Voiding dysfunction

Voiding dysfunction means that your child is unable to completely empty her bladder.

• In a normal cycle, your child’s bladder stretches easily when it fills with urine and then contracts fully during voiding.
• There should be no premature contractions of the bladder or increases in pressure as it fills.
• During the normal voiding phase, there should be complete relaxation of the external urethral sphincter muscle, so the urine released from the bladder flows smoothly and completely, without interruption, as the bladder empties itself.
• An interrupted or intermittent flow of urine or incomplete emptying are causes of voiding dysfunction.

Urodynamics testing

Children’s Hospital Boston uses urodynamics testing to evaluate how your child’s bladder carries out its two main functions: filling and emptying. The results of this testing will allow your child’s physicians to better diagnose and voiding dysfunction.

Experience journal

Read stories, watch videos, and learn about personal experiences from families about what it's like to live with clean intermittent catherterization.