Chronic Constipation Program

The Chronic Constipation Program uses medical, behavioral and physical therapies to design a care plan tailored for each child or teen. Toilet-trained children and caregivers work together with providers to come up with a plan that families use at home between visits. The goals of medical therapy may include improving stool consistency and frequency, easing the passage of stool, and decreasing involuntary leakage (encopresis). Behavioral therapy helps families build healthy daily habits to follow the treatment plan. Pelvic health physical therapy helps to retrain pelvic floor muscles, improve coordination, and teach proper toileting practice.
Conditions we treat
At the Chronic Constipation Program, we treat constipation and related problems that affect children, including those listed below.

Meet your team
The Chronic Constipation Program is led by experts in motility disorders and includes a nurse practitioner and multiple psychologists.

Our locations
While our clinicians practice across multiple sites, the Chronic Constipation Program operates out of five locations.

Chronic Constipation Program resources
Managing constipation can be challenging for children and families. These resources from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia can help you better understand constipation, develop healthy toileting habits and support your child throughout treatment.
Eligibility requirements
- Over 5 years of age
- Chronic constipation for >2 years
- Followed by a GI provider for >3 visits (can be at CHOP or elsewhere); has been seen for an office visit within the past 6 months
- Failure of medical management including treatment non-adherence
- Primary focus on combined medical and behavioral interventionmedical, behavioral and physical therapy
- Must be able to come to the clinic in person every 2-4 weeks
- Must be fully toilet trained (e.g. has used the toilet for bowel movements for period of at least 6 months, current or previously)
- No telehealth option
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