Bowel Management Program

Many children struggle with constipation, diarrhea, or poor bowel control after surgery. The Colorectal Program at Children’s Hospital offers an intensive week-long bowel management program. This treatment is specific to your child’s condition. The Colorectal Team works closely together to create a personalized bowel regimen to meet our patient’s needs. Our team works together with the patients and families to achieve the goal of accident-free days with daily bowel movement.

Pooping accidents (fecal incontinence) do not need to be a part of your child’s daily life. Children’s Hospital Los Angeles helps children get relief with our Bowel Management Program. Our experts help families establish a regular bowel-emptying routine to make pooping more manageable. The routine takes most of the guesswork out of when your child uses the toilet.

After completing this week-long program, accidents become a thing of the past for most children. Children wear regular underwear, gain confidence and live a better quality of life.

Bowel Management Regimens for Fecal Incontinence: Why Choose Us

In some children with colorectal malformations, a normal bowel movement is not possible. But this does not have to limit your child’s lifestyle and aspirations. We teach children and families how to manage bowel activity and avoid accidents.

Highlights of our program include:

• Personalized care: We develop a personalized bowel regimen that makes it easier to poop. It includes enemas, medications and dietary changes. There are many options. The Bowel Management Program helps us determine the best ones for your child.
• Evaluation: Bowel management starts with a detailed evaluation to determine why fecal incontinence is occurring. We consider every possible cause, including nerve and muscle activity in the intestines. Find out more about colorectal and pelvic anomaly evaluation and diagnosis.
• Comprehensive care: Bowel management is part of our head-to-toe approach to treating colorectal anomalies. Additional offerings include surgical and nonsurgical treatments, emotional support and pelvic floor therapy. Explore colorectal malformation treatments.

About Our Bowel Management Program

This Program is for children with fecal incontinence who are ready to stick to a daily bowel regimen. Participants are usually school-age children who can follow care instructions with help from parents.

Achieving good results takes practice and adjustments to tailor the regimen. Our week-long program accelerates these efforts with daily assistance from our expert team. We give families training and support to make pooping on the toilet part of your child’s daily life.

Participating in the program requires staying near Children’s Hospital for one week. Social workers can help your family find low-cost accommodations if necessary.

Bowel Management Program: What to Expect

Here’s what to expect when participating in our Bowel Management Program:

• Colon X-ray: The first step of bowel management is having a clean colon. We use X-rays to determine whether the colon is empty or contains feces.
• Enema therapy: If there is a buildup of poop in the colon, using an enema for a few days enables the body to eliminate it. An enema delivers a special solution to the intestines that helps the body pass stool.
• Patient and family education: Our nurse practitioner explains how anomalies affect bowel control. We also discuss the different parts of a bowel regimen and how they help your child.
• Bowel regimen: We develop a bowel routine reflecting your child’s unique needs. Our experts also provide tips that help your child achieve the best possible results.
• Clinic visits: Your child visits the clinic about every other day. We review your child’s bowel regimen progress and make necessary adjustments. This may include changing the dose or type of medications.
• Support: If you have questions between appointments, we’re here to help. A member of our team is available by phone or telehealth visit. We provide timely information that helps keep your child and family on track with the new regimen.

Comprehensive Colorectal and Pelvic Anomaly Care for Children

We offer access to multiple pediatric subspecialists in one convenient location in Los Angeles. Find out more about our Colorectal Center.

Contact Us

To schedule an appointment with a colorectal and pelvic anomaly specialist, call 323-361-5711.