encopresis
Very LowTechnical, Medical, Psychological
Definition
Meaning
The involuntary or intentional passage of faeces in inappropriate places by an individual who is old enough to have bowel control, typically seen in children beyond the age of four.
A medical and psychological term referring to chronic faecal soiling without an underlying organic cause, often associated with emotional stress, constipation with overflow, or developmental disorders.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
This term is highly specialised and clinical. It implies a diagnosed condition, distinct from simple accidents or occasional incontinence. The focus is on the behavioural/psychogenic component.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is identically used in both varieties, though British texts may more frequently use the synonym 'faecal soiling' in less technical contexts.
Connotations
Strongly clinical/medical; carries a neutral but serious diagnostic connotation.
Frequency
Extremely rare in general discourse; appears almost exclusively in paediatric, psychiatric, and psychological literature.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Patient + suffers from + encopresisDiagnostician + diagnoses + Patient + with + encopresisTreatment + is for + encopresisVocabulary
Synonyms
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in paediatric medicine, child psychology, and psychiatry research papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Virtually never used in everyday conversation; parents/teachers might say 'soiling problems' or 'accidents'.
Technical
The primary context; a formal diagnosis in the DSM-5 and ICD-10.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The child was encopretic for several years before diagnosis.
adjective
British English
- The encopretic episodes were linked to severe anxiety.
American English
- The primary concern was the patient's encopretic behavior.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The doctor talked to the parents about their child's soiling problem.
- Encopresis, or chronic faecal soiling, can be distressing for both the child and the family.
- The paediatrician differentiated between retentive and nonretentive encopresis based on the child's history and physical examination.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a child 'ENtering a COP's REStroom' and having an accident there inappropriately - EN-CO-PRE-SIS.
Conceptual Metaphor
LOSS OF CONTROL as a leak (container metaphor).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'энкопрез' (enkoprez) which is a direct loanword with identical meaning. No trap exists; it's a straightforward technical borrowing.
- Avoid using more general terms like 'недержание' (incontinence) without specifying 'кала' (of faeces).
Common Mistakes
- Mispronouncing as 'en-co-PREE-sis' (stress on wrong syllable).
- Using it to refer to occasional infant/toddler accidents.
- Confusing it with 'enuresis' (urinary incontinence).
Practice
Quiz
Encopresis is primarily associated with which field?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Encopresis involves the passage of formed or semi-formed faeces in inappropriate places, often linked to constipation and overflow, whereas diarrhoea is the frequent passage of loose or watery stools, usually due to illness.
Typically, it is diagnosed in children aged 4 years and older, after the expected age for toilet training has passed, and occurring regularly for at least one month.
The most common cause is chronic constipation with overflow incontinence (retentive encopresis). Nonretentive encopresis is less common and may be related to psychological factors or failure to learn proper bowel habits.
The term is rarely applied to adults. In adults, similar symptoms would typically be classified under faecal incontinence, which usually has different (often organic) causes like nerve damage or muscle injury.