WO1999033421A1

WO1999033421A1 - Child's enuresis undergarment

Info

Publication number: WO1999033421A1
Application number: PCT/US1998/026131
Authority: WO
Inventors: David W. Conway
Original assignee: Intellitecs International, Inc.
Priority date: 1997-12-31
Filing date: 1998-12-09
Publication date: 1999-07-08
Also published as: AU1633899A

Abstract

A child's enuresis undergarment (8) includes an undergarment body portion (14) having a self-adjusting support (32) connected to the undergarment front and back waist areas (21, 22). The self-adjusting support (32) has a front elasticized panel (34), a back elasticized panel (36), and a fluid-resistant, discharge-receiving panel (37) therebetween, the discharge-receiving panel (37) capable of receiving an absorbent pad (52). In use, the discharge-receiving panel (37) and pad (52) are positioned in close, confronting relationship with a child's external genitalia (90, 92), thereby absorbing and retaining urine from an enuretic void or voids, and reducing the possibility of urine soiling the undergarment body portion (14), outer clothing, and/or bedding. If desired, the front and back elasticized panels (34, 36) may be sized and/or positioned within the undergarment (8) so as to locate the discharge-receiving panel (37) centrally in the crotch area (25) of a girl's panty (12) or forwardly in the crotch area (25) of a boy's brief (10).

Description

CHILD'S ENURESIS UNDERGARMENT

Background of the Invention

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to children's undergarments, for

example, a girl's panty or a boy's brief, and more particularly, to such

undergarments having a feature or features on the body-facing side of the

undergarment which assist in collecting and/or absorbing urinary voids.

Description of The Related Art

Many children throughout the world suffer from a form of urinary

incontinence known as enuresis, which refers to the involuntary discharge of urine

after the age by which a child's bladder control should have been established. Most

typically, a child develops voluntary control of urination by the age of five.

However, there is a substantial population for which this is not the case. For example, nocturnal enuresis, typically referred to as "bed wetting", generally is

present in about ten percent of otherwise healthy five-year-old children, and in

about one percent of otherwise healthy children at age fifteen. Tabor 's Cyclopedic

United States alone, there are approximately 1.6 billion bed wettings per year.

Moreover, enuresis is not limited to urinary incontinence which occurs during the

night time. Many children experience urinary incontinence during the day, a

condition known as diurnal enuresis. Id. at page 653.

In the vast majority of cases, there is no organic basis for persistent

enuresis. While toilet training may play a role in many cases, emotional stress,

such as the birth of a sibling, a death in the family, or separation from the family,

may be associated with the onset of enuresis in a previously continent child. Id. at

page 653.

Enuresis also may be caused by disease or injury, and depending

upon the particular disease or injury, this urinary incontinence may be a long-term

condition. Some of the conditions that may cause enuresis include urinary tract

infection, increased fluid intake due to diabetes mellitus, any disease that interferes

with the formation of concentrated urine, trauma to or disease of the spinal cord,

and epilepsy. Disease usually also plays a role in the development of day-time

urinary incontinence, with this condition also persisting for long periods of time,

especially after a protracted illness. The day-time discharges themselves may be caused by muscular contractions brought about by laughing, coughing, or crying.

Id. at page 653.

Beyond the clinical aspects of this form of urinary incontinence, the

condition typically has a significantly negative impact on a child's self-esteem.

And although a loss of self-esteem is undesirable in general, it is particulary

undesirable in childhood, a time which is extremely important in developing a

person's sense of self-confidence and self-esteem. For example, a child may be

embarrassed by his or her lack of bladder control, and therefore, may be reluctant to

participate in a full range of activities, for fear of embarrassment or lack of

acceptance. For example, if the child is a bed wetter, he or she may be reluctant to

go to a slumber party. Alternatively, if the child has day-time incontinence, he or

she may be reluctant to play with friends, or even to attend school.

