NEURODIVERSITY HUB
Bladder & Bowel/Continence Issues
Getting Started
Daytime bladder problems are common in children, especially in younger children after the potty training stage.
Issues can range from:
- Sometimes needing to rush to the toilet (urgency),
- Doing lots of little wees (frequency),
- The occasional small accident or complete bladder emptying.
The ERIC website explains why urinary incontinence in children can happen and how it should be treated.
https://eric.org.uk/childrens-bladders/
Urinary System- How your Urinary System Work
The bowels play an important role in maintaining your child’s general health from birth. Poo can tell us a lot about our body such as are we drinking enough and eating enough fibre.
Research shows many of us have no idea how to spot a common poo problem such as constipation. We find it uncomfortable to talk about and this can make it tricky to know if something is wrong and how to get help.
The ERIC website explains what a healthy bowel is and what normal poo should look like. There’s also information on what can go wrong in our bowels and how you can help your child’s bowels work better.
https://eric.org.uk/childrens-bowels/
Wee, poo and you- Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
There are several things you can do to keep your child’s bladders and bowels as healthy as possible. Neurodivergent Children often respond well to routines and don’t like change, so try to develop good habits from an early age:
For instance:
- Set up toileting routines using pictures for each stage.
- Use role modelling and social stories to help understanding and reduce fears with toileting.
- Encourage 6- 8 cups a day (water is best for bladder health)
- Encourage your child to eat 5 portions of different fruit and vegetables/day.
- Encourage a healthy breakfast with some fibre e.g., in cereal or toast (please note that unprocessed bran is unsuitable for children and can produce bloating and flatulence).
- Encourage exercise.
- Keep a check on your child’s bladder and bowels. If there are any concerns, discuss them with the GP (keeping a record of poos for 2 weeks would be helpful for the GP). Early diagnosis of a bladder or bowel problem, especially in children who are neurodivergent, may help avoid chronic complications.