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16:22 - 16:26
ICCS S2-3
(SO)
CHILDREN'S EXPERIENCES OF VOIDING SCHOOL INTERVENTION
Anneli SAARIKOSKI
1
, Riitta KOPPELI
2
and Anna AXELIN
3
1) Helsinki University Hospital and University of Turku, Department of nursing science, The Hospital of Children and
Adolescence, Helsinki, FINLAND - 2) Helsinki University Hospital, Jorvi Hospital, Espoo, FINLAND - 3) University of
Turku, Department of Nursing Science, Turku, FINLAND
PURPOSE
This qualitative focus-group study describes children’s experiences of voiding school intervention.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Children, aged 6-12, participated in the voiding school at the nurse-led outpatient clinic. The intervention included two
one-day group visits two months apart. The educational content was based on the International Children’s Continence
Society's standards for urotherapy. The education was delivered with child-oriented teaching methods such as play and
group discussion with other children. At the end of the second visit, 19 children (mean age 9 years, range 7-12; 12 girls
and 7 boys) were interviewed in five focus groups. Data were analyzed with inductive content analysis.
RESULTS
The participating children experienced incontinence as a substantial burden in their daily life. They felt shame and had
also experienced bulling because of it. Although the voiding school raised mixed feelings in the children, they
experienced it very positively. The children perceived it as more child-oriented than usual outpatient visit with their
parents, in where adults communicated mostly with each other. In the voiding school, videos and learning-by-doing
helped children to understand the basis of the advice they were given. With the help of this education they were able to
learn and remember new habits that gave them control over the incontinence. Peer support helped them to talk about
this embarrassing subject. Sharing experiences with peers and improvements in their incontinence supported the
children’s self-esteem and encouraged them to do new things, such as staying overnight with friends.
CONCLUSIONS
Voiding school as a child-oriented intervention provides the means for children themselves to have control over their
incontinence.