Continence Service outpatient referrals
RHC for Health Professionals
The aim of the paediatric continence service, is to promote continence, by supporting children/young people and their families to improve their symptoms, utilising a holistic assessment to provide options on treatment and intervention and offering education on behavioural and lifestyle changes that can promote bladder and bowel health.
Outpatient referrals to the paediatric continence service should be made via SCI gateway for Primary care and by letter to the paediatric continence service from secondary care.
Constipation in childhood can manifest with a variety of symptoms ,most commonly these include: the infrequent passage of stool (less than 4 complete stools weekly); difficulty/pain when passing stool; passage of hard ,large stools or hard pellets (rabbit droppings); stool withholding behaviours; abdominal discomfort and faecal incontinence.
Idiopathic constipation is described as constipation that cannot be explained by any anatomical or physiological abnormalities.
- Referral will be accepted for children from 6 months-16 years, from a paediatric doctor, underlying pathology or ‘red flag’ symptoms, should have been excluded and a diagnosis of idiopathic constipation made,with parent/carer/ child/young person consent.
- They should reside within the boundary area of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
- There should be no other diagnoses which impact on bowel function.
- Please include frequency and stool type as identified on Bristol Stool Chart
All children with constipation over the age of 18 months will be Vetted by a Paediatrician but not necessarily seen prior to referral to Nurse- Led Service