BLADDER CONTROL PROBLEMS - Wet No More
In midafternoon comes the call from your daughter's school: She says she doesn't feel well and you must come get her. Worried, you rush to the school. Only when you get your ashen-faced daughter in the car does she admit that she's not ill at all--she just wet her pants.
It's a humiliating experience for a child who's past the toilet-training years. But accidents do happen. Sometimes a child will wet her pants during a fit of shrieking laughter; sometimes she's so engrossed in an activity that she puts off going to the bathroom until it's too late. Even constipation can lead to daytime wetting accidents.
It may not happen again, if your child and you can work out ways to prevent it. But before you attempt a home remedy, see your pediatrician or family physician to rule out physical causes or health problems, such as urinary tract infections and bladder abnormalities. Then try these approaches.
Treat constipation. Constipation can indirectly cause daytime wetting, says Joseph Hagan, M.D., clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Vermont College of Medicine in Burlington and a pediatrician in South Burlington.
A constipated child who has had a painful bowel movement wants to avoid the pain she associates with going to the bathroom, says Dr. Hagan, so she tries to ''hold it in.'' This is where the problem starts. ''Some kids who are plugged up with stool develop sphincter confusion. They think they're holding onto stool, but they're also holding onto urine,'' explains Dr. Hagan. When the child just can't hold the urine any longer, accidents occur.
If your child is constipated, encourage her to drink plenty of fluids and serve her fruits, vegetables and whole grains. If the problem persists, ask your pediatrician for advice.
Source : DSD Email
