Kinderen met urine- incontinentie en obstipatie: effect van colonspoelen op kwaliteit van leven.

Abstract

Context: Children older than the age of five with bladder dysfunction and fecal incontinence, often have a poor self-image, less social independence and more anxiety. Fecal incontinence frequently comes together with problems in behaviour and with a reduced quality of life of the child. To improve the quality of life of these children, tackling the fecal incontinence is very important. Aim: This feasibility research concerns a pilot for testing the quality of life of children who are treated for fecal incontinence as comorbidity of urine incontinence by day, on the basis of the dysfunction of bladder and urine tract. This study investigates the differences in perception of quality of life of the child before and after colon flush compared with children receiving treatment by oral laxatives. Method: The population, used for this study, consists of 20 children with constipation and urine incontinence by day, and their parents. To determine relevant elements of the current treatment and the perception of quality of life, four questionnaires were completed before and after the received treatment. After that, statistical analyses were conducted to reveal effects. Results: Despite considerable efforts to improve inclusion rates, in the end only 20 patients participated. This number is too small to test for statistical significance. Results will be tentativily presented by absolute numbers. Children who start with colon flush possibly show an improvement of quality of life at all questionnaires after the start of their treatment. The parents of these children seem to confirm this picture. Conclusion: At return to the central research questions, the absolute numbers seem to point at an improvement in children and their parents as to perception of quality of life, six till eight weeks after the children started with colon flush. Although these results are not substantiated by statistical analyses, they do offer leads for further research.