8 year old constant urge to pee

[Matilda764834]

I wondered if anyone had any advice. My 8 year old son constantly feels the need to pee, day and night. This has been going on for close to a year. He's been checked by paediatric surgeon twice who thinks there's nothing physically wrong on the outside. Occasionally wets the bed at night.

He drinks cranberry juice, goes to toilet then waits 60 seconds and tries again, sits down to pee, wears cotton boxers. Upped his fibre to keep bowels going OK. Washes with pH balanced soap (we've tried just washing with water as well). There is no infection. No tummy pain.

Waiting on an ultrasound appointment. Is there anything else we can do? It's so difficult as it's been going on a long time. He's not in pain but he's in constant discomfort and doctor has no medicine recommendations.

Did he have a big life upheaval before it started?

My 4yo did the same when we were moving house. It resolved after a couple of months- we just minimised it totally in our family life- didn’t argue that he didn’t need to go, didn’t comment on it, just were very very very neutral- even when he was going 5 or 10 times an hour. It was so hard though. Really distressing to see his worry.

Interesting you mention that, we moved when he was 5 and it wasn't long after that things started but it was minimal when he was younger.

He's a sensitive boy and has a lot of worries, especially at night. We talk them through but I do think they are still churning in his mind. I ordered a couple of books for kids about feelings and helping with anxiety so maybe these will help. I had been thinking it was physical but it may indeed be mental.

I'll do what you have been doing and not mention it. He's allowed to go to the toilet whenever and school are aware of it. He finds school stressful at times.

Thank you for your reply.

Has he had a blood glucose test?

@frazzledquaver he hasn't, though I'm surprised that's not been mentioned by the doctors before.

It might be worth asking them to check. It's been going on for a year and if it was diabetes, you'd expect it to have presented more seriously by now (with weight loss, extreme fatigue, etc) but should be ruled out. If the ultrasound is all clear, then ask for some help with bladder training. I would also try keeping him to just water to drink in the meantime. I hope you get some answers.

Thanks @frazzledquaver I'll ask them after the ultrasound. He does get tired but it doesn't seem extreme, tends to hit him when we are going to do something boring 🤔 I'll look into bladder training.

I know black currant irritates the bladder, maybe cranberry does too. I know it's good for infections but maybe not good for irritation?

Have they ruled out interstitial cystitis?

It's only the last few weeks I've been giving Cranberry juice so I don't think that's having an effect but I can cut it out again in case it's making it worse.

I think cystitis is usually painful? He says it's not painful, just uncomfortable. He's had his urine checked a lot and none have showed an infection. I'm hoping we figure this out soon but part of me is thinking it could be anxiety.

Have a Google re interstitial cystitis - it's not a bacterial infection, but ongoing inflammation, and can result in pressure/urgency rather than pain. Wouldn't be ruled out by test for normal UTI.

@BabycakesMatlala interesting, I wonder why the docs haven't thought of that. Thanks for the info.

I think it's relatively obscure, but doesn't mean they shouldn't be thinking about it. But I would think they might want to rule out other physical stuff with ultrasound before progressing towards that. You can always ask - I've learned after many years of experience dealing with kids' health issues to be unashamed about very politely pushing where needed....

Hope you get some answers - sounds frustrating and uncomfy for him 😔

@BabycakesMatlala yeah I guess they need to take it a step at a time. I'll keep that in mind and blood glucose test as well and see how we go. He's a wee trooper.

Ask GP for urine test for diabetes. Just to rule it out.

Will do, thank you

Just had a call from the doc to say his latest urine test showed an infection. So I'm going to pick up anti biotics.

His foreskin doesn't retract yet so I do wonder if it's a hygiene issue. It still balloons up when he pees. Perhaps it may resolve once he can retract it and clean properly. My DH had the same issue and was circumsised but that hasn't been mentioned as an option yet.

Interesting - I wonder if it's an on/off infection that's just leaving him with inflammation in between or something... I hope the antibiotics help, OP - let us know how he gets on...

He's had 3 days of antibiotics and says he now only feels the need at a 25% level rather than 100% so think it's worked for the most part at least.

That's great news (although sounds as if an ongoing infection may have been missed somewhere along the way!!) Hope it continues to improve as he takes the rest of the course....