DEAR DR. GOTT:
My 10-year-old grandson had corrective surgery for Hirschsprung’s disease when he was an infant. He has been experiencing fecal leakage since then. He gets quite embarrassed but he can’t keep from having “accidents”. I was wondering if Kegel exercises would be of benefit to him. Any help you can offer would be appreciated.

DEAR READER:
Hirschsprung’s disease is a condition of the large intestine. It causes problems with passing stool because of missing nerve cells in the intestinal muscles. It is present from birth (congenital) and has no known cause.

Hirschsprung’s occurs in one out of every 5,000 births and ranges from mild to severe. In mild cases, babies often have minimal symptoms and may not be diagnosed until early childhood. Severe cases may lead to bowel obstruction, necessitating emergency surgery. [Read more...]