Contienece Advice / Support
The following section contains advice and information for teenagers and young people living with bowel and bladder conditions.
The advice was created by young people with real life experience of living with and managing chronic bladder and bowel conditions.
We've based our information on the issues they said matter to them the most:
- how to get the right help and support
- deciding who to tell about a problem
- how to deal with it at home and at school
Please use the link below for reference and additional information.
ERIC is a national charity for children and young people with continence needs. Their website eric.org.uk contains information such as self help guides, case studies, resources, tips and fun activities, offering advice for children, young people and their families on how to work towards healthy bowels and bladders.
Visit the ERIC website at: www.eric.org.uk
Useful links and reference:
Teenagers and Young People - ERIC
Managing Medical Appointments - ERIC
Managing Feelings and Relationships - ERIC
Managing away from home
Spending nights away from home on sleepovers or school trips can be scary, especially if your friends don’t know about your bowel or bladder problem.
If you do want to spend a night away, don’t panic! There are lots of things you can do to manage your problem and keep it hidden.
Please use the link below for full content and source reference.
Managing away from Home - ERIC
Managing at school and college
Tips and real-life experiences from teenagers and young people about how they manage their conditions at school and college.
Should I tell my teachers?
What if my teacher won't let me go to the loo?
How do I get a toilet pass at school?
Tips from other teenagers
Transition from primary to secondary school
Please use the link below for full content and source reference.
Managing at School and College - ERIC
Many people, of all ages, find toilets unpleasant and sometimes worrying. It is particularly common in children and can impact on their bowel and bladder control and function.
It is important to recognise toilet anxiety or toilet phobia in children and the effect it can have on them, so that they can be supported to overcome their fear. This can avoid further problems developing and focuses on the underlying cause.
Please use the link below for reference and additional information.
Useful links and reference:
Toilet Anxiety - ERIC
Bladders often misbehave in childhood. Almost all are functional problems, meaning that everything is in the right place and ought to be able to work properly. Most can be sorted by really working on the 4 steps to a healthy bladder.
Step 1. The first thing to check out is the bowel!
Step 2. Look out for a urinary tract infection
Step 3. Get the drinking right!
Step 4. Relax to wee
Please use the link below for full content and source reference.
Bedwetting in childhood is very common, affecting 1 in 15 seven year olds and 1 in 75 teenagers. It runs in families, but it’s no-one’s fault.
You don’t need to wait for your child to grow out of it – treatment is available from 5 years old (as per NICE Guidelines).
First of all, we have to work out WHY your child is wet – there are lots of different reasons all with their own special treatment.
Please use the link below for full content and source reference.
Introduction for parents and carers here.....
Many people, of all ages, find toilets unpleasant and sometimes worrying. It is particularly common in children and can impact on their bowel and bladder control and function.
It is important to recognise toilet anxiety or toilet phobia in children and the effect it can have on them, so that they can be supported to overcome their fear. This can avoid further problems developing and focuses on the underlying cause.
Please use the link below for reference and additional information.
Useful links and reference:
Toilet Anxiety - ERIC
How does the bowel work?
- The food we eat gets mashed around in the stomach and turns into a soupy mixture.
- This moves into the small bowel, where all the nutrients (the good stuff) are taken out to be used by the body to keep us healthy.
- As it travels along the large bowel, water is absorbed and the poo turns into a smooth sausage shape ready to be passed.
- The poo in the large bowel moves along every time the gut muscles squeeze.
- When the poo reaches the rectum, the rectum stretches and that sends a message to the brain saying we need a poo.
Please use the link below for reference and additional information.
Useful links and reference:
Bladders often misbehave in childhood. Almost all are functional problems, meaning that everything is in the right place and ought to be able to work properly. Most can be sorted by really working on the 4 steps to a healthy bladder.
Step 1. The first thing to check out is the bowel!
Step 2. Look out for a urinary tract infection
Step 3. Get the drinking right!
Step 4. Relax to wee
Please use the link below for full content and source reference.
Bedwetting in childhood is very common, affecting 1 in 15 seven year olds and 1 in 75 teenagers. It runs in families, but it’s no-one’s fault.
