As repeatedly stated, self-management skills help control a variety of chronic conditions. Most efforts have been directed towards more common chronic illnesses, such as arthritis, diabetes, and asthma. Self-management skills, however, have found a use with rare conditions, such as cauterization of the urethra. Bray and Sanders pointed out that the need to catheterize through the urethra can begin at any age and stage of development in a child's life and may involve different strategies for teaching. Intermittent self-catheterization, as a self-management technique, can be of benefit both physically and psychologically to children and young people. Educational strategies are available to aid health care providers in teaching children and young people self-intermittent catheterization. Use of innovative techniques and resources may assist the practitioner in teaching self-catheterization successfully to this challenging population.

VALUE OF STUDY TO READER: The discussion by Bray and Sanders offers yet more evidence for the increasing value of self-management across chronic conditions.

L. Bray, G. Sanders. Teaching children and young people intermittent self-catheterization. Urological Nursing, 2007;27:203-209, 24.2