My Support Forums - View Single Post - Help! Child Still Wetting Self @ 8 years old

Trace14 · Mar 21, 2018, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silver Ninja

I have a (step) grand-daughter who is 8 years old & is still wetting herself. She has been suffering from UTIs, legs that are rashed & rubbed raw. All other tissue in that area raw & bloody because of the urine staying on the skin. She now wears adult diapers because nothing seems to help.

She has been to doctors, have had tests run, be on a special diet, can't eat or drink after 5pm (she goes to bed at 9pm). The the last thing that is being considered is a special medication to stop it.

She was potty trained but it started when she went to school. When asked: she says "I don't know why, I just don't feel like getting up & going to the bath room." She's really bad about not wanting to raise her hand at school, to go to the bathroom, she just goes & sits in her wet panties until she gets home. She also embarrassed & doesn't like to tell anyone; in school & out. She isn't allowed to have a purse so she can't change & I have no idea how the school handles the problem. I also understand that a lot of kids, both boys & girls, in her class do the same thing.

I found out that she has to ask her mother or her dad for a new diaper & it embarrasses her so she doesn't say anything. I think that she is old enough to get them herself & not have to ask (announce) when it happens.

She has been punished (I have no idea how), enticed, etc., & nothing works.

Growing up, her family has moved around a lot, because of her dad's job. Several times, they have lived with relatives because he was going to stay in the area for a short time. (A teacher told her that she was "homeless" because she lived with relatives!)

She has two sisters, one 1-1/2 years old & the other is 6 months. When the youngest was born, she is ignored & has to take care of her sisters; when she isn't in school.

Recently, her father (who she adores) has been working longer hours & she doesn't see him as much as she would like.

Before the youngest was born, she came to visit with her mom. Her mom was always telling her what to do, to the point that my husband had to step in & make her stop! Her mother bathed her, brushed her hair; which was an event, her mother claimed she was a "pre-madonna" & didn't like her hair touched. Found out that her mom had the wrong brush & pulled her hair when she brushed it! I used the right brush & spent 30 minutes to brush out the tangles. They also spent an hour in a very heated argument about wearing the diapers. (She is also very outspoken!)

I want her to come visit this summer. I know this may sound terrible but I'm concerned (& feel guilty) that because I live in an apartment & the is carpet ruined, the very well behaved dog will be blamed, & I will have to pay a hefty deposit to replace the carpet.

Unfortunately, I've only paper trained puppies & would want to do the same but I'm afraid it would be considered child abuse. (All you do is have a special spot, with paper, & when you catch the puppy in the act, you place the puppy on the paper & praise them. = Catch her in the act, take her to the bathroom & praise her.)

My thought is that she may have a neurological condition that doesn't allow the bladder tell the brain that it is full.

I'm very concerned about the mental & physical scarring that is taking place but I'm not sure what to do.

I can feel for the kid. As a child I had kidney infections and would wet myself and be so embarrassed about it. But I couldn't help it. I was taken off all carbonated drinks and like someone mentioned setting a timer to go empty my bladder. At school I was allowed to go in between times the class regularly went to the restroom and that helped. But again was embarrassing.
You can put a plastic liner on the mattress to protect it. Use a plastic "chuck" backed pad to lay under her at night. That way if there's an accident clean up will be quicker. Hope you can find an answer for her, being a kid is hard enough without something like this going on. It could very well be anxiety.