Absenteeism, Educational Plans, and Anxiety Among Children With Incontinence and Their Parents

Abstract

Absenteeism contributes to familial anxiety and educational difficulties. Despite the potential for educational plans to support these children at school, these plans are underutilized for children with incontinence. This population requires more attention to their academic and social-emotional well-being at school.

Left behind and left out: The impact of the school environment on young people with continence problems

“…Participants commonly reported that their lessons were disrupted due to frequent toilet visits and those with severe daytime continence problems reported leaving the classroom 3 or 4 times during a lesson to use the toilet. This finding is consistent with other studies on school experiences in young people with continence issues and other chronic health conditions which report higher rates of absenteeism in these populations (Filce & LaVergne, , ; Sato et al ., ; Wodrich & Cunningham, ). Absenteeism, even for part of a lesson, creates reduced opportunities for learning, asking questions, and teacher contact.…”

“…The results of this study align closely with previous work conducted outside the United Kingdom on the experiences of school children with continence problems. These individuals all report less than satisfactory toilet conditions, conflicting rules regarding toilet access, and trepidation in disclosing their problem to teachers (Filce & LaVergne, ; Lundblad & Hellstrom, ; Lundblad et al ., ). However, in addition to previous work, it highlights the social and academic challenges faced by this group.…”

“…Qualitative work with Swedish schoolchildren aged 8–14 currently receiving treatments for functional bladder problems reported experiencing conflicting rules about toilet access, fears that peers and/or teachers will discover they have a continence problem, and difficulty reconciling toileting recommendations with their psychological needs (Lundblad, Berg, & Hellstrom, ). A questionnaire‐based study of US school children aged 6–19 years with chronic illness resulting in incontinence found that they had greater than expected rates of absenteeism from school (Filce & LaVergne, ). Two UK‐based reviews of experiences of school toilets in general population samples of schoolchildren found that they frequently express dissatisfaction with toilet facilities, they lack privacy, and they are commonly reported as locations for bullying and intimidation (Burton, ; Vernon, Lundblad, & Hellstrom, ).…”

“…Previous literature on other chronic health problems in children has reported adverse impacts on schooling, both in terms of participation and educational attainment, higher rates of absenteeism, and higher levels of distractibility (Brandstaetter, Leifgren, & Silkworth, ; Gortmaker, Walker, Weitzman, & Sobel, ; Lowe, ). Adolescents with chronic health problems often miss part of or whole lessons resulting in reduced teacher contact and learning time and subsequent decreases in understanding and progress (Filce & LaVergne, ; Caldwell et al ., ; Carroll, ; Needham, Crosnoe, & Muller, ). The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of young people with continence problems at secondary schools in the United Kingdom.…”

Pediatric Hospital School Programming: An Examination of Educational Services for Students who are Hospitalized

“…Self-confidence and achievement motivation are undermined. (p. 395) These effects are frequently exacerbated by learning difficulties, as children with chronic medical conditions or special health care needs endure multiple short-term and long-term issues that adversely affect their ability to learn (Filce & LaVergne, 2015;Forrest, Bevans, Riley, Crespo, & Louis, 2011). According to Clay (2004), approximately 20% of children have a chronic illness and, for at least one-third of these, the illness is significant enough to negatively impact normal educational progress.…”