Still wearing nappies at school.

[Looker]

I do realize that toilet trained is most certainly different to suffering from faecal incontinence and my heart goes out to children that suffer from it. It is no longer obligatory for children to be toilet trained. Parents are always asked but children are accepted whether they are or not and the majority are, because some parents are determined to have their child that way before starting school. But some don't care less whether it is them or school staff that do the training. Then, it becomes really hard work, every half hour , a trip to the toilet and even then there are changes of clothing required during the day and sometimes a shower. It still takes 2 staff away from a needed position in the unit.

[aliceBB]

http://www.nursingtimes.net/an-overview-of-faecal-incontinence-in-children/267571.article

 

This article from the Nursing Times suggests that faecal incontience is seen in 3.5% of boys and 1% of girls aged 5, so for there to be four children in your child's class with the same problem is very, very unusual. In the average class of 30 children, you'd expect one boy, not four, to suffer from this condition.

 

Interestingly though I was speaking to two friends today both retired primary teachers, and I asked them how common it was - both said they could remember isolated cases over the years, but certainly nothing like 1 child in every class. Both taught in Reception classes and both said they had gone for years with no cases at all.

 

So why is it so prevalent these days?

[Mr Bloom]

 

So why is it so prevalent these days?

 

This is the crux of the issue. We need to know why and I don't think our health services are that interested. It's easy to blame 'lazy parents' but often it's way off the mark. Children's health services tend to prescribe medication and recommend products and 'monitor' situations but I see very little of them actually trying to find out what the causes are and why they are on the increase.

 

I think there is definitely a link to not being able to get children seen by GPs quick enough and then when they do them not referring quickly enough to specialists, and then, long waiting lists, which results in longer term damage being done to the child and taking much longer to 'fix'.

[aliceBB]

This is the crux of the issue. We need to know why and I don't think our health services are that interested. It's easy to blame 'lazy parents' but often it's way off the mark. Children's health services tend to prescribe medication and recommend products and 'monitor' situations but I see very little of them actually trying to find out what the causes are and why they are on the increase.

 

I think there is definitely a link to not being able to get children seen by GPs quick enough and then when they do them not referring quickly enough to specialists, and then, long waiting lists, which results in longer term damage being done to the child and taking much longer to 'fix'.

 

But what are the causes of this problem? It's (presumably) a digestive tract malfunction. So is it diet-related?

[Anna B]

No, the children have not all been put together for support reasons. This is quite common. I'm afraid you are mistaken in thinking it is rare.

 

 

 

As I thought I made clear in my previous post, if SKY news and you think that teachers leave the class to tend to kids then you are living in cloud cuckoo land. Children with special needs (including medical incontinence) have a right under the disability act to an education experience in line with their peers. The idea that parents should stay with them is inpractical in most cases and ridiculous. Yes, they should have a carer but in almost all cases, sadly, they do not.

 

---------- Post added 29-04-2014 at 14:40 ----------

 

 

It sounds like your school has good procedures in place.

 

 

Check your school policy in all schools I know it is obligatory that children are toilet trained before they start. Being toilet trained is different to suffering from fecal incontinenance.

 

You are 100% correct that more staff need employing.

 

Your attitude surprises me.

 

If the reason for incontinence is medical as you say, then there should be a major investigation into the health of the nation's children to see why this problem is so prevalent.

 

We're not talking about the odd accident here, they can happen to any child, but I would suggest that a persistant problem is often down to a host of parenting issues such as late / non-existent toilet training, possibly diet, possibly tiredness, possibly an inability to ask to go to the toilet etc.

 

A growing number of children have poor language development, and are unable to understand simple sentences, and a sizable number have poor fine motor skills, (cannot hold a pencil or manipulate small objects.) They are also unable to dress themselves, or put on a coat.

 

Some kids also have problems in the dining room with an inability to use a knife and fork, or even a spoon.

 

Once upon a time all these things were required and expected of children before they attended school, but now with the prevalence of the working parent, these things are no longer seen as skills which parents should teach pre-school children.

 

You are right, however, in thinking there should be more help in schools. The more help the better.

[aliceBB]

I agree completely with Anna B.