A personal journey to better bowel control
Esther, mother of Quint. Quint, 12 was born with spina bifida and uses Peristeen: “With Quint, it helped that we made Peristeen something fun. We didn’t make it seem too serious and that helped put him at ease. By focusing on the positive aspects, we made him see that bowel management was a good thing for him.”*
Learning how to empty their bowels is an important step in every child’s development. It helps them feel more confident and gives them freedom to participate in social activities like swimming or playing with friends.
Encouraging your child to participate in the process
Initially, your child will rely on you for support with irrigations. Make sure that you follow instructions that you've received during your initial product training from your healthcare provider. As soon as your child is old enough, encourage your child to participate in the procedure. This can help your child achieve independence sooner and increase confidence. Help your child increase heir independence gradually, by showing them how to use Peristeen Plus by themselves. Start with the simpler tasks like filling the water bag, and getting familiar with the system and pump, and then progress as they get older and more confident.
Make the process as fun as possible
Try turning the Peristeen Plus routine into a game. For some children, it can be helpful to add some fun activities while waiting in the bathroom, such as toys, books, homework or even an iPad.
If anxiety is high, listening to music or downloading colouring apps may help. For some kids, relaxing the mind is extremely important and "doing" things actually tightens their sphincters without them even realizing it.
Reward them
Children love being rewarded for doing well. Introduce a special rewards system to make Peristeen Plus process more fun, and help build it into the daily routine. Talk to your Coloplast® Care Advisor about ideas for fun activities or more personalized support at 1-866-293-6349 or e-mail casupport@coloplast.com.
*Coloplast has compensated this caregiver to share their product experience. Each person's situation is unique so your experience may not be the same. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether this product is right for you.
Information from Coloplast Care is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice and should not be interpreted to contain treatment recommendations. Each person’s situation is unique and risks, outcomes, experience, and results may vary. Talk to your healthcare professional about what may be right for you. Prior to use, please refer to product ‘Instructions for Use’ for intended use and relevant safety information.
