Soiling can be very distressing for both the child and the parents because often there does not seem to be any good reason. The experts call soiling - encopresis . Roughly 1 in 17 three year olds, and 1 in 66 seven year olds soil themselves at least once per week. Boys are 3 to 4 times more likely to suffer from soiling than girls.
Wetting can occur as a result of a medical problem.
If it runs in the family. A lack of attention from parents. A poor relationship with the parents. Other mental health problems, particularly emotional ones. Some soiling can occur from birth onwards, this is called primary encopresis .