The Children’s Continence service is a specialist service that offers advice and support to children and young people within North East Lincolnshire who may have problems with their bowel or bladder.

The types of problems you may get referred to the service with may include:

• Day time wetting
• Constipation
• Soiling
• Toilet training difficulties
• Assessment for Continence products if deemed appropriate (From the age of 5 years old)

The service supports all children and young people, from the age of 5-18 years old with a bowel or bladder problem.

The Nurse will work closely with your child or young person’s school, school nurse, GP, Consultant and any other professionals who may be involved with their care.

Being referred to the service is nothing to worry about as there are lots of children and young people who have continence problems. 1 in 12 children in the UK suffer from problems with weeing or pooing.

Who can refer to the service?

Anyone can refer to the service for support and advice using the telephone number on the back of this leaflet.

Once a referral has been received, the Children’s Continence Nurse will make contact with you either by telephone or by letter offering you an assessment.

The assessment will either take place at your home address or in a Community Clinic.

What to expect?

At the assessment the nurse will ask lots of questions to try and find out what is going on and look at the best way to help you. You may also want to ask the nurse questions, so please feel free to write down any questions you may wish to ask.

Prior to you attending your appointment you will be sent charts to complete at home before the first appointment, which will look at:

• Types and amount your child drinks
• How much and often your child wee’s
• How much/often and type of your child poo’s
• How often your child has dry nights.

These charts are really important to complete and bring with you to the first appointment as it will help the nurse understand your child’s problem and help her find the best way forward, to help manage/improve the problem.

After the assessment the nurse will put an action plan into place for your child to try to see if it helps.

Ongoing support will be offered through face to face appointment or by telephone contact.

Continence Products

Continence products can be provided but this is only following a robust assessment, and alongside a treatment programme to try and promote continence.

Continence assessment for Products is only available once the child has reached their 5th Birthday.