Conquering a “Code Brown”
Behavioural Management for Faecal Smearing in Children
Wednesday 19th June 2024
12:30pm – 4:00pm (Aust EST)
Brisbane/Sydney/Canberra/Melbourne/Hobart – 12:30pm – 4:00pm (Aust EST) Adelaide/Darwin – 12 noon–3:30pm (Aust CST) – Perth – 10:30am – 2:00pm (Aust WST)
Faecal smearing (“Code Brown”), also called scatolia in medical literature, is common in children with significant developmental delays (eg Autism, ADHD, intellectual disability), trauma (eg abuse, PTSD) or mental health concerns (eg anxiety, OCD). It also occurs in normally developing (“neurotypical”) children. For parents who have children who engage in scatolia, it is stressful, exhausting, socially isolating and downright gross.
The reason for a child or young person smearing their faeces can be either medically related, sensory related, behavioural or a combination of these. Often there are multiple causes and multiple approaches are needed to discourage the behaviour. Understanding the causes and treatments is the first step to customising a plan to resolve the issue. With successful management requiring realistic family support, advocacy and interaction with all carers involved.
Workshop Objectives – this module will provide participants with:
- An understanding of the medical, sensory and behavioural presentations/reasons for smearing
- approaches and intervention strategies that can be used to discourage the behaviour
- ways to supporting families, while customising a plan to resolve the issues.
Although this workshop is a stand-alone module, participants would benefit from having attended a Learning to Conquer the Wees & Poos (Basics and Beyond) workshop prior to registering for this workshop.
Workshop Delivery – Participants will be expected to complete the workshop requirements via an integrated system of pre-reading material, online content and participation in scheduled group presentation/tutorial session. Participants will be emailed the link (including password) to their scheduled sessions.
Participants will need to have access to internet facilities including Zoom and webcam to ensure that they are able to download and view workshop content, as well as actively participate in the on line group tutorials and agree to the online T&C. To fully participate in the interactive components of the group session, participants are encouraged to log on using a tablet, laptop or desk top computer. While utilising a mobile phone to access the session is possible, the functionality of the device may limit participants ability to fully engage in the interactive components of the session.
Workshop Recording – Please note to safeguard the copyright of material presented, maintain the confidentiality of case discussions and the privacy of participants, this workshop WILL NOT be recorded.
About the Presenter – Rebecca Khan is an occupational therapist, mother and continence advocate who runs a private allied health clinic in Brisbane, Australia. She has first hand experience with have a tricky body, having lived with Ulcerative Colitis and associated surgical interventions for 20 years. As a volunteer she has facilitated a support group for Crohn’s and Colitis Australia for 10 years.
Rebecca has presented on the topic of paediatric continence for various organisations including Continence Foundation of Australia, Qld Health and Zi Mei Events. She currently sits on the Scientific Committee for the National Conference on Incontinence (CFA).
In 2011, Rebecca authored the clinical resource Conquering Wees & Poos: a learning package for continence clinicians (©Queensland Health 2012) through the Qld Children’s. Rebecca graduated from the University of Qld in 2001 and has been assessing, treating and researching best practice for paediatric incontinence since 2002.