The encopresis is the voluntary or involuntary loss of dregs that produces spots in the underwear, in four or five-year-old major children.

The encopresis can be caused by organic illnesses or only by psychological problems.
The existence of a constipation with hard fecal material affected the colon can produce that semiliquid material spills for the year like reflex to the stimulus of the occupation or dilation of the colon. In this case it is not a conscious problem and for it it can appear day or night.

In other occasions the absence of education to have a rhythm of elimination of the dregs can be the cause of untimely losses, since a suitable conditional reflex has not been generated of defecating quite in concrete moments and anything in other moments.

In cases of psychological problems there exists the encopresis as a challenging symptom towards the environment to attract attention.
In all the cases it usually produces in the children a problem shame before the others, with feelings of guilt and loss of the self-esteem, therefore the problem tends to hide.

If a constipation exists a diet is recommended with a high place contained in fibre, fruits, vegetables, integral cereals and abundant quantities of water and liquids, which favor the step of softer dregs diminishing the possible inconveniences caused by the depositions.
When an encopresis exists without presence of constipation, it is frequent that it is a question of a psychological problem and for it the psychiatric or psychological evaluation will be necessary in every case.