Waterworks (both types!)

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Waterworks (both types!)

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 1:29 pm
by northernruth
Opinions and/ or experiences please ladies.

Firstly when we were on holiday Martha started going to the loo ALL THE TIME. Like we would go before we left the house, she wanted to go when we got to the restaurant, as we were seated she would go, when the starters came she wanted the loo etc etc. THis as you can imagine became a huge PITA and we struggled to remain calm about it - imagine having a lovely meal delivered and having to leave it to go cold because you had to go to the loo for the 4th time in an hour.

We *think* that she was irritated by chemicals in the swimming pools, and we got her some cranberry to drink in case of UTI, and it dd get better as the holiday went on but tbh I think it has become a psychological issue, we had it a lot on the beach but she could go a decent while if she forgot about it but then as soon as we got out ona night it would start again.

She has also been doing it a bit at home, usually if you tell her to finish her tea we get "I need the toilet" or when we are ready to leave the house (regardless of when she has last been)

The other issue is constant tears at the slightest provocation - if you ask her to do something and she doesn't do it then naturally on the third or fourth time of asking there will be impatience in my voice, she calls this "mummy shouting" (I don't shout at her, or very rarely, as what comes before the shouting results in meltdown!)

I've tried explaining that if she does as she's asked we won't get irritated (and it can be very mild irritation), she will also cry if asked to turn the telly off or wear her jumper downstairs int he morning or put her raincoat on instead of her duffel coat.......

FYI dh is off work at the moment and has been since January, I still work 4 days a week but manage to take her to school wquite a lot and we have mummy and Martha time at the weekend so I don't think it's attention seeking in that regard.

So two issues. Fire away!

Re: Waterworks (both types!)

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 1:40 pm
by Caroline
GOing to the loo a lot can be related to anxiety. Is there anything she is likely to be anxious about atm? What is she like when at school? Have you asked her teacher at all?

Regarding the tears, I think this is a phase of over sensitivity they go through. India has just come out of a fortnight of the world ending at everything and is now happy as anything again (all for no obvious reason).

Re: Waterworks (both types!)

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 1:48 pm
by paw foot
I wouldn't be surprised if it is related to starting school. Daniel started foundation last September and he cries at things now and he never would have done that before. I'm not sure if it is because they are tired, frustrated or just a new way of expressing themselves but school has def had an impact on his behaviour.

I have found this year the most stressful and difficult to parent, it seems every new day brings a new challenge. I wish he came with an instruction booklet.

Sorry not much help but you are not alone :hug:

Re: Waterworks (both types!)

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 1:50 pm
by tracedw
On the first issue, is she actually doing a wee or just squeezing a small amount out each time?
Could she have an irritable bladder? if she is producing a lot of urine and is very thirsty it could be a sign of diabetes(unlikely i know)
Has her teacher noticed that she is going to the loo more i.e leaving during a lesson.
DS1 did this when he was in primary for a while, it was his way of getting out of subjects he didnt like/found difficult.
DS2 also went through a phase of using the loo all the time, at school and home, and i'm sure he had an irritable bladder, he grew out of it eventually.
Sorry cant be of any more help.

Re: Waterworks (both types!)

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 1:54 pm
by northernruth
DH finds the crying much worse to deal with that I do, my nstinct is just to give her a big hug until she calms down and then we have a chat about it. I hear him say "oh not the crying AGAIN" which just reminds me of my dad saying "enough with the waterworks" to me when I was little :(

As for anxiety, yes she does worry about stuff, but on holiday she seemed fine albeit maybe she got worried about going to the toilet itself IYKWIM

DH has a bit of an irritable bladder but until recently Martha could go hours without needing a wee. Never thought about the diabetes but she doesn't always drink much so not sure about it. She does oftne wee when she wants to go altho we had some roadside stops on holiday where she couldn't go and was in tears saying she didn't want to get back in the car cos she needed a wee, we just told her if that was the case it would be ok to wet her pants we wouldn't mind, and we gave her loads of water to drink so that when we next saw an actual toilet she could actually go.

Re: Waterworks (both types!)

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 2:49 pm
by beck
When I was younger I did this alot, every time I got the littliest bit nervous I would dash to the toilet.

Re: Waterworks (both types!)

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 6:47 pm
by confusinglady
This sounds similar to my LO. We ve had a few phases of it. Not really got to the bottom of it really.
We had lots of occasions of her needing to go urgently then wetting herself, this all coincided with her crying at the drop of a hat and what seemed like complete over reactions to things.
I ve taken her to the docs with wee samples but they ve always come back ok ( and the last nurse seemed to imply we were making it up Grr, or making a big deal about nothing!).

Anyway the things I ve tried is no bubbles in their bath, shampoo hair at the end and then get out as soon as poss after ( think that was advice I saw on here), just in case anything was irritating her bladder. I also de wormed us all as the other thing she was saying was she had a ' tickle in her bottom ' sorry TMI . We ve done 2 lots of tablets and she's been so much better, no backwards and forwards to the loo and not as irritable and eating better.

It could be coincidence.

Also agree with the others that anxiety and toilet stops can be linked. I ve suffered from that as a child.

Good luck xxx

Re: Waterworks (both types!)

PostPosted: Sat Apr 28, 2012 4:32 pm
by northernruth
That's an interesting point about worms, hadn't considered that. :-?

I have found that ther'es a condition called pollakiuria that is common in kids Martha's age, and that it can be related to stress. But since it started on holiday with the irritation from the pool (or possibly linked to constipation) I'm going to go with the plain baths and shampooing at the end approach and we are being more matter of fact about her needing the toilet and letting her know that there is always a toilet there if she needs one to reduce the anxiety associated with it. She is already talking about our trip to Scotland in June that she will need the toilet on the drive.

Re: Waterworks (both types!)

PostPosted: Sat Apr 28, 2012 6:51 pm
by Caroline
northernruth wrote:She is already talking about our trip to Scotland in June that she will need the toilet on the drive.


Can you get a cheap travel potty (like a Potette) and keep it in the car. I've found mine useful for both using as a potty with the liners in, or when I don't want India to sit on the toilet seat directly iykwim! Hopefully knowing it's always there could help to reduce some anxiety around the whole issue.