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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask if you know of any amazing adults needing nappies?

47 replies

Greenyogagirl · 12/08/2018 14:11

My son is in nappies, he has bowel problems, sensory processing disorder, autism etc due to various things he is now very aware that most 8 year olds don’t wear nappies, he’s really anxious about it.
So who are some amazing people who have done amazing things and had to wear nappies?
I assume Stephen Hawking?

OP posts:
665TheNeighbourOfTheBeast · 12/08/2018 14:17

Astronauts

CaveyLass · 12/08/2018 14:19

I believe Emperor Tiberius had to wear one. I don’t know whether you’d describe him as ‘amazing’ though.

donkir · 12/08/2018 14:21

Christopher Reeve, the original superman.

idonthaveatattoo · 12/08/2018 14:21

Erm, try calling them incontinence pads?

Knittedfairies · 12/08/2018 14:22

I think it might help if you didn’t use the term ‘nappies’. We called them throwaway pants.

crocsaretoocoolforschool · 12/08/2018 14:23

From KS2 you would generally refer to them as 'pads' rather than nappies -much more respectful of the young people's needs and age

mavydoes · 12/08/2018 14:26

Incontinence aids is probably a better term.

People who use them and are successful.

Astronauts

Deep sea divers once in DVT chambers to decompress

Woman after childbirth

Stephen hawking

Christopher reeves

Any adult/child with medical issues who need them.

Original poster
Greenyogagirl · 12/08/2018 14:28

Thank you. I’ll try and change the terminology, to be honest when I do my grocery shop and search ‘nappies’ and they come and written on them is ‘nappies’ it didn’t even occur to me to call them anything else!

OP posts:
Missingstreetlife · 12/08/2018 14:42

Can you get incontinence pads, others will know but there may be help for this as it's extra expense?

665TheNeighbourOfTheBeast · 12/08/2018 14:42

NASA call them maximum absorbancy garments (MAGS)

Original poster
Greenyogagirl · 12/08/2018 14:48

missingstreetlife I’ll have a look online, I can’t get help with nhs incontinajce pads as it’s ‘only’ sensory processing disorder, he can’t feel when he needs to go, cant feel when he’s been etc and the bowel problems are, hopefully, not long term. I currently spend hundreds a month on nappies/incontinence stuff so honestly at this point anything that makes him more comfortable is an expense I’m willing to make.

OP posts:
Missingstreetlife · 12/08/2018 14:48

Googled it. Loads of them. Stephen king, author. Samuel Jackson, actor....

GurlwiththeCurl · 12/08/2018 14:48

My adult son has autism and only became dry at night in his early twenties. He also wears a small incontinence pad every day as he worries about wetness.

He also holds down a job, has lots of friends and does trips on his own to London, Glasgow, Bristol and other major cities around the UK. We still have to give him a lot of emotional and some physical support, but we are amazed to see how he has developed.

Perhaps his story might help your son a bit. Best wishes to you both.

onalongsabbatical · 12/08/2018 15:06

cholka what magnificent timing!

Moominfan · 12/08/2018 15:06

I refer to them as pads to my service users

ohtheholidays · 12/08/2018 15:09

Not someone famous but our DD10 had to wear them,she stopped having to wear them this year and she's pretty amazing even if I do say so myself.

She's disabled(she has physical disabilities as well as being autistic)but despite that and the fact that she couldn't walk till she was nearly 3(everyone thought that she may never be able to walk) she's a juvenile black belt in judo,she won her first ever judo competition,she does street dance and has won at two dance competitions and she's turned out to be a pretty amazing golfer as well.

She's at a mainstream school(she's had alot of help)and despite it being mainstream and lots of her friends knowing she struggled with the toilet she's still a very popular little girl and is loved by lots of her friends,they're parents and the teachers.

Original poster
Greenyogagirl · 12/08/2018 15:10

gurlwiththecurl thank you, that’s really positive!
Will definitely stop calling them nappies, I think pass might be easier, he is verbal to a certain extent but I don’t want to confuse him!
Thank you for the links!

OP posts:
Original poster
Greenyogagirl · 12/08/2018 15:11

Pads. Saying ‘let’s change your pass’ would confuse everyone!

OP posts:
Original poster
Greenyogagirl · 12/08/2018 15:13

That’s wonderful ohtheholidays I was told my son would never talk and would need walking aids, he’s overcome a lot. Unfortunately he can’t attend mainstream and is currently home educated but maybe in the future he will Smile

OP posts:
PanannyPanoo · 12/08/2018 15:20

How about take on the angle that Many many people wear Incontinence aids - colostomy, self catherterise as well as wearing pads and nappies. Every time you walk down the street the likely hood is someone you pass will be wearing them. But, just as you don't know what colour pants people wear people don't generally talk about the things they need to for toileting.

I have a friend who has similar issues to your son. She wore pads until she was 15. She now has a full time job, drives a car and has her own flat. Are you buying night time type pull ups for him to wear in the day? There are less expensive options.

Original poster
Greenyogagirl · 12/08/2018 15:22

Yes pananny, a mix of pyjama pants and the biggest nappies I can get.
I like that idea, plus he thinks the word ‘pants’ is hilarious so that might help him a lot, thank you

OP posts:
FeistyOldBat · 12/08/2018 15:33

Variations on a theme.

Have you looked into claiming benefits for your DC, OP?

Incidentally, the main supplier of incontinence supplies to the NHS, is Tena. They're made in The Netherlands so the security of future supplies is at present, uncertain.

smurfy2015 · 12/08/2018 16:12

I wore pads for a year when I was 9 while I was waiting for a bowel operation (i was mostly constipated due to it) but the pressure it was putting on my bladder left me wetting myself. I was introduced to it as a big peoples problem but mine was fixable and it was. I was ok after my op. (that was approx 1984/85) so the only options were nappies or adult incontinence pads.

Fast forward to when I was 37, 2 neurological conditions hit crossing over each other affecting every system of my body and stopping brain signals from doing what they should.

This is me now, he can’t feel when he needs to go, can't feel when he’s been etc - OK that are not helping because of sensory processing disorder. Im not educated on that at all so bear with my ignorance, I am writing a seperate post to follow this.

I was back to continence service and prescribed them and saw a urologist who referred me for a procedure under GA. the short version is after 4 years on the waiting list it wasn't in sight and things getting much worse, so was seen by a different urologist.

I am also under the bowel team as I have random bouts of faecal incontinence and am waiting on investigations from them.

I've been on meds to help over the last 6 years and finally, it is helping and only the week before last I was shown how to self-cath and given time to practice before next appointment. I'm 43 this week.

Pants IS hilarious, I would have been mortified at 9 if someone said nappies.

I was advised that they were pads but only certain people got them and not to say at school to the other children as they would be jealous and I wouldn't want to cause someone to feel that way. (that was a way to keep blabbermouth 9-year old from telling everyone)

Parents are the absolute geniuses of this world.

OP definitely consider linking in with continence service although hopefully this a short-term thing but it will keep an overall picture of his health and what can be offered that may help. It will also save you loads on pads as while my local area will give 4 changes a day for an adult depending on how many an average day goes thru it will possibly take 4 less a day so cheaper for you