Given the substantial number of children with enuresis, the sizable

number of involuntary urinary voids experienced by these children, and the

reduction in self-esteem which typically accompanies this condition, it is extremely

important to assist the child in any way possible. One such form of assistance has

been to provide a pad which may be placed in a child's undergarment for receiving

an enuretic void. This pad is quite long so that it may cover the external genitalia

of either a girl or a boy, and the pad is relatively thick as well. These features result

in a pad which is bulky and uncomfortable, and which also has a tendency to move

out of position within the undergarment, thereby reducing, and in some cases

preventing, any benefit, either when used during the nighttime or during the day. Moreover, because the pad is relatively bulky and slides around, and because the

pad may not effectively capture the void, a child is still likely to soil his or her bed

or clothing.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention overcomes the above-mentioned drawbacks

by providing an undergarment having a free-floating, self-adjusting support inside

the undergarment body. The self-adjusting support includes a front elasticized

panel, a back elasticized panel, and a discharge-receiving panel therebetween, with

the discharge-receiving panel adapted to receive an absorbent pad. The front panel

is connected to the front waist area of the undergarment, and the back panel is

connected to the back waist area, such that the discharge-receiving panel floats

within the undergarment. This design results in a child's undergarment in which

the discharge-receiving panel, and, if desired, a pad received on the discharge-

receiving panel, are positioned in close, confronting relationship with a child's

external genitalia, thereby absorbing and retaining urine from an enuretic void, and

reducing the possibility of urine soiling the undergarment body portion, outer

clothing, and/or bedding. Furthermore, the discharge-receiving panel remains in

close, confronting relationship even when a child is tossing and turning during

sleep, or walking or running about during the day.

In one form of the invention, the discharge-receiving panel of the

self-adjusting support is sized and constructed to receive a conventional absorbent

pad and to keep a large portion of the pad's upper surface exposed. This particular version of the discharge-receiving panel includes front and back pockets and

longitudinal sidewalls which serve to securely hold the pad, while at the same time

leaving most of the pad's upper surface exposed, so as to be in direct confronting

relationship with a child's external genitalia when the undergarment is worn. In

addition, the longitudinal sidewalls tend to cradle the external genitalia, thereby

further assisting in collecting and retaining urine from an enuretic discharge.

In another aspect of the invention, the length of the front panel may

be different from the length of the back panel, so as to create an undergarment

which is tailored to the particular sex and/or age of the child, thereby enabling the

undergarment to provide optimal urine collection and retention. For example, in a

girl's version of the undergarment, the front and back panels may be substantially

similar in length, thereby centrally locating the discharge-receiving panel and

absorbent pad within the undergarment and directly below the girl's genitalia.

While in a boy's version, the front panel may be substantially shorter than the back

panel, thereby positioning the discharge-receiving panel and pad more toward the

front of the undergarment in confronting relationship with the boy's genitalia.

Because the location of the discharge-receiving panel may be customized and

optimized in this manner, it is possible to produce undergarments in which the

length of the discharge-receiving panel is the same for a boy's version as it is for a

girl's version. It also is possible to produce an undergarment having a relatively

short discharge-receiving panel. These features have important implications for

enhanced comfort and appearance, and for reduced cost. For example, because a relatively short discharge-receiving panel may be used, a proportionately shorter

pad may be used as well, thereby giving the undergarment a more natural

appearance and more comfortable feel; also, because the shorter discharge-

receiving panel and shorter pad may be made with less material, they cost less to

produce. In addition, because the size of the discharge-receiving panel may be the

same in either a girl's or a boy's version, there is no need to make multiple pad

sizes. Accordingly, a manufacturer may realize lower costs through economies of

scale, and a retailer may preserve precious shelf space by having to stock only a

single pad size.

The undergarment itself may be any undergarment capable of

attachably receiving the self-adjusting support front and back panels and capable of

maintaining the discharge-receiving panel in close, confronting relationship with a

child's external genital area. Advantageously, the undergarment is a boy's brief or

a girl's panty having a traditional exterior appearance, thereby assisting a child in

feeling a relative sense of normalcy. Also, if a pad is used with the discharge-

receiving panel, the pad may be any conventional, relatively thin, disposable or

reusable absorbent pad.

