Caring for a child with an ostomy

Unless your child’s physician says otherwise due to specific medical concerns, absolutely! Your child can be held, hugged and may even play with friends and family, just as he or she did prior to surgery. The only restrictions may be contact sports, such as football or wrestling, as the impact from these activities may damage the stoma. Your healthcare professional can provide you with any restrictions.

The stoma has no nerve endings, so your child should not feel pain when you touch the stoma, or when she or he passes stool or urine.
Right after surgery, your child's belly may be tender, but this should lessen each day as the stoma heals. Once healed, your child can play as desired—and even crawl on his or her tummy—unless nurses and doctors advise against it.

Typically, the pouch is emptied when it is one-third full. This will prevent heaviness, pulling away from the skin and leaks. It is also more difficult to empty the pouch when it is too full.

Wiping the end of the pouch clean helps avoid odors and clothing stains. You can avoid skin irritation by always making sure the tail closure is not pressing into your child’s body.

For many parents, it is easiest to empty the pouch into a diaper every three to four hours, or as needed. Older children who are beginning to be toilet trained should be taught to sit on the toilet, with their bottoms back as far as they can sit, and to empty the pouch directly into the toilet. Placing toilet paper in the toilet before the pouch is emptied may help prevent splashing.

Bathing will not hurt the stoma. Many parents choose to bathe their children with the pouch on, since there is no way to know when stool or urine will pass from the stoma. They then change the pouch after the bath.

When bathing your child, choose a mild, oil- and moisturizer-free soap that will not interfere with how adhesives will stick to your child's skin. Make certain that the skin is rinsed with water and completely dry before applying a new pouching system.