Stress incontinence in 6.5 year old DD, how can I help her?

[StrangewaysHereICome]

My DD has always been prone to the odd accident but now things are getting worse and she is being teased and called names at school. She is fine at night, her problem seems to stem from her excitable nature and fits of the giggles! The dr said stress incontinence is almost unheard of is young children. He has referred her to a continence clinic but the appt is weeks away. She having 2 or 3 accidents at school a week. she always says she didn't need the toilet before the accident happened. She has been tested for UTI and was clear.

Does anyone else have experience of this? The dr seemed to think she will grow out of it, but it's breaking my heart seeing her anguish. I wonder if getting her to wear a pad might help, but she is not keen on the idea.

Poor little girl!

I think if she was mine I'd try giving her a very thin Tena Lady type pad ( sanitary pant liners aren't as absorbant or odour reducing) just as a precaution. I know she won't want to wear it but there are few things worse than having an accident in public. (voice of experience. I went from bedwetting adolescent to okay then cough/sneeze bladder weakness after DCs birth)

Get onto the ERIC website and buy her some of their absorbant knickers (they've got various differnent absorbancy levels ) I bought some night ones for DS when he was younger for night time and they are effective.

Some might say you will make her bladder lazy by giving her something but I think you need to worry about the here and now. You could do it until the Christmas holidays then she'll have time at home to re-think.

And you can advice her on how to discreetly change the pad at school if it gets wet,and keep one in a pocket for just in case.

I'm sure if you ask the teachers they'll let her go to the loo when it's quieter .Some school loos are quite 'open-plan'

I'm heartbroken for you at the thought of her being teased.

DD used to wet herself occasionally at that age when laughing too much, running around getting excited, trampolining etc - she would always say she hadn't needed the loo, but actually I think it was usually when she was so caught up in things that she ignored the signs. She's now 9 and I don't think it happens any more.

I never saw it as a serious enough problem to see a doctor about it, just tried to remind her to go to the loo more frequently. Could you suggest to your DD she goes to the loo every breaktime at school, even if she doesn't think she needs to?

Thanks for the replies. The ERIC website is very interesting, thank you for sharing. lordoftheflies I think pads might be the way to go to help her avoid embarassment. I am sure the teaching assistants will help her.

exexpat I have only recently been to the dr because the problem is getting worse, I just assumed she would grow out of it. But now it is affecting her socially I wanted to know if there was a physical problem that needed addressing. It is very heartening to read your daughter has grown out of the problem. She quite often will have an accident after she has been to the loo, which makes me wonder if she is not fully emptying her bladder.

Thanks again