6yo constantly going to the toilet

[vvviola]

DD1 is driving us crazy with her constant trips to the toilet. I don't think there's a physical reason for it - she has no other symptoms of a UTI and it has been a gradual onset as opposed to a sudden change.

Between 5pm and now (nearly 7:30pm) she has gone 4 times.

1. As we were going upstairs
2. 10 minutes later Just before going for a walk with her Dad
3. When she came back from walk
4. After dinner (20 minutes later)
5. Before getting into bed
6. At lights out (15 minutes later)

Sometimes she will sit on the toilet humming and singing. Other times she'll say she made a mistake and didn't need to go. She's invariably on the toilet for up to 5 minutes, sometimes longer, and it seems to be every time we change from one activity to the next.

It doesn't seem to happen much at school, although the teacher did say that when she did seem to be asking a lot, it was at transition times too.

I'm working on the basis that it's a behavioural thing at the moment and would love a few suggestions as to how to deal with it (although I'm willing to be sent in the direction of a doctor if that's necessary).

It's becoming very frustrating as we seem to be forever waiting around to do things because she's on the toilet (and asking her to go ten minutes before we're due to leave does no good, as when we're about to go, she needs to go again).

Help. Please?

Has she actually been tested for UTI? Frequency and not reading the urge correctly can be symptoms.

Does she drink a lot of fizzy drinks or red drinks? They can irritate the bladder and cause similar behaviours.

Alternatively, if neither of those apply, it sounds like anxiety behaviour, and I would go to the GP.

Constipated? Is tummy any larger than usual?

She hasn't been checked for a UTI, but then it's not always weeing. She doesn't appear to be constipated. She doesn't like fizzy drinks - drinks mainly water with occasionally juice at dinner.

She is a bit of an anxious child at times, but I would have thought it might have shown up at school too (no recent changes or problems at home, happy at school)

Hmm, maybe a trip to the GP is required one way or another.

But it did show up at school, in transition times, which are classic stress-points.

Is she dry at night?

Good point SixImpossible, it has been apparent a little at school. But to a much lesser degree than at home.

Yes, she's dry at night - no problems in that area since she was about 3.

I've been tempted to tell her that if she has been to the toilet in the past hour that she can't go again- to get her into the habit of going properly and then waiting, but if it's an anxiety thing then that will probably only make it worse.

I would go to the doctor. Let them rule out UTI. Then consider small bladder - some children have a small bladder. Think of it like a balloon, except in these instances it does not expand like it should so frequent loo trips are necessary.

Would need a referral but the tests are not painful and there's methods and meds that can help.

Keep a wee diary and a drink diary. Avoid blackcurrant drinks as well as the fizzy.

You try a timer thing of setting a timer and when it goes off she goes to the loo, then increase length of time between, but tbh I would see your Doctor and get referred. It's quite a common issue and easier to deal with at this age when toileting doesn't become embarrassing (when you can get them to wee into containers to measure wee amounts).

Could she have got into the habit of not emptying her bladder properly? Perhaps try reminding her to empty completely, or send her back immediately to wee again. If it is incomplete emptying she will be able to wee again immediately, if not, she probably won't.

If its not imcomplete emptying, it could be that she has or has had an irritated bladder, and has got into the habit of weei g as soon as theres anything there. in which case, how about going back a bit to toilet training, by giving her masses to drink, and when she wants to go for the second time not refusing but distracting her for a few moments. Use the words "Hold on a sec" or something similar, to reinforce the idea of holding on, while distracting her by giving her a snack, or asking a question, pr getting her to show you something etc. then let her go the next time she asks.

I agree going to GP, to rule out UTI.

Ask the GP about overactive bladder. I have this and I behave in the same way a lot of the time. The muscles in the bladder contract too much making the brain think you need to wee all the time. I'm bad when I'm moving from doing one thing to another too, I think it's the movement. You say she's quite an anxious child, if she's feeling like this she might be getting worried about needing to wee, might be why she gets up again at lights out time? Hope the GP can help you.

When she is having a wee and thinks it is finished tell her to stay on the loo and sing Happy Birthday to herself. Then get off the loo. This can help to ensure they are not cutting off a wee too quickly and ensure bladder is relaxing and emptying - not a rushed wee.

My DS suffers this from time to time. In him it is 'daytime urinary frequency'. See here - hope link works
www.bmj.com/highwire/filestream/316750/field_highwire_article_pdf/0/455.1

He is also an anxious kid, and he usually goes when he has to change activity. It can last for weeks/months at a time, then disappear again.

It is mostly daytime, but he will get up maybe once in the night too. He can go 4 or 5 times an hour in the day. It got really debilitating last year, especially on holiday or days out.

Because of the connection to anxiety, we were advised to not make a deal of it, not comment on it all, just let him go and don't restrict him and it will be self limiting. Whenever it starts, I do have his urine checked for a UTI though - but it has always been negative.

I think it's most likely to be an anxiety thing. It doesn't sound that excessive to me. But if she drinks a lot you could have her checked for diabetes. Agree with telling her to stay a bit longer on the loo.