DD aged 5 wetting/dribbling in pants every day :(

[Lilypiesmum]

My daughter turned 5 in January, she wets her pants every single day and has never particularly been 'dry' for long. It's been worse since she started full time school. Im at the end of my tether and starting to get annoyed with her as she's incredibly bright but claims she can't feel she is wet and forgets to go to the toilet. She's going into year 1 (mixed with year 2s) in September and I'm terrified the older kids will pick on her as she stinks of wee when she comes out of school.

I've already ruled out a bladder infection and tried to get advice from the school nurse who was useless. From 10 days old my DD suffered very badly with constipation and wetting herself used to happen when she hadn't pooed for a few days, however, the constipation is sorted now but she's wetting herself more than ever. I'm very flustrated as before she started school and became so busy she actually went two weeks day and night being dry.

I think you should take her to the GP.

I think she probably wants to be dry but can't manage it - maybe the constipation has damaged her bladder or something in some way, or there is some nerve damage interfering with her sense of needing to go.

With what you describe, laziness or her part isn't necessarily the only reason for this. It really might be that she can't help it.

from my experience it's much more common than you might think. When my dd started school she went from being very dry to constantly 'damp'. She just never made it to the toilet in time and did not see it as remotely important to keep dry. It didn't bother her at all. She is now 7 and I have only just started to see an improvement.

from the doctors pov and the teachers, she was just way too involved in her play/learning/activities to notice that she needed a wee. i think it often happens to bright kids who are too busy concentrating to notice! I know of quite a few boys older than her that are still the same.

I got really wound up about it and tried bribing, rewarding, shouting, sympathy etc etc but it gradually just got better on its own.

hth and try not to worry.

To be honest, when she suffered with constipation I was concerned there was something more to it as I have 3 boys too and they have never had any problems going. All the usual stuff I tried like prune juice never worked and she had a great diet, but still would go up to 2.5 weeks without pooing and be in terrible agony and in a foul mood. (understandably)

The paediatrician we saw for constipation fobbed me off and said there was nothing internally wrong as she was growing and eating well. Now she poos fairly regularly (every 2 days) without trouble, but I'm still not convinced theres not something wrong thats making it impossible for her to control her bladder. I'm going to have to go and demand to see a specialist.

Oh, bless you both. I agree with other posters that it might be worth a GP visit.

My DS only potty trained at 3.5 and wasn't particularly dry for ages. He also used to poo in his pants at school when he first started and that was quite tough.

He is now 6.5, and everything is OK. He's only just become dry at night tho.

I think some children are just later than others, and that's just how it is, but I really understand your concerns.

Only a thought- is she comfortable going for a wee at school? It can be a bit intimidating weeing in a cubicle vs your own usual space?

Ie holding it in and leaking?

I would definitely see the GP again. My DS sounds very similair, he still claims he can't tell when he needs to wee and he has a history of constipation. Are you sure that there is definitely no impaction still present?

My dd was exactly the same and interestingly she had quite serious constipation issues. All of a sudden it sorted itself out. Not sure why but when she got to about six it stopped happening. A lot ofit was to do with,I think, not wanting to miss out. Thiking something might happen if she left what she was doing. Which I now think was linked to self esteem and some glue ear issues as well with a non sympathetic teacher because it all sorted itself when she moved into a different class and seemed to be doing better at school and gain a bit of confidence.

My ds is also 5 and also constantly leaking, I took him to the gp who gave him some medication for an over active bladder, took a couple of days to work, he's been dry in the day ever since.
We stopped giving it to him thinking he would stay dry but he starting leaking again gave him the meds and instantly dry .