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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

dd (6yrs) has wet pants all the time - I'm getting worried

21 replies

pregnabrain · 21/05/2011 21:50

Hello

Didn't know whether to post this here or in Children's Health. dd (age 6) has, for the last few months, been wetting herself every day. She doesn't seem to notice the wetness (or obvious smell). Her pants are pretty soaked by the end of the day, and she's wetting the bed too.

I'm not sure what to do about it. I've tried to talk to her about it - explaining that she needs to go to the loo whenever there is a break at school. I've spoken to her teacher, to make sure she's allowed to go to the loo during class time if she needs to. I've even explained that the smell is not nice and that it's not nice to be smelly (broke my heart to say it to her but am running out of ideas).

All I've managed to do is make her feel ashamed of it, I think. She now takes her pants off secretly and crunches them up into a ball to hide them in the laundry basket.

Should I worry? Will this pass? Not sure that any other kids at school notice it, yet, but am fearful that, if it doesn't stop, she'll end up getting bullied for it.

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

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ttalloo · 21/05/2011 21:54

Has your DD been able to take herself to the loo before this, OP? If she suddenly wetting herself, after being dry for a few years, then there's either a psychological/behavioural problem, or a medical one.

Have you spoken to your GP?

TurtlesAreRetroRight · 21/05/2011 21:57

I'd pop along to the GP tbh. This happened to my niece and while she's absolutely and utterly fine there was a medical reason for it and she needed treatment. It could also be behavioural/psychological.

Was she previously dry? Is she pooing okay? Has she told you whether or not she feels an urge at all? Is she using the toilet at all?

Original poster

pregnabrain · 21/05/2011 22:02

She was absolutely fine until a few months ago. Totally dry day and night. That's what makes it seem weird that she's having these problems now.

Her pooing is fine, she uses the toilet regularly. She says that she doesn't notice that she needs a wee until it's too late.

Am reluctant to take her to the GP in case it's a behavioural problem - don't want to increase her anxiety about it. I'm really torn between trying to ignore it completely and going down the medical route.

Turtles - what was your niece's problem?

OP posts:

thisisyesterday · 21/05/2011 22:07

def take her to the GP. could be something as simple as a UTI.

TurtlesAreRetroRight · 21/05/2011 22:07

Nothing's changed in her life? Is she feeling the urge to go but too late? Otherwise well?

My niece it turned out had an underdeveloped bladder and it had been alright when she was smaller but as she got older and her bladder wasn't developing it was too small to cope. She had a couple of issues. She would suddenly need to go NOW and couldn't hold it at all and she also wasn't drinking enough (as she was worried about accidents) and her bladder wasn't being used sufficiently so it just got worse. She was given tablets and has had to 'train' her bladder but she's absolutely fine now.

Jojay · 21/05/2011 22:09

My God daughter was like this and it turned out she had a water infection.

A course of antibiotics later, the accidents stopped and she was fine.

I'd see your GP

timetosmile · 21/05/2011 22:12

Get to the GP!
And take a sample of fresh wee in a clean jar (doesn't have to be a proper specimen one as long as the top is watertight!
Lots of little girls get water infections and just testing her wee will show it up - you won't be medicalising it, and a short course of antibiotics may fix the whole thing....incidentally, she must be really sore 'down there' now if she's constantly soggy?

Original poster

pregnabrain · 21/05/2011 22:14

Wouldn't she be in pain if it was a UTI? I used to get cystitis often when I was younger and it was agony.

She definitely seems to feel the urge to wee really late. She shouts "I need a wee NOW" and races off upstairs. Interesting to hear about your niece's problem, Turtles, and glad to hear she's fine now.

dd does seem to be struggling with life, generally, at the moment. She's very teary, finding it hard to get off to sleep etc. It must be hard being six - the first real year of not being a 'baby'.

Maybe a trip to the GP is in order.

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TurtlesAreRetroRight · 21/05/2011 22:14

Should have said in my previous post, I doubt what my niece had is what your dd has, just an example of it having a clear, easily treatable reason. It came on gradually and had a couple of other symptoms that were relevant. And actually she had never been fully dry at any point as a result of the problem anyway.

