Urinary incontinence (UI) is among the most common paediatric problems and it is commonly assumed to resolve with age. Consequently, parents and clinicians often adopt a ‘wait and see’ approach to childhood UI (Berry, 2006). A significant proportion of children, however, continue to suffer from persistent UI into adolescence (Swithinbank et al, 1998; Hellstrom et al, 1995; Yeung et al, 2006; Heron et al, 2017). For example, the authors’ research using data from a large birth cohort (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children — www.bristol.ac.uk/alspac/) found that 4.2% of females and 1.3% of males experienced UI at the age of 14 years (Heron et al, 2017).