It is important that you do not neglect your routine. With consistent use, transanal irrigation (TAI) can allow your child to have more control over their bowel. It can also reduce the overall amount of time spent on bowel management compared to conservative bowel management treatment. But, to see these benefits, your child must continue to use TAI regularly. If your child gets out of the habit of irrigating, they need to get back on track. This is where you come in. Learn how get your child back into their TAI routine and common signs a routine may soon break.
What do I do if we are out of our TAI routine?
If you are out of your TAI routine, you can always just simply start again. Why wait? The sooner you begin your child’s irrigations again, the sooner they will begin to benefit.
It is always easier to re-establish a routine once you have one irrigation under your belt. The next one will be easier and soon you will be back in the habit of using TAI.
When starting a new TAI routine with your child, always emphasise that this is something that you are going to do for a long time. Be clear that you expect to be doing this with them and again tell them why it is important.
If you frequently find that you get out of the habit of TAI, think about additional things you can do to incentivise them (and yourself!) to keep going. You may want to come up with a reward system and offer a small incentive for every time your child completes a full week or irrigations. Adding a sticker chart or a points system in the bathroom can also help as a physical reminder that they need to irrigate.
Also think about when it is easiest for your child to perform their irrigation with your help. Perhaps they need to fit around your work schedule, or perhaps you have noticed they are more willing in the evenings after a meal? (The optimal time for an irrigation is 20-30 minutes after having eaten a meal). Try to choose a time that fits you both, that way, you have the greatest chance of maintaining your routine.
If you are worried about how irregular your child’s irrigations are, you may wish to use an irrigation diary to keep track. Documenting your child’s irrigations is a great way to get an overview of progress and see if you need to step up their TAI routine. Perhaps you even ask your child to fill this out for you so they feel more involved and invested in their bowel treatment – their increased involvement in the process will help them to maintain their own interest in using TAI routinely.
What do I do if my teenager is out of their TAI routine?
When is my child most likely to drop out of a TAI routine?
We all get out of the habit of certain things at times, and this is not automatically something to be worried about. The main thing is to notice this has happened, and act upon it! There are times however, when you and your child are more likely to break your irrigation routine. You can look out for these blockers in advance.
If your child has had an unsuccessful irrigation. Sometimes routines are threatened when your child does not see the benefit of using TAI. It may be that they have had a couple of unsatisfactory irrigations and have therefore lost motivation. If this is the case, it may be necessary to sit down with them and discuss what has happened.
An open dialogue may help to re-initiate a routine and you may need to come with some additional incentives. This may include talking about how TAI will help them, and also thinking about other ‘treats’ you may be able to offer them if they continue to stick to their routine.
If your child’s daily life has been disrupted in some way. Simply getting out of your usual family habits is enough to change your TAI routine. Perhaps you have just come back from holiday or have had other pressures in your life which has impacted your child’s irrigations. This change is enough to make a routine slip. If you know you are going away and your child will be unable to irrigate as normal, plan how you will support them in getting back into the habit once you return.
As your child gets older other pressures may also interfere with their TAI routine. Exams and social pressures may mean the mental burden of TAI is felt more prominently or interferes with their daily life. Remind them that you are there to support them.
Consider the time that they standardly irrigate and see if this is the most practical for their life. It may be time to suggest they make an adjustment to their routine.
Remember, always consult your healthcare provider before making adjustments to your child’s TAI routine. [Link: 15 – adjusting your routine]
