Bed Wetting... - Round Lake,IL

Take a serious look at her diet. Much like alcoholic's who can't control their muscles ( which is caused with to much sugar) Children can have the same situation. (they can't control the bladder) Even too much fruit or too much pasta will work in the same regard and weaken the bladder so she doesn't wake up for a potty call. Might need to add a really good vitamin supplement to her diet. It helps convert "food" and sugar to enegy. properly. There will be other solutions, this particular one is rarely mentioned.

I had the same problem as a young girl, so did both of my kids, now 15 and 10. She will grow out of it. My doc also suggested pills for my older son. They didn't work for us, and quite frankly I did not want to give him drugs. Have her were Goodnights so that she is comfortable, limit her fluid intake in the p.m., no caffine (including chocolate most of the time) and it will in time stop. Mostly don't make her feel bad, she is probably a deep sleeper, and has a small bladder. There are worse problems that she could have. Good Luck

I hear ya. My 5 year old son too was potty trained long ago during the day (over 3 years ago), but still wets at night most every night. In fact, my 3 year old son stays dry at night, but not the 5 year old. As the others say, I've heard it's not at all a medical concern at this point, so we just continue the nightly pull-ups.

Look for the advice of professionals, read a couple books. I had the same issue and made as little out of it as possible to protect her self-image dealing with something she couldn't control. I had her sleep in pull-ups to save myself the constant sheet changing. I could be completely wrong, though, because she has had self-esteem issues, so maybe helping her get control is the better route. That's why you should look to experts, which I did not.

I would not worry about it! I know its a pain and can be expensive, bu keep buying the pullups for her at night. I got lucky and my 4 year old has just started staying dry through the night. There is a hormone that has to develop for kids to be able to hold it or feel that they need to get up and go during the night. Until that hormone develops there is nothing you or anyone can do. My BIL wet the bed until he is 12. Yes that is late, but it was just that long before the hormone developed. Because it is a hormaonal thing I don't think the alarm thing works too well, although you can try it if you want. I have a 16 year old brother who still ocassionally wets the bed if he is super tired!

Hi C.
My Daughter was just 5 in August, she has been potty trained (day and naps) for almost 3 years. She sleeps 11 - 12 hours straight thru the night, she sleeps with a diaper with a couple of pads in it and a pull up over them so not to leak. I don't think it's that important to wake her up, her sleep is more important to me. she will eventually grow out of it as yours will too. I would not worry about it to me the only bother is the cost. I have also been told from some parents at school their children are the same only they do not sleep as long. My Daughter still also take a 1 - 1 &1/2 hr. nap everyday with no problem.
Good Luck and try not to worry!

V.

I haven't read the other responces but my advice is to get the pullups for night and don't worry about it. Some kids just sleep as hard as rocks. My almost 11 year old son is FINALLY outgrowing it but still has issues when he is over tired. It didn't even matter that his 2 year old sister was dry at night. Some kids are just built this way but will eventually outgrow it. We thought about doing the alarm with him but since he shares a room with his younger brother didn't want it waking him up.

Same situation here. Dd is nearly 5.5 and has been day trained for over 2 years but absolutely cannot stay dry at night. We have tried limiting liquids, making sure she goes before bed, and waking her in the night to try to go. Problem is, she is a deep sleeper. I would basically have to carry her/guide her all the way to the bathroom. But once there she would just refuse to sit on the toilet. She was so out of it. If I could sit her on the toilet, she would refuse to go. We did underwear only at night and followed this routine consistently for about 2 weeks over the summer and she woke with wet sheets every single day. It was not worth it. So we went back to pull-ups and she doesn't have to wake up cold and embarrassed and I don't have to wash sheets every day. And we all get better sleep. I have considered the alarm but I honestly think it might irritate/scare her more than anything, not to mention wake the rest of the house, as I have heard it is obnoxiously loud. I have to admit that if an alarm started sounding as soon as I started to pee that I would most likely not jump up to use the potty but would pee myself out of fright. I am just not going to make an issue out of this for her.

FYI - I used these same training techniques with her 3yo sister at the same time and she learned to stay dry within a few days. She sleeps dry though the night almost exclusively now. Sometimes she will wake up crying and it is usually because she is disoriented about the sensation to urinate that she is feeling. Once we take her to the potty she is fine.

Here are some resources that might be helpful for you...

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/t071200.asp

http://www.askdrsears.com/faq/sl22.asp

Best wishes,
J.

My daughter had a hard time too. She wore pull ups at night until she got things under control. We have mattress protectors (also good for kids when they are sick!). We made sure to go before bed. Tried not to drink too much at night (which didn't really help too much). She grew out of it. It happens.