By virtue of the foregoing, there is provided a convenient,

aesthetically pleasing undergarment which is capable of capturing urine

involuntarily discharged by a child, which is easy to make, and which does not

suffer from the drawbacks of the bulky, uncomfortable and shifting pads

traditionally used. For example, the discharge-receiving panel and front and back elasticized panels of the self-adjusting support are able to maintain a thin, absorbent

pad in close, confronting relationship to a child's external genital area, thereby

effectively absorbing and trapping discharged urine and preventing the body

portion of the undergarment from becoming soiled, even when the child is moving

around, either during the daytime or while asleep at night, ultimately resulting in an

enhancement of the child's self-esteem and self-confidence. These and other

objects and advantages of the present invention shall be made apparent from the

accompanying drawings and description thereof.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and

constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and

together with the general description of the invention given above, and the detailed

description given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Fig. 1A is a front, partially broken-away view of a boy's brief with a

discharge-receiving panel connected to the front and back waist areas by front and

back elasticized panels;

Fig. IB is a front, partially broken-away view of a girl's panty

having a discharge-receiving panel connected to the front and back waist areas of

the panty by front and back elasticized panels;

Fig. 2A is an elevated view of a self-adjusting support, including

front and back elasticized panels and a discharge-receiving panel therebetween; Fig. 2B is an elevated view of a conventional, absorbent pad for use

with the enuresis undergarment;

Fig. 3 A is a schematic, partial cross-sectional view of the lower

torso and groin area of a boy wearing the boy's brief of Fig 1 A; and

Fig. 3B is a schematic, partial cross-sectional view of the lower torso

and groin area of a girl wearing the panty shown in Fig. IB.

Detailed Description of the Drawings

Figs. 1 A and IB illustrate two particular versions of the

undergarment 8 made according to the principles of the invention, namely, a boy's

brief 10 and a girl's panty 12. Each undergarment 8 shown in these Figures

includes a body portion 14 having a front section 16 and a back section 18, a top

waist section 20 including a front waist area 21, a back waist area 22, and a

peripheral waist opening 23, a pair of leg openings 24, and a crotch area 25

extending between the front waist area 21 and the back waist area 22 between the

leg openings 24. In addition, as shown in Fig. 1A, the boy's brief 10 includes a fly

30. If desired, this fly 30 may be a cosmetic, inoperable fly, designed to give the

boy's brief 10 the appearance of being a traditional undergarment. Alternatively,

the boy's brief 10 may be formed with a traditional, operable fly.

With reference to Figs. 1 A-2A, the undergarment 8 further includes

a self-adjusting support 32 inside the undergarment body portion 14. The support

32 has a front elasticized panel 34, a back elasticized panel 36, and a discharge-

receiving panel 37 therebetween, stitched to the panels 34, 36 along stitch lines 38, and adapted to support a conventional, absorbent pad, such as the thin, flexible,

absorbent pad 52 shown in Fig. 2A. In addition, the front panel 34 is connected to

the front waist area 21, and the back panel 36 is connected to the back waist area

22. Moreover, in this particular version of the invention, the self-adjusting support

32 is connected to the undergarment 8 only at the front and back waist areas 21, 22.

With the exception of these connecting points, the self-adjusting support 32 is

unattached to the undergarment 8, and therefore, is able to float or move about

freely relative to the undergarment, so as to maintain a confronting relationship

with a child's genitalia area 90, 92 (Figs. 3A and 3B).

