South Tyneside and Sunderland's Children's Bladder and Bowel Team are here to support children aged 0-19 with any issues relating to their continence.

If you concerned that your child has an issue please contact your GP or health professional (school nurse or health visitor) for advice. Health professionals will work with you (a Level 1 assessment requiring the parent/carer to complete a 3 day fluid and 2 week bowel chart) and after 12 week period if there no progress the health professional or parent can self-refer into the children's bladder and bowel service (Level 2).

What to expect at the Bladder and Bowel Service

You will be invited to attend face to face appointments in our clinic, which are approximately 3 months apart. For each of these appointments, you may be advised to complete 3 day fluid and 2 week bowel charts. 

  • Please have prepared questions you would like to answer
  • Please bring a fresh urine sample with you
  • Please bring the charts with you or email them to stsft.bladderandbowelteam@nhs.net
  • Please bring a face mask for you and your child (if over the age of 12)
  • Please observe strict hand hygiene and covid secure measures

Your Bladder and Bowel nurse will conduct an assessment and recommend a treatment pathway and plan with you. They can refer to other services on your behalf if required and has an obligation to review child and family wellbeing at all times. 
 

Contact details:

Tel: 0191 2834754

Main office: Clarendon, Windmill Way, Hebburn NE31 1AT

Useful links: 

Constipation and soiling

Constipation is: 

  • Large, infrequent stools that can block the toilet 
  • ‘Rabbit droppings’ (type 1, Bristol Stool Chart) or Hard/ large stool 
  • Overflow soiling - (watery stools that leak into the underwear)
  • Painful bowel movements  
  • Distress on stooling 
  • Straining 
  • Waxing and waning of abdominal pain with passage of stool 
  • Fewer than three complete stools per week (type 3 or 4 Bristol Stool Chart however this does not apply to exclusively breastfed babies after 6 weeks of age) 

Constipation in Children and Young People: 

  • Bleeding associated with hard stools (anal fissure) 
  • Poor appetite that improves with passage of large stools 
  • Anal pain  
  • Dribbling Urine 
  • Tummy ache 
  • Avoiding the toilet 
  • Feeling that a bowel movement isn't finished 
  • Sore bottom 
  • Unpleasant smell
  • Child may stand on tiptoes and rock back on their heels 
  • Clench buttocks muscles together 
  • Unusual dancelike movements 
  • Leakage of watery smelly poo 
  • Not having an urge to poo 

 

  • Strict 30 mins toileting after mealtimes, activities in the bathroom to be available if child needs occupying.  
  • Sitting for 10-15 mins only with stool under your child's feet. 
  • No more than 15 mins on the toilet
  • Boys should sit when urinating
  • Use rewards and incentives that are free for time being spent on the toilet not for a wee or a poo.  
Age Sex Drinks

4-8 years

 

 Female 1000-1400ml
Male 1000-1400ml
9-13 years Female 1200-2100ml
Male 1400-2300ml
14-18 years  Female 1400-2500ml
Male 2100-3200ml

Drinks that can irritate the bladder and cause day and night time wetting are; caffeinated drinks like tea, coffee, energy drinks, hot chocolate, chocolate milk shakes, green tea, fizzy drinks, blackcurrant and citrus fruit drinks.  Alternatives are water, well-diluted apple, peach, pear, kiwi, mango, barley, summer fruit juices (with no blackcurrant or citrus fruits in them).

Bowel 

  • For a healthy Bowel, regular intake of fluid and a well-balanced diet including fruit, vegetables and fibre is recommended.
  • Our bowels naturally start moving 20-30 minutes after a meal. Therefore we recommend sitting on the toilet 10-15 minutes after meals with a stool under your child's feet.  
  • To keep the bowel healthy and functioning, 60 minutes of exercise daily is recommended. 

Charts 

Useful links 

 

 

Nocturnal Enuresis

Nocturnal enuresis is the involuntary discharge of urine during sleep. 

If you are concerned about your child's Nocturnal enuresis, then please contact your health professional for a level 1 assessment of the bladder AND bowel. 

Useful information:

Bedwetting information 

Eric's Guide to night time wetting 

Understanding Bedwetting in Children with Down's Syndrome and other Learning Disabilities 

Pictures for bed wetting 

Teenage bedwetting 

Night's away advice for bedwetting 

Medication for bed wetting - desmopressin 

 

 

Day time wetting

Daytime wetting is anything from damp patches in your child’s pants to a full-blown wee accident. Our expert information can help children stop wetting.

Children wetting themselves during the day is very common: one in seven children aged four and one in 20 children aged nine are affected. You and your family are not alone in dealing with this issue. Please contact your health professional for a level 1 assessment of the bladder AND bowel. 

ERIC's Guide to Children's Daytime Bladder Problems 

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