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Nearly a million children and young people have a bladder or bowel problem in the UK. 40% are bullied because of it, which makes them feel embarrassed, isolated, ashamed and depressed. 

Dealing with a child’s continence problem can be physically, emotionally and financially strenuous for parents. They feel misunderstood by friends and family members and judged by society for having a child who is incontinent.

The children’s continence charity, ERIC, helps children and families manage or overcome continence difficulties. ERIC provides information and support; hosts online forums for sufferers to share their experiences; trains health professionals to better understand and treat childhood incontinence; and campaigns to raise awareness of the condition and improve continence care.

The ERIC helpline is a lifeline for families who don’t know where else to turn for help and support with managing their child’s wetting or soiling problem. The continence specialists give one-to-one support to parents who are often at their wits end and feel they are alone in their suffering.

‘Thank you so much ERIC. Your help has transformed our lives in a very short time.’ - Parent of a child who used ERIC’s information to manage her son’s bed-wetting.

Sophia’s son Max started withholding poo at two years’ old. Family life was dominated by Max’s problem. The information about stool withholding that Sophia found on the ERIC website led her doctor to correctly diagnose Max’s condition and prescribe laxative treatment. Max has now fully recovered and has little memory of the ordeal he went through.

‘Unless you’ve been through this with your own child, it’s hard for anyone else to imagine how distressing it can be.’ - Sophia

Over the last two years, the ERIC nurse has trained 450 health professionals to spot the signs and symptoms of continence problems and to know where to signpost families for support. The ERIC nurse was shortlisted for a Nursing Times Award in 2014.

‘It has given me the confidence to give parents confidence…thank you for the most relevant training I’ve had on continence for years.’ - Health visitor who attended ERIC training.