Bed Wetting Questions

A.,
My son has had bedwetting issues also. I discussed the issue with his pediatrician and he recommended a bedwetting alarm. Since using the alarm, we have had alot more dry nights and the wet nights are becoming less frequent as time passes. You can find more information and the alarms at www.bedwettingstore.com When I bought the alarm, I also bought two of the waterproof pads/overlays. I highly recommend these because if there is an accident you aren't changing the entire bedding just the overlay.
Good Luck!

A friend of mine has had the same prob with her 5 yr old little girl. She brought her for testing because she also got frequent bladder infections. Turns out she actually has a mild form of spina bifida (aculta- it's called) Most people go through there lives never even knowing they have it. Who knows it may be worth looking into. Other than that my kids aren't to an age where I have any other suggestions... SORRY,

You need to bring them to the doctor. They will also have more resources for you.

It could even be a sleep disorder.

Have you considered this to be a medical problem. It is a genetic problem with more kids than most people realize. It has happened in my family and not letting them have pull-ups isn't telling them it is ok but allows them some dignity. Nothing is worse than waking up in a wet bed. There are some medications that may help. For some children it just takes time. I know in family we were older. It was embarrasing but by stressing it as a medical condition it will help.

Hi A.,

My son is 9 and went to camp this summer and he took his pull ups with him. He has been to the dr about wetting and i have also limited liquids and sometimes he is dry and other times he wets. The dr says he is just a heavy sleeper. I do try to get him up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, but sometimes he doesn't have to go. Don't worry about the pull ups. They are ok to use. They sure help so your not washing bedding everyday. I just really praise he when he wakes up dry. They will outgrow it. Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gina

I saw somebody else answered with this too but it can be genetic. I had the bed wetting problem until I was 14. The doctors did all kinds of tests to figure out what was wrong with me and they finally concluded that I just slept so deeply that I didn't wake up the the urge to urinate. My son has the same problem. My dad had it and so did my Aunt. It is usually genetic as I was told by my sons pediatrician. My mom bought me a watch with an alarm on it to wake me up at night to go to the bathroom. I had no water or liquids two hours before bedtime and When I slept over at other kids houses I was so nervous about wetting the bed that I didn't sleep as soundly. Your kids will decide if they are ready for sleepovers. I hope they get lots of support knowing that it is not their fault but to keep trying.

I have a friend that had a similar situation with one of her kids. She made excuss after excuss because thier family had gone through a bad year where it was one thing after another. Eventually she ran out of excusses and talked to the pediatrician. He did some simple tests and found that he was a heavy sleeper with an under developed bladder...I have since learned that this is common. The kid now takes a pill before bed that helps him last through the night. I heard that this is hereditary and I know that eventually I will have to deal with this with my own kids because I had that problem until I was 12 (I was never diagnosed with this but I know that must have been the problem). I would talk to your pediatrician and help them understand that this is not thier fault.

I have a son with the same issues. I have talked to his pediatrician and for some kids it is very normal. She said they usually grow out of it by 6 some don't until 12. There are medications out there for it. (which I chose not to give my son)or even a device to put in their beds that sounds an alarm a the slight hint of wettness. They run around $100. His pediatrician also said to have them help you change the bedding and their clothes.

Have you taken them to the doctor? I started having the same probelm with my 5 year old daughter. The doctor gave me some nasal spray that has a type of hormone in it that helps with the bladder spasms. It has worked wonders with her.

I would definitely talk with your pediatrician or family doctor. Some kids are just heavier sleepers than others, and as was said, they have smaller bladders. It could be that medication would take care of it, or that they just need more time to grow. It isn't their fault- and so I think that putting them in a pull-up or Goodnight would be fine. My middle child wasn't dry at night until he was 5, and my youngest is 6.5, and we just put him BACK in pull-ups because he wasn't consistantly dry. It doesn't matter if we limit fluids, have him go before WE go to bed or any of those things. My husband was a bed-wetter, and as was said, it is hereditary. Just make sure they don't feel bad about it - there is nothing they can do! Good luck!

