Babies wear diapers. That is a given in our society. Neurogenic bowel is a miscommunication of the nerves. Children who are born with or develop neurogenic bowel due to neurological issues require a bowel program which leads to predictable and controllable bowel movements.
Babies are born with bowel and bladder control yet to be developed. It is not an expectation that babies, or very young children will be able to use the toilet. Therefore, it is not uncommon for babies and young children with neurogenic bowel to be diapered with stool overflow for excretion. However, this is not an effective process for evacuation. With neurogenic bowel, stool collects but the bowel does not effectively empty.
The bowel is elastic much like a balloon. The more it is overstretched, the less it will be able to return to an efficient mechanism to push stool through and out of the body. A bowel program is critical to maintain the health of the colon throughout life.
Bowel programs mimic the normal function of the bowel, filling the rectum followed by evacuation. Infants without neurological issues have an average of three bowel movements per day although with the stimulation of feeding, there can be more. By age 1 bowel movements average of two per day. Preschoolers average three bowel movements over two days. If your child does not fit numbers, do not be alarmed as there is a great variance among children based on diet, activity, culture, as well as other factors. Children with paralysis may have a slower functioning bowel.
Usually, a neurogenic bowel and neurogenic bladder are diagnosed together as both bowel and bladder are controlled by the nerves the exit the spinal column at lumbar 4-5 (L4,5). The diagnosis of neurogenic bowel requires a bowel program to completely empty the lower bowel as well as to avoid incontinence.