Healthy Bladder Habits for Happy Kids<\/p>\n
\tTake regular bathroom breaks \u2013 Encourage children to pee every 2\u20134 hours, even if they don\u2019t feel the urge as this helps to establish a healthy bladder capacity and can prevent ongoing continence issues in childhood or later on in life. Holding urine too long also allows bacteria to grow and can lead to infections. Ignoring the urge to use the bathroom can confuse the body\u2019s signals, making it harder to recognise when they actually need to go. Over time tit can make it harder for the bladder to signal when it if full, leading to accidents and difficulty emptying properly.
\n \tStay hydrated\u2014but timed! \u2013 Let your child sip fluids throughout the day, avoiding most drinks close to bedtime. This supports bladder health and reduces bedwetting.\u00a0Remember to refill those water bottles, especially at school.
\n \tBeing hydrated can improve children\u2019s focus and attention school increasing learning potential. \u00a0You may want to consider drawing lines on the water bottle to help children to remember to drink, how often and when.
\n \tTeach good hygiene habits \u2013 For girls especially always wipe front to back after going to the toilet to prevent urinary tract (wee) infections.
\n \tTake a \u2018double wee\u2019 \u2013 After finishing, pause for a few seconds and try again to help fully empty the bladder. This can be helpful for some children.<\/p>\n
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\ud83d\udca9 Comfort & Confidence: Healthy Bowels<\/p>\n
\tShoot for regular, soft poops \u2013 Aim for at least one soft, easy-to-pass bowel movement daily. This helps avoid constipation and tummy pain.
\n \tFibre, fluids, and predictable routine \u2013 A balanced diet with plenty of fruits, veggies, whole grains, and enough water, plus 5-minute sit-downs after meals, helps establish regularity. Using the gastro-colonic reflex, the squeezy movement your bowels make 10-20 mins after \u00a0meal which is when pooing is more likely to happen.
\n \tDon\u2019t hold back \u2013 If kids resist pooping, stool can build up and lead to constipation and can impact on wees, by making if difficult to go for a wee or make some wee sneak out without their knowledge. Encourage them to go when they feel the urge\u00a0as this will keep the \u2018call to stool mechanism in place\u2019.
\n \tUse medicines as prescribed by a GP or advised by a pharmacist \u2013 If bowel movements are hard or infrequent, your child\\’s GP, a pharmacist or a paediatrician can recommend safe stool softeners or simple clean-out plans.<\/p>\n
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\ud83c\udfaf Tips for Families<\/p>\n
\tSet reminders\u2014alarm every 2 hours to go pee or poop. This can be done by setting alarms as a reminder e.g phone or watch
\n \tUse rewards\u2014stickers, charts, or praise for consistent bathroom use.
\n \tMake the bathroom as child friendly as possible.
\n \tKeep it positive\u2014celebrate small wins, stay calm, and avoid guilt or pressure.
\n \tModel the habit\u2014\u201cI\u2019m off for a wee\u2014want to come too?\u201d Normalising it helps kids learn faster.<\/p>\n
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\ud83c\udfaf Toilet training webinars from the BHT Health Visiting Team<\/p>\n
If you have not yet tried to toilet train your child the BHT Health Visiting Team offers webinars for parents of children, not just those under 5. Events | Buckinghamshire | Health for Under5s , please do go along, as the team will be pleased to help you with some of the basic advice and prompts to get started. We know that some children just take a bit longer, but most of them will achieve this developmental milestone, even those with complex needs.
\nThe downloadable poo diary and questionnaire must be completed and returned to the School Nursing Team before we can offer some bespoke advice and support bht.schoolhealth-referrals@nhs.net\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0For more support and advice contact: Parents and carers of children and young people aged 5-19 in Buckinghamshire<\/p>\n
\u00a007312 263175
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