A Child Psychiatry Perspective on Encopresis.

Fecal incontinence, known as encopresis, is the repetitive, intentional or unintentional passage of stool in inappropriate places in children who are developmentally four years old or older. Incontinence can have a chronic course and is associated with emotional distress and a substantial negative impact on quality of life. We review how a medical and behavioral health multidisciplinary approach provides the optimal clinical care for this condition, and we discuss how the unique skill set of the child psychiatrist may address the complex family dynamics and psychiatric comorbidities which may be preventing remission from this condition.

Treatment of Functional Abdominal Pain With Antidepressants: Benefits, Adverse Effects, and the Gastroenterologist's Role.

Objectives: Pediatric functional abdominal pain is often treated with tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The aim is investigating antidepressant use for treatment efficacy, correlation of response to psychiatric factors, and impact of adverse effects in regard to physicians' prescribing patterns.

Methods: Retrospective review (2005-2013) children (5-21 years old) with functional abdominal pain treated with SSRI or TCA.