy*; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome