I have just joined the list and am a Paediatrician
working with children in the community. I am interested in cultural
factors that influence toilet training in children and attitudes to
incontinence. I see children with bed wetting and/or day time wetting and
soiling, and am interested in how these problems are seen in different
cutlures. I wonder how this impacts upon access to services and whether
these are sufficiently sensitive to the needs of families from different
ethnic groups. Treatment programmes have not been evaluated to take these
factors into consideration, and our experience would suggest that there is
a need for study in this area. I feel that current treatment programmes with
bedwetting alarms do not meet the needs of many families. There is no
information about the acceptability of treatments such as enemas and laxatives
for children with constipation and overflow soiling. I am part of a national
organisation that promotes services for families with these difficulties -ERIC
(Education and Resources for improving childhood Continence). There is not
alot of information about this for professionals providing services for
families. I would welcome contact and discussion from anyone with and
interest and information in this area. regards Eve Fleming