National Advisory Service to Parents of Children with a Stoma (NASPCS) - the charity for incontinent and stoma children

The main objectives of the National Advisory Service to Parents of Children with a Stoma (NASPCS) are: to obtain statistics on the number of children with serious bladder and bowel disorders; to provide a contact and information service for both parents and professionals; to help parents understand the practical day-to-day management of all aspects of coping with a child with either a Colostomy, Ileostomy or Urostomy; to give advice on the incontinence often encountered with bladder and bowel problems and try to give practical information on the support available from the Social Services and other agencies and to advise on educational problems.

One area sadly lacking due to the fact that NASPCS is a relatively new organisation is to contact teenagers who have coped for so many years without this form of backup. To encourage them to become members, as their experience of life could be invaluable to younger members facing similar situations.

Membership is free to families and professionals. Our survival is dependant upon fund raising and donations. Apart from the many information booklets and leaflets that we have available we produce a quarterly newsletter, and several videos for patients and carers. Conditions represented by NASPCS include the following.

• Cloacal Exstrophy
• Colonic/Intestinal Neuranal Dysplasia
• Ectopia Vesicae
• Exomphalos
• Gastroschisis
• Hirschsprung's Disease
• Imperforate Anus
• Prune Belly Syndrome
• Vater Association

The NASPCS produces leaflets on the above conditions and the following booklets: My Child Has an Imperforate Anus, My Child Has Hirschsprung's Disease, All about your Mitrofanoff, Ideas for Faecal Soiling, and Our Special Children.

Checked: July 2006