Catheters for Children
If your child needs to use a catheter, you should know that there’s nothing to be afraid of. On this page, you’ll find basic child catheter information as well as links to educational resources provided by the leading manufacturers of catheters for children.
Finding the Right Child Catheter
Many catheters have unique designs to accommodate your child’s individual needs such as dexterity issues, urethral sensibility due to trauma, and visual impairment. Since there is a wide range of catheters to choose from, your child may have to try several different items before finding their preferred type. The good news is, with Strive Medical, you can get free samples of different sizes and styles, including coudé tip catheters, until you find the right fit.
Catheter for Child
There are several different categories of catheters available to choose from such as intermittent catheters and long-term catheters. Intermittent catheters are for self-cathing patients and have a variety of designs, including straight tip, coudé, and closed system. Long-term use catheters, such as indwelling Foley catheters, are routinely used in hospitals, nursing homes, and for wheelchair-bound patients who are unable to catheterize themselves intermittently.
These items come in unique styles such as hydrophilic coated, uncoated, hydrogel, pocket size for travel, pre-attached to a bag, PVC, silicone, and red rubber. Pre-lubricated (hydrophilic) catheters are especially popular with young patients because they are ready to use with an easy-to-break water packet to activate the catheter’s lubrication.
Pediatric Catheter Size
When trying to find the right pediatric catheter size, you should know that there are different sizes based on whether you need an infant catheter or a pediatric catheter. You will have to adjust the size of your child’s catheter as they grow, so your doctor will help you find and stay on top of the most comfortable size catheter for your child.
The average infant catheter French sizes are 6-8, and the averages for a pediatric catheter are 6-12 French sizes, but of course, this can vary widely depending on your child’s age. Teenagers will likely need catheters that are closer to adult sizes.
Is it Painful to Cath?
Catheterization may be difficult for many patients at first, and it will likely take time for your child to get used to the process, but inserting a catheter should not be painful. If your child is in pain, you should consult your doctor right away about what might be wrong. There are several things you can change to make cathing easier for you and your child:
- Experiment with different sizes to find the sweet spot between pain and leakage.
- Make sure you’re using enough lubrication to reduce friction. You can also try a hydrophilic catheter that already has a water-absorbing coating.
- Your child’s healthcare provider may order hydrogel or hydrophilic catheters to minimize discomfort and reduce friction during insertion. Some catheters utilize a water vapor inside the package to hydrate the catheter so you won’t need to add water or break a water packet.
- For boys, if they are experiencing trouble cathing, a urethral stricture due to trauma, or false passages, your doctor can prescribe you a coudé tip catheter instead of a straight-tipped one. A coudé tip catheter only comes in male sizes of 12-16 inches long And 8FR at its smallest. There are coude tips available from Coloplast, Hollister, etc. in 8 french,
Using a Catheter
Gently guide your child through the process of learning self-catheterization
with resources directly from Coloplast.
Types of Child Catheters
We have intermittent child catheters for boys in and out of wheelchairs. Whether you need a catheter with a straight tip, coudé tip, or one that’s extra long for ease of use, you’ll find the highest quality brands from Strive Medical.
We carry pediatric and baby catheters for girls from leading manufacturers of pediatric catheter supplies. It is very important that girls properly clean their hands and urethral opening before inserting the catheter to reduce the risk of UTIs.
Cleanliness is extremely important, especially when using a pediatric or baby catheter. Closed system catheters have all your supplies packaged in a sterile environment and do not come in contact with the patient’s hand which reduces the risk of contamination. These are hydrophilic and available in straight or coudé tip catheters. Closed system catheters should never be reused as this item, and all intermittent catheters, are single-use only.
Coudé Tip Catheter
Catheters with coudé tips are helpful as catheters for boys who find cathing uncomfortable. This catheter is designed to curve around obstructions and navigate the urethral canal with less discomfort.
Training Materials for Parents and Children
Did you know there is a mobile app you can download for your child that has how-to guides and instructions for children who need catheters? Download from the Apple App store or Google Play store today. Search for "kids guide" or "catheter".
Also, our two leading manufacturing partners that make pediatric and baby catheters are Cure/Convatec and Coloplast. Both have high-quality product lines that include catheters with coudé tips, closed system kits, and those ideal for children in wheelchairs.
At Strive Medical, we are happy to provide you with free samples of a variety of pediatric and infant catheters from any of our amazing manufacturers for you to test and try.
Coloplast Resources
Coloplast has pediatric catheter resources for you and your child to use for training or finding the right style.
Cure Medical Resources
Cure has easy-to-follow pediatric catheter resources on their website with lots of excellent training material.
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