You can go a couple of routes. Go to a chiropractor which is great for kids and bed wetting issues...my friend does this now and its great. Or look into food allergies, especially at this age. Food allergies can irrate the bladder at night, not signaling to the brain to use the bathroom. this is often overlooked by so many. Milk is a big trigger food to the bladder as citrus fruits. In the book, Is This My Child? By Dr. Dorris Rapp discusses this late bedwetting issue. www.drrapp.com Many doctors "look down" at this theory, but have known so many to get tested and find out it was the culprit. the best allergy test out there is the ELISA test which tests both IgE and IgG immune responses. Most just test one or the other (typically IgE).

Hope that gives you some light.

J. W. MPH
Maternal and Child Health Educator
Chicago Examiner Family Health Expert
http://www.examiner.com/x-7158-Chicago-Family-Health-Exam...

first you need to relax and second you need to buy pull ups and stop worrying.

Night time dryness is NOT A LEARNED SKILL it is a maturation process that is controlled by a chemical (hormone). Until that hormone kicks in (as late as 8 years old is still considered on time and normal) there is nothing you will do but stress out your kid and cause all of you sleep loss.

You can try the bed wetting alarms, limiting liquids or waking in the middle of the night if you want, and they might work, but honestly to me that is like asking a 2 yr old to write their name perfectly - just not developmentally appropriate.

my six year old daughter just finally starting staying dry through the night even though she has been trained since before 3 years. I would not worry too much, it is something that will just happen. She wore pull-ups at night and we still have a plastic matress protector for those occasional accidents that happen. Just give it time.

C. - My daughter turned 6 in July and still doesn't stay dry most nights, although, like your daughter, she has been fully potty-trained since around 2.5 years old and has no problem staying dry during naps. About a year ago I tried a lot of different things - too many to list, and anyway, they didn't solve the problem, at least not on any long-term basis. For example, I could wake her up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, but that doesn't create bladder control for her - it only helps keep her dry because of my intervention, plus it disrupts her sleep, which I don't want to do. So she still wears a diaper at night, which she really doesn't want to do - but it's the only thing that makes sense until she is able to stay dry on her own. I know it will eventually happen, and, in the meantime, I don't want to pressure her or make her feel like she's doing something wrong when I don't believe that it's anything within her control. I know she wants to stay dry through the night - she is very happy and proud when she does - so I will just let nature take its course and hope that it happens sooner rather than later. Good luck to your daughter as well.

P.S. I should mention that I also have a son your daughter's age who was fully potty-trained by 3, but he hasn't had a dry night in his life. At least I know with him not to bother doing everything I tried with my daughter when she was 5. :) I'll take the same approach with my youngest child (20 months old) as well since I fully expect that he will be like his siblings and not be able to stay dry through the night until a relatively older age than most kids. There must be something hereditary about my kids not having whatever gene controls all that!

Hi C.,

One of my daughters had the same problem. I finally talked to our pediatrician about it and she prescribed a pill for her. I still had to cut her fluids after a certain hour, but the pills worked. My pediatrician told me that this is more common than a lot of people are willing to admit. For my daughter it was simply a matter of her bladder not growing as fast as she was, and not being able to hold a lot of liquids. Good luck to you!!

C. - my pediarician said that night dryness can take quite a long time for some kids, especially if they're heavy sleepers. My oldest son will be 7 in January and still wets most nights. We use the Goodnights brand night diapers/underwear with him each night to minimize laundry. I've been told by several docs that they don't even look at it as a problem til the child reaches age 10 w/no signs of improvement. Have you talked to your md? We've tried no drinks after a certain time of day and it makes zero difference. Hope this helps! Feel free to message me if you'd like more support! - J.

There is good info at www.tryfordry.com. I recommend Malem brand alarms.

My daughter is 4 and has had a few accidents in the middle of the night. So before I go to bed (usually around 11ish) I take her sleeping self and put her on the toilet. She almost always has to go and we haven't had an accident since I've started doing this. Also, I'd not give your daughter anything to drink a couple hours before bed. Good luck!

My girl still wears pull ups each night...I had the same problem and it is hereditary. My ped is not concerned and says she will eventually grow out of it. He did suggest the alarm, but said it doesn't work for everyone and she really just needs time. I wouldn't worry to much about it unless your daughter is worried about it.

She's not trained or she wouldn't have accidents. Cut down her liquids at bedtime so her bladder is empty when she goes to bed. When you wake during the night to potty, take her to potty also-no lights or talking other than "lets go potty". She'll be half asleep so her her balance on potty and put her back to bed. You'll be training her to get up and go potty on her own and return to her room after doing so. You'll be one step ahead of the game. Good for you mommy.