Bladder > Bladder Problems > Childhood Bladder

Childhood Bladder

B&BF provides support for adults over 18 years of age, however we recognise that some of our visitors may be searching for information relating to childhood continence issues. In this section you will find some basic information on children's problems and we recommend you contact ERIC (the UK's children's continence charity) for more help and support.

Also you are advised to seek an appointment with a healthcare professional, who will take a full history of the problem, may examine your child and, where necessary, carry out some routine tests and investigations which may be required.

Daytime wetting

Day time wetting affects about 1 in 75 children over the age of 5 and is more common in girls. Daytime wetting can be embarrassing for the child and can be difficult to deal with, especially at school. It can, in some cases, lead to the onset of bullying and teasing.

What are the causes of this problem?

For younger children, aged 4 - 5 years:

A change in routine, a new baby in the family, moving to a new home
Forgetting to use the toilet when engrossed in other activities
Common childhood illnesses

For all children

• Being constipated - this puts pressure on the bladder
• Some drinks; e.g. fizzy drinks, especially those containing caffeine
• An infection within the urinary system - urinary tract infection
• Needing to go to the toilet more often - frequency
• An overactive bladder - the need to go to the toilet straight away without warning
• Not completely emptying the bladder when going to the toilet - often caused by not having their feet on the floor when sitting on the toilet
• Result of anxiety or an emotional upset

What can parents do?

If daytime wetting is a problem for you and your child, try not to get too frustrated. Make an appointment to see your GP or health visitor. They may put you in touch with your local continence service and a continence nurse or specialist physiotherapist. They are healthcare professionals who specialise in bladder and bowel problems.

Before your appointment with a healthcare professional, it is a good idea to make a record of how often your child has been to the toilet, how many accidents that they have in a day and what they are drinking.

There are a number of other things that a parent can do to help daytime wetting including: setting up a toilet routine, encouraging the child to drink 6 - 8 water based drinks over the whole day, making sure the child follows a healthy diet and gets enough exercise.

Seeking help

Parents can seek help about daytime wetting from their GP, school nurse or health visitor.

Following an initial appointment with a healthcare professional, there are some routine tests and investigations which may be required:

Routine urine test to rule out a bladder infection
General health check to exclude any underlying problems
Measuring the child's bladder capacity by passing urine into a jug
An ultrasound scan of the urinary tract (bladder and kidneys) to check the bladder is emptying properly

Bedwetting

Bedwetting (nocturnal enuresis) is a common problem in childhood. It has been estimated that over half a million children between the ages of 5 and 16 in the UK regularly wet the bed.

What are the causes of this problem?

It is not easy to identify why some children develop a problem with bedwetting, but one of the following reasons may provide an explanation:

The body's system to slow down urine production at night is not working yet and the child therefore has to cope with daytime levels of urine production during the night

The bladder holds lower than average amounts of urine before giving a signal that it is full. The bladder may also be overactive which gives an urgent signal before it is actually full

The signal from bladder to brain to wake up at night and get to the toilet is not getting through
Anxieties may also be a factor, such as a new baby in the family or moving to a new home

What can parents do?

If bedwetting is a problem for you and your child, try not to get too frustrated. Make an appointment to see your GP or health visitor, as mentioned previously above.

For information and support about childhood continence issues, you can contact ERIC - Education and Resources for Improving Childhood Continence. ERIC is the national charity that provides information and support for children and young people under 18 years of age with continence issues, and their families.

ERIC helpline - 0845 370 8008 - Monday - Friday 10am - 4pm

Website - www.eric.org.uk Email: info@eric.org.uk