Teenage urinary incontinence

[doglover]

My dd aged 13 has had urinary incontinence for several years. We saw a dr a couple of years ago who said she'd probably grow out of it .............. she hasn't! We thought the problem had pretty much stopped but she revealed tonight that it is still ongoing and causing her great upset.

I've read up on the issue and we're seeing another GP tomorrow but just wondered if anyone elses teen has had similar issues. She's feeling very low at the moment.

There is an organisation called ERIC that might have some advice.
It would be a good idea to have your daughter's symptoms written down as bullet points. I imagine they will want to know how often it happens, if it's only at night or every time she needs to urinate, if it's a large or small amount, how many times she goes to the loo per day, if she has any bowel issues.
Don't be fobbed off, it must be difficult for her.
On a practical level, if it's happening at school can you help her out re pads, possibly keeping spare pants and uniform in a locker. If it's a case of her not making it to the loo on time can you arrange for her to be allowed to go to the bathroom whenever she needs to.

Many thanks, RR, your reply is much appreciated. The dr was super today and has suggested some dietary changes etc which we'll implement. We need to return in 6 weeks to see how the pelvic floor exercises / diet alterations are going. From this, she may be referred to a specialist.

Oh that's good, it's always easier with your Dr on board. Hoping for some improvement for her. I imagine they've asked her/you to keep track of what happens, a diary or chart. It's a good idea because any improvement will hopefully give her encouragement, and if there's not then the referral is the next step. Good luck.

I really feel for you. Though my dd is younger, we've suffered for years. Things are improving for us now, but I saw these, which may be of use to your dd whilst things are being investigated.

Thanks, Mimi. The products look super but soooo expensive. I've bought my dd a selection of different pads (Tena) which she is currently trialling to see which she prefers. So far, so good. We're ensuring that she's drinking plenty of water and eats her '5 a day'. I really don't think the problem lies with bowels but the gp was keen to rule out any link before further exploration.

Thanks again.