With reference to Figs. 2A, 3 A, and 3B, the discharge-receiving

panel 37 includes a child-facing surface 54 and a garment-facing surface 56, as well

as a front end 58, a back end 60, a front pocket 46, a back pocket 48, and a pair of

longitudinal sidewalls 40 extending from the front end 58 to the back end 60. The

front pocket 46 and the back pocket 48 have a non-pleated lip 70 finished with an

elasticized material 44. In addition, each of the longitudinal sidewalls 40 has a

leading section 72 and a trailing section 74, each of which is tacked via stitching 50

to a portion of the front and back pocket non-pleated lips 70. Also, each of the

longitudinal sidewalls 40 is slightly pleated (as shown at 42) and finished with an

elasticized material 44.

In this particular version of the undergarment 8, the front and back

pockets 46, 48 and longitudinal sidewalls 40 of the discharge-receiving panel 37

serve to securely hold the pad 52 on the panel 37, while at the same time leaving most of the pad's upper surface 62 exposed and in direct confronting relationship

with a child's external genital area, as at 90 and 92 in Figs. 3A and 3B,

respectively. In addition, the longitudinal sidewalls 40 tend to hug the portion (not

shown) of the crotch area 25 adjacent each side of the genitalia 90, 92, thereby

further assisting in collecting and retaining urine from an enuretic discharge.

The discharge-receiving panel 37 includes a liquid-resistant

material, with the term "liquid-resistant" referring to the ability of a particular

material or combination of materials to slow, inhibit, or even prevent the

transmission of a liquid through the material or combination of materials. If

desired, depending upon the particular liquid-resistant material employed, the

material may be coated or laminated onto another material. The particular material

or materials selected may advantageously be soft, flexible, and light weight, and

may possess a degree of elastic stretch. By way of example, the liquid-resistant

material may be a vinyl, urethane, or polyethylene, either alone or in combination

with another material. If desired, the discharge-receiving panel 37 may include a

knit, woven, or non- woven fabric on one or both of a body-facing surface 54 (Figs.

3 A and 3B) and a garment-facing surface 56 (Figs. 3 A and 3B) of the panel 37,

thereby improving wash, wear, and/or comfort. In addition, a liquid-resistant, non-

woven fabric may be used, either alone or in combination with other materials, in

forming the discharge-receiving panel 37.

By way of further example, the discharge-receiving panel 37 may be made

of a vinyl/fabric combination in which the vinyl is extruded onto a polyester, all- directional, stretch-knit fabric- This vinyl/fabric material may be obtained from

Ouimet, 2960 Sidco Drive, Nashville, TN 37204. Alternatively, the discharge-

receiving panel 37 may be made of an embossed vinyl film. If desired, this film

may be made by a casting process, in which the film is placed against a sheet of

casting paper, and the two layers are run over or under an embossing roller, with

the casting paper contacting the embossing roller. In this fashion, the embossing

pattern is transferred through the casting paper to the vinyl film. Then the casting

paper may be removed and discarded, or subsequently reused. Such a vinyl film

also is available from Ouimet, 2960 Sidco Drive, Nashville, TN 37204. Also, the

discharge-receiving panel 37 may be a urethane/fabric combination, in which a

urethane film is laminated to a polyester, all-directional, stretch-knit fabric.

In one particular version of the undergarment, the discharge-

receiving panel 37 is capable of assuming a natural, arcuate, cupping or cradle-like

shape having various dimensions. When in this shape, and not being worn by a

user, the support 37 has a length of about 8 Vi to about 9 inches, as measured along

the elasticized material 44 of the upper, arcuate edge of each longitudinal sidewall

40. Each of the elasticized longitudinal sidewalls 40, which assists in providing the

cradle-like shape, has an upstanding "height" of about ^XA to about 1 inch. In

addition, the front and back pockets 46, 48 have a depth of about 1 inch, and the

leading and trailing sections 72, 74 of the longitudinal sidewalls 40 are tacked (as at

50) to the front and back pocket lips 70, respectively, about 'Λ to about 1 inch in

(toward the longitudinal centerline of the panel 37) from the sides 80 located at the front and back ends 58, 60 of the discharge-receiving panel 37. These various

dimensions assist in providing a sidewall-to-sidewall width of from about 2 Vi

inches to about 3 Vi inches. While these dimensions are the dimensions of a

particular version of the panel 37 when the undergarment is not being worn, it

should be understood that, because of the flexible nature of the discharge-receiving

panel 37, the panel 37 is capable of conforming generally to the particular size and

movements of the user.