You don’t need to wait for your child to grow out of it – treatment is available from 5 years old (as per NICE Guidelines).
First of all, we have to work out WHY your child is wet – there are lots of different reasons all with their own special treatment.
Please use the link below for full content and source reference.
The Starting Well Service is available to offer parent or carers support and advice in relation to continence. We promote healthy bladder and bowels management through assessment and advice, including toilet training and toilet anxiety. And if we identify your child needs further guidance from a specialist continence service, we will complete the referral with you. All advice and information we offer evidence-based information, and we signpost you as appropriate.
If you would like to talk someone further about a toileting / continence query please call our duty team:
- Chester / Rural: 01244 397412
- Ellesmere Port / Neston: 0151 488 8036
- Northwich / Winsford: 01606 555285
ERIC is a national charity for children and young people with continence needs. Their website eric.org.uk contains information such as self help guides, case studies, resources, tips and fun activities for the little ones. These help promote toilet training and advice for children and their families on how to work towards healthy bowels and bladders.
Visit the ERIC website at: www.eric.org.uk
Many people, of all ages, find toilets unpleasant and sometimes worrying. It is particularly common in children and can impact on their bowel and bladder control and function.
It is important to recognise toilet anxiety or toilet phobia in children and the effect it can have on them, so that they can be supported to overcome their fear. This can avoid further problems developing and focuses on the underlying cause.
Please use the link below for reference and additional information.
Useful links and reference:
Toilet Anxiety - ERIC
Learning how to use the potty independently and stopping wearing nappies is a big milestone for your child. There are lots of new and exciting skills for them to learn with your help.
To make this process easier for you both, follow our evidence-based 3 step Let's Go Potty approach.
It begins with preparation to use the potty, next is practising potty skills before eventually stopping using nappies as your child gains confidence.
Keep reading for answers to commonly asked questions about how to potty train including:
- The best age for potty training and when to start
- Tips for supporting children with additional needs
- The equipment you will need
- Removing night time nappies
- Common potty training problems and challenges
Please use the link below for reference and additional information.
Useful links and reference:
Potty Training - ERIC
Bladders often misbehave in childhood. Almost all are functional problems, meaning that everything is in the right place and ought to be able to work properly. Most can be sorted by really working on the 4 steps to a healthy bladder.
Step 1. The first thing to check out is the bowel!
Step 2. Look out for a urinary tract infection
Step 3. Get the drinking right!
Step 4. Relax to wee
Please use the link below for full content and source reference.
Bedwetting in childhood is very common, affecting 1 in 15 seven year olds and 1 in 75 teenagers. It runs in families, but it’s no-one’s fault.
You don’t need to wait for your child to grow out of it – treatment is available from 5 years old (as per NICE Guidelines).
First of all, we have to work out WHY your child is wet – there are lots of different reasons all with their own special treatment.
Please use the link below for full content and source reference.
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership Trusts Children’s Continence Service is a specialist nurse led service providing evidence based continence assessments to children and young people from age 0 to 19 years, identifying the most appropriate care plan for the child and family to treat their continence issues and improve quality of life.
We provide care and support to children and young people with bladder and bowel issues and their families. Offering treatment, advice and support for daytime wetting, night time wetting, constipation, soiling, toilet training- including toilet avoidance and complex needs.
Referral to the Service
We accept referrals from health professionals.
Who we work with
We work closely with the following agencies
Starting Well 0-19 Service (Health Visitors, School Nurses, Nursery Nurses)
Education Services: (Schools, Nurseries, Colleges)
Other medical professionals: (Doctors, Physiotherapists, Dieticians, Occupational Therapists and Speech and Language Therapists)
Social Care Services
Adult services to ease transition from the Children's service
Other agencies and charities
Contacting CWP Continence Service
Tel: 0151 488 8231
Address: Hope Farm Clinic, Hope Farm Road, Great Sutton, Ellesmere Port, CH66 2RQ
email: cwp.paediatriccontinence.@nhs.net
Continence issues are very common in children and young people, fortunately the majority of issues can be treated and resolved following our care plans. If a child has a physical issue we are unable to treat and resolve and therefore requires containment products, they can be provided following a continence assessment.