ERIC eNews

So… what’s been happening on the ERIC Helpline?

We’re very pleased to have another opportunity to let you know what has been happening on the Helpline since our last e-Newsletter! 

 As a result of ERIC’s ‘Banish the Wee Horror’ campaign, calls to the Helpline increased during June and calls about bedwetting were up.  July was a little quieter but we expect this to be the case as families gear up for the summer holidays.  However, August became busier as time got closer for a return to school.  Our busiest time on the Helpline is in the mornings and on average a call to the Helpline has a duration of 20 minutes.  Although most of our calls come from the UK we have an increasing amount from overseas.

Message boards

Our website message boards have been getting busier too and we view this as another way that ERIC can respond to giving information that may be useful to anyone affected by childhood continence issues.  The message boards are also a valuable source of support as they provide an opportunity for people to touch base with others who are experiencing similar problems and this can help alleviate feelings of isolation and despair.  Aside from the message boards there is also a great deal of useful information on our website so why not pay us a visit online?

Pick up the phone and call 

It takes a lot of courage to pick up the phone and talk to a complete stranger about issues of peeing and pooing which, although they are fundamental functions for us all, unfortunately are still viewed with some disdain within our society.  Being anonymous can help people feel more comfortable about seeking support and information and to this end ERIC also provides an email and text Helpline service.  Email links can be found on our website and the text number is 447 624 811 636. 

Confidential 

Anonymity can be particularly appealing to children and young people and we would like to encourage more of these groups to make use of the services that ERIC provides so please help us to raise our profile by spreading the word about ERIC to any children or young people you know who are struggling with bedwetting – or daytime wetting, constipation and soiling as it’s not just bedwetting that we can help with.  

Next time

In our next e-Newsletter we plan to start a regular feature focusing on the type of enquiries that we get on the Helpline and how we help.  We very much look forward to this ongoing contact with you all so that you can get a real feel for what our Helpline is all about!