The discharge-receiving panel 37 may be made by starting with a

substantially rectangular, flat piece of the desired material or materials, with the flat

piece having a length of about 16 inches and a width of about 6 inches. The piece

of material or materials then may be formed into the discharge-receiving panel 37

described in detail above, using traditional textile manufacturing techniques.

For the sake of illustration, Fig. 2A depicts both a boy's version and

a girl's version of the self-adjusting support 32. In particular, the reference lines

labeled B (for boy) illustrate one example of the front and back terminating ends

84, 85 of the front and back elasticized panels 34, 36, for the boy's brief 10. These

ends 84, 85 subsequently are stitched to the front waist area 21 and back waist area

22 of the boy's brief 10, as shown in Figs. 1A and 3A. As shown in Figs. 2A and

3 A, because the boy's brief 10 includes a front panel 34 which is shorter than the

back panel 36, the discharge-receiving panel 37 and absorbent pad 52 are

positioned toward, and, if desired, into, the front waist area 21, so as to be in close,

confronting relationship with a boy's external genital area 90. For example, the back panel 36 may be at least about twice the length of the front panel 34, and

advantageously, about two to three times the length of the front panel 34. One

particular version of the brief 10 includes a front panel 34 having a length of about

1 14 inches and a back panel 36 having a length of about 4 inches.

Referring back to Fig. 2A, the reference lines indicated by the letter

G (for girl) denote an example of the terminating front and back ends 86, 87 of the

front and back elasticized panels 34, 36 of the self-adjusting support 32 used in the

girl's panty 12 shown in Figs. IB and 3B. These ends 86, 87 then are stitched to

the front waist area 21 and back waist area 22 of the panty 12. As shown in Figs.

2A and 3B, the front panel 34 and back panel 36 may be substantially similar in

length, thereby substantially positioning the discharge-receiving panel 37 and

absorbent pad 52 centrally in the crotch area 25. This positioning keeps the

discharge-receiving panel 37 and pad 52 in close, confronting relationship to the

girl's external genital area 92, thereby providing maximum effectiveness in

absorbing and retaining discharged urine. By way of further example, the back

panel 36 may advantageously have a length which is less than about twice the

length of the front panel 34. One particular version of the panty 12 includes a front

panel 34 length of about 114 inches and a back panel 36 length of about 2 14 inches.

The fabric used for the front and back elasticized panels 34, 36

shown in Figs. 1-3 may be any fabric having some degree of elastic stretch. For

example, the fabric may be a cotton/polyester blend, either with or without Lycra®

spandex. Alternatively, the fabric may be a nylon, a nylon blend, or Lycra® spandex. The elasticized panel may be a knit, woven, nonwoven, or film, and if a

knit fabric is used, the knit may be, for example, a jersey knit, interlock, or warp

knit. In addition, if yarns are used, the yarns may suitably be filament or spun

yarns. The particular material or materials used may advantageously have both

vertical and horizontal elastic stretch, capable of maximum stretch and recovery.

Also, the material or materials used for the front and back elasticized panels 34, 36

may be water repellant or absorbent, as will be readily understood by one of

ordinary skill in the art. The front and back elasticized panels 34, 36 may be

connected to the discharge-receiving panel 37 and front and back waist areas 24, 26

using any conventional method or methods. For example, the panels 34, 36 may be

sewn, fused or snapped to the panel 37 and waist areas 24, 26.