When I was at the hospital for a routine pregnancy a scan a woman came in thinking her waters were leaking. She had a UTI... She was a lovely woman. Phoned up her dh and chirruped 'stand down love, I've just wet myself. I'll get chips on the way home.'

UTIs are funny old things.

Original poster

pregnabrain · 21/05/2011 22:16

Is it possible for a UTI to go on for a few months without getting worse?

Thanks for all your advice by the way!

OP posts:

TurtlesAreRetroRight · 21/05/2011 22:17

UTIs don't necessarily hurt. They can make you run down and teary though. And they can make you need do go NOW.

Book her an appointment on Monday morning or I might be tempted to nip along to a walk in centre in the morning if you have one (they can dip test her urine and give you an answer straight away, though not all infections show up that way and they should also send a sample for analysis) and administer lots and lots of cuddles. It must be hard for both of you.

TurtlesAreRetroRight · 21/05/2011 22:18

I don't know about going on for months without getting worse. Wouldn't rule it out though. My Mum once had to have a low dose 6 month course of antibiotics for a uti that had rumbled on and on and on and just would not go.

Original poster

pregnabrain · 21/05/2011 22:19

Love the story about the scan lady, Turtles. Really glad your niece's problem is fixed.

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cat64 · 21/05/2011 22:22

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Original poster

pregnabrain · 21/05/2011 22:24

Welcome cat64. Glad I'm not alone!

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5318008 · 21/05/2011 23:35

yes GP to rule out UTI

also chronic constipation can put pressure on the bladder and cause wee leaks

If you have a lot of skids in the pants then suspect constipation (even if they are pooing, there may be a lump sitting in the bowel, with fresh poo flowing around it)

If not UTI or constipation then increase daily fluid intake to stretch the bladder to increase it's volume (holding) capacity, water or milk best - get school onside as children are notorious for having a tiny fluid intake at school without prompting from teacher/lunch supervisors

Original poster

pregnabrain · 22/05/2011 13:32

Thank you 5318008, this sounds like an action plan!

Didn't think of constipation as she def goes to the loo with no probs. I am hopeless at getting her to drink enough (I don't myself). I will really concentrate on that for a while and see if it helps.

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Original poster

pregnabrain · 05/06/2011 20:47

Right. Went to see GP and have done the wee test. Results back on Tuesday...am really hoping this is an infection so it's easy to treat. Washing, washing, washing in the mean time.

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Original poster

pregnabrain · 08/06/2011 20:29

OK, so it's not an infection. Glad she's not got a UTI, but at least that would have been a straightforward answer to the problem. Now even more anxious about it. Have made an appointment to see the GP again next week.

Anyone else been in this situation? What happened? Is it a matter of bladder training?

dd says that she doesn't even feel the urge to go for a wee when it leaks out...how can that be?

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rachellelabelle · 10/06/2011 04:52

Pregnabrain - my ds1 is also 6 and had exactly the same thing (plus night time still very wet - which I was less concerned about). I went to our GP who referred us to the hospital as they consider daytime wetting at this age an issue. The consultant thought it could be a developmental problem with the bladder contracting i.e he couldn't feel when his bladder was full because it would be fine, then it would suddenly contract, squeezing the wee out and he would have to suddenly rush to the loo (just as you mention for your dd) and he would inevitably not get there in time. He was prescribed oxybutinyn (sp?)which relaxes the bladder. He has been taking it for about 3 weeks now and has only had ONE accident (when playing at a friends house and basically left it too late).

Now I feel terrible as he has been like this for years and I tried so many different things (thinking it was a psychological thing) but inevitably ended up getting cross sometimes. And now it seems that it wasn't his fault at all.

Obviously it might not be this, but what you describe is very similar and I think it at the very least you should get your GP to refer you. Good luck!

Original poster

pregnabrain · 13/06/2011 10:55

Thank you, rachellelabelle. I think you're right. I definitely need to get this checked out. It seems to be getting worse and worse - at least a couple of changes of pants a day, and two changes of sheets already in the last week.

I've got an appointment with the GP next week, so we'll take it from there. I also feel terrible because for a long time I thought she was just being lazy about it. :(

Thanks for telling me about your son and I am glad his situation is improving with the medication - how long will he need to take it for?

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