Sandy asks: I have a 9-year-old who just never wants to empty her bladder. I know this puts her at risk for bladder infections. What should I do?
Health-E responds: We took your question to pediatrician Jim Sears, M.D., member of the renowned Sears medical family, and co-host of “The Doctors” television show. Here’s what he had to say …
Children (especially girls) who tend to hold their urine for too long tend to have a hard time fully emptying their bladder. This is because the bladder gets stretched out – much like an overfilled balloon – and won’t fully contract during urination, leaving a small amount of residual urine in the bladder and increasing the risk of infection. The best way to “re-train” the bladder to fully contract is to keep it from getting over-stretched. By having the child urinate every TWO hours, the bladder will never get over-full and will regain it’s “elasticity.” This can sometimes take many weeks. At home, set the oven timer for two hours so your child knows when it’s time to go. At school, talk to theteachers, and have your child go to the bathroom during snack and lunch breaks. Even if your child says she doesn’t need to go, just sitting on the toilet (or standing at the urinal for boys) will usually cause the urination “instincts” to kick in.
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Dionna Watson writes:
Constipation is common in toddlers and can cause endless problems. If his stool is hard, he won’t want to go in the potty because it hurts. He’ll hold onto his stool, making it larger, harder, and more painful, and potty training will not be successful. Back off on the potty training for a while while you treat his constipation. After a few weeks of having soft stools, he’ll forget that it hurt and you can reintroduce the potty when he is ready.