The body portion 14 of the undergarment may be formed of any

suitable material or combination of materials. However, because one purpose of

the invention is to provide an undergarment which looks and feels as natural and

traditional as possible, the body portion 14 advantageously may be made of a

cotton-rich blend, containing at least about 50 percent cotton, thereby providing the

look and feel of a traditional boy's brief or girl's panty. If desired, the cotton-rich

blend may be formed using a nylon and/or Lycra® spandex. Non-limiting

examples of other suitable materials include any natural or synthetic material, such

as cotton, nylon, polyester, or Lycra® spandex, for example, either as a

homogeneous material or in the form of a blend. In addition, the yarns themselves

may be regular yarns, microdenier yarns, spun yarns, or filament yarns, or various combinations thereof. And if desired, Lycra® spandex or some other elasticized

material may be incorporated into the fabric used for the undergarment body. The

undergarment body itself may be formed using conventional fabric weaves, knits,

cutting, sewing, and stitching techniques.

In order to achieve the goal of an undergarment having a traditional

appearance, while at the same time absorbing and retaining a urinary discharge, the

absorbent pad may be a conventional thin, soft, flexible pad made of disposable

materials, such as shown in Fig. 2B, so that the pad may be easily removed and

properly discarded after a void or series of voids. One particular version of the pad

may have a length of about 9 inches, a width of about 4 inches, and a thickness of

about 3/8 inch. In addition, the discharge-receiving panel 37 is designed to

accommodate virtually any thin, soft, flexible disposable or reusable pad, either of

which may be made using traditional materials and methods.

In using the undergarment 8 of the present invention, a parent or

child releasably secures a thin, soft absorbent pad 52 on the flexible, thin discharge-

receiving panel 37 which is suspended from the front and back waist areas 21, 22

by the front and back elasticized panels 34, 36. The parent or child then pulls the

peripheral waist opening 23 of the undergarment 8 up around the child's waist.

Because of the design of the discharge-receiving panel 37 and the front and back

elasticized panels 34, 36, the undergarment 8 maintains the absorbent pad 52 and

discharge-receiving panel 37 in close, confronting relationship to the child's

external genital area 90, 92, whether the child is stationary or is actively moving about, thereby absorbing urine from an enuretic void and preventing the urine from

soiling the body portion 14 of the undergarment 8, as well as outer garments and/or

bedding. In addition, because the self-adjusting support 32 and pad 52 are

relatively thin and flexible, the invention provides a natural-looking undergarment

8 which assists a child in managing urinary incontinence in a way which enhances

the child's self-esteem.

While the present invention has been illustrated by this description

of embodiments, and while the illustrative embodiments have been described in

considerable detail, it is not the intention of the inventor to restrict or in any way

limit the scope of the appended claim to such detail. Additional advantages and

modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. For example, the body

portion of the undergarment may be made of a material or blend having a

substantial amount of an elastic material, thereby allowing that particular

undergarment to accommodate children of many different shapes and sizes, while

still maintaining the discharge-receiving panel and pad in close, confronting

relationship to the particular child's external genital area, due, in large part, to the

elastic nature of the front and back panels. The invention, in its broader aspects, is

therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods,

and illustrative examples shown and described- Accordingly, departures may be

made from such details without departing from the spirit and scope of the general

inventive concept.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

Claims

1. A child's enuresis undergarment comprising a child's undergarment

body portion (14) having a front section (16), a back section (18), a waist

section (20) including a front waist area (21), a back waist area (22), and a

peripheral waist opening (23), a pair of leg openings (24), and a crotch area (25)

extending between the front waist area (21) and the back waist area (22)

between the leg openings (24); and a support (32) inside the undergarment body

portion (14), the support (32) having a front elasticized panel (34), a back

elasticized panel (36), and a discharge-receiving panel (37) therebetween,

characterised in that the front elasticized panel (34) is connected to the front

waist area (21), and the back elasticized panel (36) is connected to the back

waist area (22), and further characterised in that for a boy's version of the

undergarment, the front elasticized panel (34) is shorter than the back

elasticized panel (36) so as to locate at least a part of the discharge-receiving

panel (37) forwardly in the crotch area (25), and for a girl's version of the

undergarment, the front elasticized panel (34) and back elasticized panel (36)

are substantially equal in length so as to locate at least a part of the discharge-

receiving panel (37) generally centrally in the crotch area (25).

