Kids at school in nappies

Some New Zealand children are starting school in nappies, and growing numbers of anxious parents are looking for help to get their children toilet-trained in time.

Plunket says it is normal for one in 10 5-year-olds to be still wetting themselves, at least at night, and Continence NZ says up to one in three still have daytime accidents up to the age of 11.

But parents are feeling under pressure to succeed with toilettraining before children start school.

Plunket’s clinical leader for Manawatu¯ Theresa Ryder said an increasing number of parents were looking for help with toilettraining when their children came for B4 School checks.

‘‘Children usually learn to use the toilet sometime between 18 months and 4 years, and not all children are ready at the same age.’’

Massey University senior lecturer in clinical psychology Dr Kirsty Ross said anxiety was on the increase in children, which could sometimes play a role with health issues.

‘‘Children can get anxious and overwhelmed and so can parents.

‘‘From about 4 onwards parents are mindful children are starting school soon and feel a lot of pressure to get them toilettrained.

‘‘Challenges with toilet [training] are a little bit more common than people realise.

‘‘There’s this fear ‘my child is the only one doing this’, which isn’t the case at all.’’

Jo How, principal at Palmerston North’s Roslyn School, said it was no big deal for ‘‘the littlies’’ to have the odd accident.

‘‘It’s usually when they are out playing, and get caught short in the moment.’’

The school provided clean clothes for them to change into, and even had a washing machine.

‘‘They can usually change themselves and keep their dignity.’’

Midcentral District Health Board’s paediatric continence service has stepped in to work with a range of health, education and community groups to develop booklets for parents and caregivers, education and health professionals, on how to help.

Midcentral paediatrician Jeff Brown said the service was designed for children aged 6 years or more who were still wetting their pants.