4 year old - wee accidents at school

[WeekendQueen]

Hi, so my 4 year old daughter has started reception. She’s been toilet trained for at least 18 months and does not have accidents at home and no bed wetting at all. The first 2 weeks were fine and now the past 2 weeks, she has been wetting herself everyday.
The school have tried reminding her to go and taking her every half hour. Encouraging her with rewards, (I have also been doing this).
She complained the toilet was dirty so the school check this now and I have shown her how to wipe wee off the seat and to flush if there is toilet roll in the toilet.
She sometimes does a wee and other times sits on the toilet, does nothing and then just stands there and wees herself. Her school shoes are wrecked and I have had to buy cheap trainers for her to wear and I am having to machine wash them every night.
She is well in herself and no signs of infection but I am going to go to the GP to see what they can do.
Has anyone else had any experience of this?
I literally don’t know what to do.

Were in the same boat, he hasnt had a wee at school yet either has an accident or waits until afterschool club where he knows the toilet. Hes scared of new toilets. Im going to contact ERIC which have been helpful before with toilet training and just hope he gets use to the toilets like he did at nursery. Sorry not much help but solidarity!

Had this exact thing. My son was toilet trained before school but then a few months in kept having wee accidents. Schopl shoes ruined also. School was about to put him on an 'intimate care plan'....

He basically just got too busy or didn't want to ask, or left it too late to ask.

What worked was teacher basically making him try to go every break time - even if he said he didn't want to - along with others.

Also did rewards at home - every day he was dry he could choose a hot wheels car or lego person.

That worked!

Oh, poor little sausage. Make sure you take a sample to the GP, cystitis in girls doesn't always cause pain, sometimes just accidents. Also, could she be constipated and the bowel is putting pressure on the bladder? If she's withheld doing a poo as she doesn't like the school toilets that could start off a cycle of constipation. Even if she seems to go most days, there can still be a backlog. GP should palpate her tummy to check.

It’s so stressful and frustrating when we know they’re not usually like this. I know it takes a while to settle in but it’s killing me.
I might look into ERIC too.

My eldest did this - was fully toilet trained then had numerous accidents in the first term. Eventually we worked out she was scared about the toilets because of a light on a sensor that clicked off too quickly, and her being scared of the doors shutting. Once we knew what it was the teachers were fab and put in a plan where someone went with her each time, then slowly started waiting a few steps away, then outside etc. Never happened again!

Hi, we had an almost identical situation when my daughter started reception a few years ago. She had been completely dry for 2 years so having accidents at school was something that I hadn't even anticipated but she ended up wet multiple times a week. Eventually after talking to her and the school staff we found out that it was because she thought the school toilets were dirty and horrible. The teacher suggested that she used a staff toilet instead and this worked a dream, it was a bit of a novelty for her so she was happy using the toilet and eventually just progressed to using the children's toilet with her friends. Might be worth an conversation with her teacher?

I’m glad it got sorted for you. I’ve been trying to work out with the teacher what it could be and we can’t seem to find anything. I’ve even said I’m willing to go into school every hour and take her myself to build her confidence.

Yeah my dad mentioned using a staff toilet may help if she has a problem with cleanliness. Will see what the GP suggests and go in with my own suggestions to the school.

I think you've got all bases covered. Just hopped om to say don't panic - it's quite a normal thing the children in reception go through and it will likely improve when she's more settled x

Thank you. I hope it does x

Yeah, it happens. Y1 now and, despite not having an accident since school ended before summer, still had an accident the 2nd or 3rd week back. Our case it's too busy playing. Frustrating but keep persevering.

Yeah I can understand the too busy playing, just so frustrating.

My son was terrified of the hand dryers and scared of being stuck in the toilets. The staff allowed him to wash his hands in the classroom sink and dry with paper towels. He became a pro at holding on until he got home.

Can you check if she has worms? They cause my DD to wet herself sometimes

I think it’s stupid having hand dryers. Soo many kids are scared of them.

I’m going to the doctors tomorrow because the teacher has mentioned it. But she has no symptoms of worms or a uti.

Yeah the teacher keeps sending her every half hour and she will sit on the toilet and sometimes wee and other times sit and do nothing and literally minutes later just wet herself.
I’ve been bribing her with all sorts of stuff and she just can’t have a day without an accident.