Children’s self-esteem and confidence can be badly affected by problems associated with continence, writes Janine Armocida.

Continence issues in schools continue to be an ongoing concern. Many health professionals recognise that children who experience the problem, particularly if they do not have a defined disability, are poorly understood. Support for these children can vary greatly from state to state, region to region, and even at an individual school level. Every now and again, continence issues in schools hits the media, often demonstrating a lack of understanding about schoolchildren's toileting needs, which can also lead to public outcry. So how common are continence issues in schools? There are a wide...