Helping your child through the changes that Peristeen Plus brings can be daunting. It helps to work through things together to build confidence and develop a system that works for you and your child. Hopefully you can all help each other gain more confidence as you go along.
Encourage your child to participate
If you have a young child, they will rely on you to empty their bowels until they learn to do it by themselves. Make sure that you get clear instructions and training on how to use Peristeen Plus from your healthcare provider before using the system at home with your child. Encouraging your child to take interest in the bowel care process will help to build confidence and independence.
Create a routine and stick to it
Peristeen Plus isn’t a magic solution. Once you learn the basics, succeeding with Peristeen Plus is about developing a personal routine that works for you and your child. Until you get a routine in place, it’s only natural to feel some uncertainty. However, with parental help, many children are capable of developing a fine-tuned routine after a few weeks, though it can take longer.
Find the time of day that works for your family
You may need to experiment before you feel it’s working the way it should – take heart in knowing that this is completely normal. Users often perform their first irrigations in the evenings or weekends so they don't have to rush through it. Over time, some users tend to empty their bowels in the morning so they feel secure during the day. If you change the time your child normally performs the irrigation, remember it will take some time before you notice a lasting difference.
Irrigate after eating
Starting irrigation 20 to 30 minutes after eating can help stimulate your child's natural bowel activity, making it easier to empty them.
Keep a diary
Keeping a record of your child's irrigations with Peristeen Plus using the diary provided in your Peristeen Plus information packet, is a great way of figuring out what works so you can optimise your routine. You can also download and print a copy of the a Peristeen Plus diary here.
