Children’s continence products - A guide for parents and children (view report contents)
Where can you get help?
Where do you start?
- Start by discussing your child’s needs with your doctor, nurse or health visitor. This page tells you about the kind of advice they and others can provide.
- You may be able to have your loo adapted to suit your child’s needs. These can be assessed and provision made by social services.
- You may be able to borrow the more expensive products, such as commodes, through social services. This is especially important with growing children.
- Some charities can make one-off payments for more expensive equipment (see useful reading).
- No product can be guaranteed not to leak, but there is less risk if you choose the right product and use it correctly.
People who can help
Your family doctor can diagnose your child’s symptoms, advise you on
the best treatment and, if necessary, refer to specialist help. This may
lead to a cure or better management.
You may be referred to a continence advisor or paediatric nurse, who has
a special understanding of bladder and bowel disorders. They can explain
bladder training, advise you on other treatments and products and tell
you what is available from health services.
The physiotherapist can teach you and your child exercises to help with
balance and movement and advise on getting on and off the loo, from a
wheelchair for example.
Social services and in particular occupational therapists can advise on
adaptations and specialist equipment for the toilet, at home or school.
They can advise on dressing, undressing and other activities for independence.
The continence service may refer you to an appliance practitioner - often
a nurse who can fit your child with specialised urinary products.
The ERIC Helpline can give details
of local services and PromoCon
has details of products and suppliers.
Disabled Living Centres are
local demonstration and resource centres, with continence products on
display and advice available.
The teacher, school nurse, health visitor and social worker are also able
to give advice and information.
Chair helps Craig with training
Craig is now in his teens. He has cerebral palsy, learning disabilities and epilepsy. As he has a gastrostomy - a tube fed into his stomach - he tends to flood into his pad about an hour after eating. He wears an all-in-one pad. However his mother, Jenni, says "Since Craig has had a sanichair chair he has become bowel trained".
Your child’s rights to help
Your local continence service can provide the necessary investigations,
treatments and products needed to cure or manage incontinence. However,
the range of services, including the provision, quality and quantity of
continence products, varies from area to area.
Some specialised products, such as catheters, urinals and appliances for
boys, can be obtained on prescription from your doctor. Sometimes hospitals
can be persuaded to buy products for you which are not available on prescription.
If you are buying products from a local chemist or by mail order, ask
for a VAT exemption claim form.
If your child makes extra laundry, you may be able to get a grant from
the Family Fund Trust for a washing machine, new bedding or clothing.
Contact the Trust (01904 621 115) for further information.
You may be eligible to apply for a Community Care Grant for things like
bedding for your child. It is a means-tested grant. Your social worker
can advise or ask the local Benefits Agency office for an application
form.
If your child needs help to get to and from the toilet or is incontinent
and needs help to manage personal care, you can apply for Disability Living
Allowance Care Component from the Benefits Agency. If you are in doubt,
ask your nurse or social worker.
Report Contents
What’s this guide about?
What can the products do?
Where can you get help?
About the products
Products for the toilet
Alternatives to the toilet
Protecting the bed
Disposable and washable pads
Underwear for boys and girls
Specialist products
Smells and stains
How the bladder and bowel work
Useful information