2. A child's enuresis undergarment comprising a child's undergarment

body portion (14) having a front section (16), a back section (18), a waist

section (20) including a front waist area (21), a back waist area (22), and a

extending between the front waist area (21) and the back waist area (22)

between the leg openings (24); and a support (32) inside the undergarment body

portion (14), the support (32) having a front elasticized panel (34), a back

elasticized panel (36), and a discharge-receiving panel (37) therebetween,

waist area (21), and the back elasticized panel (36) is connected to the back

waist area (22), and further characterized in that the discharge-receiving panel

(37) is suspended or floats within the undergarment body portion (14).

3. The child's enuresis undergarment as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the

boy's version is a boy's brief and the girl's version is a girl's panty.

4. The child's enuresis undergarment as claimed in Claims 1 or 3 for a

boy's version, or as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the back elasticized panel (34)

is about twice as long as the front elasticized panel (36), thereby locating at

least a portion of the discharge-receiving panel (37) forwardly in the crotch area

(25).

5. The child's enuresis undergarment as claimed in Claims 1 or 3 for a

is about two to three times as long as the front elasticized panel (36), thereby

locating at least a portion of the discharge-receiving panel (37) forwardly in the

crotch area (25).

6. The child's enuresis undergarment as claimed in Claims 1 or 3 for a

girl's version, or as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the back elasticized panel (36)

has a length which is less than about twice the length of the front elasticized

panel (34).

7. The child's enuresis undergarment as claimed in any preceding Claim

wherein the child's undergarment body portion (14) includes an elasticized

material, thereby enabling the undergarment body portion to conform to

children of various shapes and sizes.

8. The child's enuresis undergarment as claimed in any preceding Claim

wherein the discharge-receiving panel (37) includes a child-facing surface (54),

an oppositely disposed garment-facing surface (56), a front end (58) oriented

toward the front elasticized panel (34), and a back end (60) oriented toward the

back elasticized panel (36).

9. The child's enuresis undergarment as claimed in any preceding Claim

wherein the discharge-receiving panel (37) includes a front pocket (46) capable

of receiving a first portion of an absorbent pad (52).

10. The child's enuresis undergarment as claimed in Claim 9 wherein the

discharge-receiving panel (37) further includes a back pocket (48) capable of

receiving a second portion of an absorbent pad (52).

11. The child's enuresis undergarment as claimed in any preceding Claim

wherein the discharge-receiving panel (37) includes a first longitudinal sidewall

(40) extending along at least a portion of a first side (80) of the discharge-

receiving panel (37).

12. The child's enuresis undergarment as claimed in Claim 12 when

dependent on Claim 8 wherein the first longitudinal sidewall (40) extends from

the front end (58) to the back-end (60).

13. The child's enuresis undergarment as claimed in Claim 11 or Claim 12

wherein at least a portion of the first longitudinal sidewall (40) extends upward

in a child-facing orientation, thereby enabling at least the portion of the first

longitudinal sidewall (40) to cup or cradle a child's external genitalia (90, 92).

14. The child's enuresis undergarment as claimed in any of Claims 11

through 13 wherein the discharge- receiving panel (37) further includes a

second longitudinal sidewall (40) extending along at least a portion of a second

side (80) of the discharge-receiving panel (37).

15. The child's enuresis undergarment as claimed in any preceding Claim

wherein the discharge- receiving panel (37) is connected directly to the front

elasticized panel (34) and the back elasticized panel (36).

16. The child's enuresis undergarment as claimed in any preceding Claim

wherein the discharge-receiving panel (37) includes a material which at least

resists the passage of liquid from a child-facing surface (54) of the panel (37) to

an oppositely disposed garment-facing surface o(56) f the panel (37).

17. The child's enuresis undergarment as claimed in any preceding Claim

further characterised in that the support (32) is self-adjusting.