To think nappies should be given out on the NHS for bedwetting

[Nymeria01]

DS1 is 14 and still wets his bed. We have had a great deal of support from the NHS (alarms, clinic and medication) all of which I am great full for. However the fact is that none of them work and he still has to wear drynites otherwise his sleeping is messed up. I have talked about this on MN before and have had some great responses informing me that you can get nappies on prescription at his age. I raised this with the GP and he said its not possible.

Where does it end though? That's the point. People are going to be in for a real shock when the NHS eventually crumbles.

Just to say haven't read all the posts but YANBU.

For comparison sakes nappies u buy in shops are approx. 11 - 17 pence a nappy. Continence nappies for my DD at 5 years old are 40 - 65 pence each. Throw in the fact that she might poo up to 5 x a day and that's a lot of money per day. With NHS provided nappies we have to supplement the cost by up to 40 pounds a month and that's just nappies, not wipes, pads for bed etc.

Far more than if we could just buy them in the shop. Its not a choice for most and its not easy to get nappies on the NHS with all the loops u jump through.

OP it must be such a financial drain.

My nan gets pads and flat pads for her bed free on the Nhs. Surely you should be able to get some help?

Is DLA meant to cover extra costs like nappies?
If the OPs child has no other issues then I think she just has to pay.
When you read of parents with doubly incontinent children having only four nappies a day supplied then seven Drynites a week doesn't sound like a lot to buy.
Unfortunately the NHS doesn't have the capacity to provide endless amounts of equipment. Plenty of people are denied drugs which would help them, because of where they live, for life limiting conditions such as MS. A line has to be drawn somewhere.

Hazeyjane if your still reading this how old is your son and who did you go through to be referred ds2 is four he is autistic with learning difficulties and has just started at a special needs school he is still in pullups.

The NHS is not just there for cancer! Why do people think it is?

It is also there to improve life and a vast array of medical conditions.

We could throw every single penny the NHS had at cancer drugs and it still would not cure cancer/extend everyone's lives. That's why the money (what's left of it) is spread across a number of conditions etc, to try and make things better for everyone, generally.

I don't know the budgets and don't know if night-time only incontinence pads should be given on prescription, but I think it's perfectly reasonable to query it.

The NHS should only be for medical problems IMO.

Sorry, I think I mentioned cancer but it was just an example. Of course the nhs is there to fund a vast range of illnesses, however I think the funding should be prioritised, with the life threatening at the top, and the mildly inconvenient at the bottom. And everything else (including bed wetting and incontinence) in the middle.

Or in between that should read, rather than in the middle.

I think that some cancer drugs do little to improve quality of life. For some cancer victims euthanasia would be a better option than prolonging life with very expensive drug going. What is the point of spending 200K for additional six weeks of poor quality life? What is most important length of life or quality of life?

I am lucky in that both of my children night trained with ease at the age of 2 and 3. My niece was six and half years old and it was utterly wretched for both her and her mother being told by my MIL that her two year old cousin was 100% out of nappies. I think that a teenager would has no other special needs might feel suicidal about incontinence problems.

I find it sad that certain conditions get more respect. Incontinence is not anyone's fault. No one would suggest that I was lazy for breaking my thumb.

x2boys - hello , my ds is 4 as well, he was referred to continence services when he turned 4 (which is the age they do it here), he has a genetic condition, and has low muscle tone as a result, meaning that he has low motility and is unable to control pushing out a poo, or holding in a wee, so even if we can get him to sit on a toilet or potty (which we and the school are trying to do - despite also being developmentally delayed and nonverbal), he will need some form of continence pad or nappy long term, because he physically doesn't have the control.

OP Have you looked up the Continence Policy on your local NHS Community Trust website? It should tell you in there what the criteria is for getting products on the NHS.(The criteria seems to differ in every area). I fear it may be the fact that your DS only needs one product a day which is preventing you from having them provided free of charge.

There are many washable products available now for people who only have urinary incontinence. That would be a way of saving yourself some money. I know that the NHS is promoting the use of these products to those who do get free supplies in order to save money, as disposables are expensive.

It must be very restricting and embarrasing for your DS - I hope you find a solution to the problem soon.