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Defecation Disorders in Children: Constipation and Functional Fecal Incontinence

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Textbook of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition

Abstract

Defecation disorders denote a state of altered defecation dynamics leading to an array of clinical presentations. With the currently available epidemiological studies, it is evident that these disorders have become a set of rapidly spreading global health problems. Due to the broadening of the understanding of escalating health-care costs and poor quality of life, these diseases demand attention of clinicians and researchers, more than at any other time in history. However, it is regrettable that only a little guidance is available for health-care professionals to manage these disorders. Most of the therapeutic trials and investigation plans are archaic from the viewpoint of a twenty-first-century clinician and are not evidence based. However, new research ventures are being carried out, and the horizon of the knowledge base is expanding, perhaps indicating a brighter future. In this chapter, we discuss emerging concepts of definitions, epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical evaluation, and management of defecation disorders in children and adolescents.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Paediatric Unit, Teaching Hospital, Ragama, Sri Lanka

    Shaman Rajindrajith

  2. Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Talagolla Road, 11010, Ragama, Sri Lanka

    Shaman Rajindrajith

  3. Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Thalagolla Road, 11010, Ragama, Sri Lanka

    Niranga Manjuri Devanarayana

  4. Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Emma Children’s Hospital, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Marc A. Benninga

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  1. Shaman Rajindrajith
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  2. Niranga Manjuri Devanarayana
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  3. Marc A. Benninga
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Correspondence to Shaman Rajindrajith .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Stefano Guandalini

  2. Clinical Director Child Health King’s College Hospital, Professor and Director Pediatric Liver, GI and Nutrition Center, London, United Kingdom

    Anil Dhawan

  3. Department of Pediatrics, Hebrew University Hadassah Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel

    David Branski

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Rajindrajith, S., Devanarayana, N., Benninga, M. (2016). Defecation Disorders in Children: Constipation and Functional Fecal Incontinence. In: Guandalini, S., Dhawan, A., Branski, D. (eds) Textbook of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-17169-2_21

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