Differential diagnosis
| Newborn (1st month) | Infant (1–12 months) | Toddler (1–2.5 years) | Pre-school (2.5–4 years) | 1st school (5–7 years) | Junior school (8–12 years) | Teenager (13–18 years) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anorectal anomaly | Dietary fluid balance | Diet and perianal discomfort | Learned avoidance | Intermittent full megarectum | Permanently full megarectum | |
| Denial | ?? Acceptance of responsibility | |||||
| Anterior ectopic anus | Inadequate intake | Food fads | Faecal retention | Faecal retention | Faecal retention | Faecal retention |
| Anal stenosis | Poor feeding | Poor feeding | Poor compliance | Poor compliance | Poor compliance | Poor compliance |
| Hirschsprung | Food intolerance | Food intolerance | Behaviour problems | Behaviour problems | Behaviour problems | Behaviour problems |
| Anal fissure | Anal fissure | Neuropathic if urinary incontinence | School problem | School problem | School problem | |
| Perianal streptococcus infection | Bullying | Bullying | ||||
| Rectal prolapse | ||||||