Daughter With Giggle incontinence :(

[mummypower85]

I've booked my 12 Year old DD into the Doctors today after she suffered the worst embarrassment ever yesterday. She has been having problems with giggle incontinence now for the past couple of years. It is usually only a small amount but recently the amount that she is leaking is starting to increase. I didn't think anything of it at first because it used to happen to myself and even one of my friends when I was younger. But it cleared up by the time I hit puberty.

Yesterday she fully wet herself after laughing in Drama Lesson at school. She was so embarrassed that she didn't even want to go to school today. Any advice on how to increase her confidence after this has happened? Has anyone else had to console a child who has had an accident at senior school? I Feel so bad for her and I just want to find a quick fix. I hope the Doctor has the answers we need But any suggestions are welcome

[SofandElsie]

Osteopath treatments are very effective and drinking through straws to improve the muscles

[ERIC-Charity Partner]

Sorry to hear about the accident your daughter had at school recently - that's a really tough thing to happen at her age. You could show here the teens area of the ERIC website as a way of trying to reassure her that she's not alone with this issue: eric.org.uk/is-it-just-me

Young people also share tips on these pages about how they broached the subject with their friends and learnt tactics of managing their bladder. Alina@ERIC

[liverish]

This sounds like it could be a stress incontinency that happens on the stress of laughing, in which case there are ways to improve control - let’s hope it’s that! True giggle incontinence is very rare and is a cataplexy - a problem with the brain sending ‘go to sleep’ signals to the bladder sphincter when in the throws of laughter, it is characterized by complete uncontrollable voiding during laughter, this can happen several times a day. It is a very cruel condition and never goes away, though it happens with less frequency as adults don’t laugh as regularly as children. If you think it is giggle incontinence then please get your daughter help, Ritalin (which is prescribed for narcolepsy) can help, but I promise you not very many paediatric urologists deal with this condition and tend to treat as a stress incontinence - which is completely useless. Good luck!

[KateSt]

Hi, my daughter (14) also has giggle incontinence and we have spent a couple of years trying different medications. We are seen at the Evelina Childrens Hospital in London, and have just found out that what they thought was stress incontinence is actually true giggle incontinence and needs a completely different treatment. There is so much I could tell you having been through it for the last few years, if you need any help or advice please email back and I’ll be happy to help.

[Glasgowgirl79]

Hi, My daughter has giggle incontinence and has been prescribed Ritalin. We are hopefully starting next Monday. She too had a major episode yesterday and year through a large tena lady and soaked skirt. I need to find some better pads but am hoping the Ritalin will work.