How common is it to have bladder or bowel problems at secondary school?
At the age of 10 about 1 in 20 children will be having daytime accidents or bedwetting and a similar number have problems with constipation. By the age of 14 years, there will still be around 1 in 40 children having daytime accidents or bedwetting, and around 1 in 55 will be having problems with constipation or soiling. So if this is happening to you there will be quite a few other people in your school with the same problem. These problems can be difficult to cope with but don’t suffer in silence – get help! Late development of bladder control can often run in families and most people grow out of it over time. Constipation with soiling can also be treated even if it takes time.
Bladder problems can be triggered or made worse by bladder infections, constipation or even diabetes, so if you start having accidents having been dry previously, or you feel unwell, you should speak to your GP.
There are lots of different treatments that can be tried: read more here
- Is it just me? Read what George has to say about having bladder problems as a teenager
- Information on different types of bladder and bowel problems
- Teen page on bladder and bowel problems including advice on talking to your friends, school or GP, what treatments there are and where you can go for help
- Bedwetting advice for teens and young adults