I firmly believe this will work...get your children to a chiropractor and get them adjusted!!!!! We have friends that had a 12 year old that was still wetting the bed. We talked them into taking him to get adjusted and it worked almost immediately. I worked at a chiro. office and have heard stories over and over how this works, my husband also has a doctors degree in chiropractic. It's amazing how one or maybe just a couple of adjustments will work. If you do not feel comfortable with someone "crunching" bones, which is still a great adjustment...find a Chiro. that is Proficient in using the Activator Method...a very gentle very easy adjustment. My 2 boys, ages 3 & 5, have been adjusted, literally from day one! There are a lot of great chiropractors in the area that should be able to help you! If you would like more info. let me know.

Hi! I just took my 6 year old son to the pediatrican who reminded me that 50% of 6 year old boys wear good night undies (the next step after pull ups) becuase their bladders are not developed enough. She told me to not work on it for awhile until he wakes up dry for several mornings. We talked about the fact that some kids wear glasses, some have dark hair, some wear good nights longer than others, but it's just because everyone has a different body and they all develop at different times. Definitely don't make them feel bad or guilty about not being dry in the a.m.

Then, I went to chiropractor for myself and he was talking about his success with boys and bedwetting issues. We just started, but it doesn't hurt to try it. He is located in Vadnais Heights. If you are anywhere near here, I would highly recommend him! Good luck.

I've read that often these bed-wetting issues are utterly outside the child's control, which is why the rewards, especially, don't work. You should definitely contact your physician and get her advice.
Lynn

I hate to say this but some kids just can't stay dry at night and it's normal. Don't chastise your kids for not staying dry, and yes, you may want to do pull ups at night. You are not saying that it's ok to wet the bed, you are saying you love them and understand. Bedwetting tends to run in families, check with your pediatrician. You can also get wetting alarms that will wake them. Unfortunately, this can be a problem into their teens. Good luck.

As a stay at home mother of ten....we've had our bedwetters. All were boys. I've used pullups just to avoid the constant work of changing bedsheets that inevitably were going to be wet anyway. Another embarrassment saver was putting a wholehouse air purifier in that took care of the urine odor. I wouldn't be without it's bacteria removing capabilities that have virtually eliminated the respiratory ills of colds, sneezing, flu, coughs throughout our winters, etc. Just place it 5 or 6 feet off the floor on a refrigerator or high shelf and across from the cold air return and let it run 24/7. I like the 2, 4, 6, or 8 house sanitize feature--once a week I can set it on one of those when we all leave the house and let it sanitize everything and then it drops itself down to a low level of purification that we are comfortable with. Plus I bought two rubber, water protecting sheets. Our now 9 yr. old son knows how to change them and put the soiled one in the washer all on his own. I figure the more he has to take care of the cleanup work, the sooner he'll be dry. Plus the rubber type sheets with cotton covering saves having to buy pullups all the time. All, in all, it draws out the training process maybe; but it sure removes the weariness and pressure from both me and the kids....he'll not wet the bed when he's ready. Anger on anyone's part won't help. Our 9 yr. old is such a hard worker/player all day that I think he just sleeps so soundly at night to get up and I have had 10 kids so my youngest being 4 has finally given me uninterrupted nights for sleeping....I suppose if I woke our 9 yr. old up at midnight or so and got him to the bathroom I could help him some....but who'se being trained then...him or me????

Rubber sheets save the mattress and an air purifier keeps the air nice and fresh (not some hepa filter thing either or some air "cleaner" from the dept. stores--they are junk). It has to be a real air purifier like I have to really work throughout the whole house.

B. in Eau Claire, WI

None of my kids have bedwetting problems and I think it's because I don't give them any fluids after supper at all. We eat around 5 pm and they go to bed around 7:30. They have milk with their supper but I don't require them to finish it and after they get down from supper there are no more fluids. They go pee before bed and then they are fine.
The only time we have had accidents is when we have the Grandparents babysit and they give them stuff after supper or if we are at a wedding late or something. I do make them help strip and make the bed though and that lets them know how much work it is.
Those alarm things do work though because my Mom used it on my Brother and then he had to use it for his oldest Daughter too.
Best of luck to you, I know it can be frustrating.
J.

I have a 10 year old who still wets the bed. I am hoping it will pass soon, but for the meantime, we use pull-ups and I make sure she cleans up any "accidents".

hi A... i have a younger sis that wet the bed till she was 15.. my mom had taken her to the doc and it was medical.. try talking to there doc. and have them checked out.. and for sleep overs there are diapers thingy they can use and there friends wont even know they got it on.. i heard of them just dont know what they are called.. good luck wish your kids goood luck also