Social situation of children suffering from enuresis

Social situation of children suffering from enuresis In the process of socialization, people often achieve a certain social status (grading on social ladder). The social development and position of the person are principally influenced by their health state. This is the basic determinant of the whole socialisation process and of maintaining the achieved social status of the man/woman, as the social position of a completely healthy and efficient man is completely different than the position of a chronically ill person, with a defect or limitation of movement. Enuresis is one of the most frequent long-term problems in paediatrics. A number of epidemiologic studies has shown that 15-20% of five-year-old and 10% of seven-year-old children have problems with urine leakage. Incontinency brings psychological and social problems to children. These problems may cause considerable handicaps to children. Enuresis may be stressing for children, may initiate the feeling of shame, failure, inferiority. Moreover this means a limitation in the usual activity for a number of them (travelling, participation in camps, school trips etc.) The target of the thesis was to find out if the illness worsens the social status of the child in the society of contemporaries and how. The research was performed at the summer camp for children suffering from enuresis and encopresis, organised by the Faculty of Health and Social Studies of the South Bohemian University in České Budějovice. In the thesis, the following methods and techniques of data collection were applied: method of observation (hidden participant), method of document analysis (contents analysis), method of questioning (non-controlled interview). It was found out by the research that the social status of children suffering from enuresis is endangered. Within social interaction these children avoid the other children on one hand as they are ashamed because of their illness, on the other hand they need social contact with contemporaries. However, all the children with enuresis do not have necessarily such experiences. The thesis has shown that the orientation on the personal identity of the child is necessary in the social work (i.e. the children have to learn to respect their own personality and to strengthen their good and healthy self-confidence)