Six Year Old Girl Still Wetting the Bed

Dear C.,

I agree 100% with Mary S. my son wet the bed until almost 10 years old and he was such a deep sleeper that we would get up walk him to the bathroom take him back to bed and he would never wake up. We tried everything, limiting fluids, a prescription nasal spray, nothing helped he just had to outgrown it. Although it is not uncommon in girls it is much more common in boys. I don't think it is emotional because as you said she would probably be having restless sleep. It is also hereditary his dad wet the bed as a child as well. Just try to be patient each child is different so there is no way to predict when it will stop. Good luck!!

Hi C.,
Bedwetting does have some genetic roots, and it isnt' even considered bedwetting until age 6, before then, it's simply assumed that the bladder was not mature enough to fully train itself not to need emptying at night. 6 is the age when a parent may talk to a doctor about it and the parent and doctor may decide on tests or a visit to the pediatric urologist. There is no way to say when a child will outgrow it, but if the little girl's mother is concerned, she should talk with her child's doctor.

Bed wetting is not anything to worry about. My brother and I both wet to bed until we were 10 yrs old, I think my brother was even a little older. We both did outgrow it. My nephew is 6 yrs old and still wets to bed. We buy him sleep pants to avoid embarrassment and mess. The pediatrician said that children sleep so soundly they never even know they had to go.They also have immature bladders and can't hold it all night. I hope this helps.

A. (Stay at home mom of 5 yr old boy and 20 weeks pregnant)

Hi C., My son was 8 years old when he stopped wetting the bed. He would go long periods of time without any wetting and then go through a night or a span of nights where he would. I was not concerned as there is a family history. My late husband wet the bed till he was my son's age (maybe older) and used to tell me that he never woke up, never even knew it until he woke up. My nephew had the same problem, went through medical testing to determine if there was a problem. It is described as a sleeping issue. The child sleeps so deeply that they do not wake to use the bathroom. My son has been pull-up free for a year and has had no problems since. Take care, M.

have parents wake her up.. or take her out of bed every night before they go to bed. I used to make sure at about 11 I would go into the kids room and take them to the bathroom.. usually they are kind of asleep.. you kind of drag them and half carry them.. put them on toilet.. and they go... put them back to bed.. within 2 - 3 weeks.. they will do this on their own.. it becomes routine.. good luck!! You want this to end soon.. as she will be asked to sleep over friends houses.. and it wouldn't be good to have diapers.. or pull ups.. it would upset her.. good luck

My brother wet the bed until age 8 and my sister until the age 12. They both outgrew it. Good luck.

Hi C.,
Does she drink anything before bed? If she does, she is probably not getting up to go to the bathroom, which is not an uncommon problem. A lot of children wet the bed. You are right, stress makes it worse. I would tell your sister to cut her fluid intake off about 1.5 to 2 hrs. before bed, this allows her time to empty her bladder before bed. Don't worry, she won't dehydrate. All of my brothers and sisters as well as myself, wet the bed. My one sister and brother had bladder problems. They wet every night until about 12, my brother was 14 yrs. old. I never give my daughters anything to drink before bed and the one who is 13, never wet the bed, ever, and the other who is 2, wakes with a dry diaper. Otherwise, I would have your niece checked by a doctor if it persists. She could have a bladder problem.

I'm so glad to see everyone encouraging you to not worry about it. It truly is something they just outgrow in their own time. My girlfriend and I each have four kids and both of our oldest wet the bed. I used pullups and then goodnights. She used some type of alarm system. Either way, they both stopped at around age 9. Our next two kids were dry through the night by age three.

Lots of people spend a lot of effort and frustration worrying about this. I really think it's just one of those things that you have to let go. It really will go away on its own.

I really think you worry after the age of 9 or 10 years old. However, you can mention it to your child doctor and see what the answer is from him. I have a granddaughter who still wet the bed and the doctor it is emotional and there is nothing wrong with her kidneys we are going crazy about now. Please if you have any advice please send it to me.

J

Hi C., well first bedwetting is heridetary, unless the child has a kidney problem.My son is 11 and still occasionally wets the bed. The doctor said he would outgrow it, as I did. ( I wet the bed until about 12). The key is usually the person is a heavy sleeper and does not wake up to use the bathroom, so my son knows he cannot have liquids right before bedtime.On the occasions that he does bedwet, it is because he did have liquids right before bedtime.When he was younger I did use pullups,now of course he does not want to. For a 6yo I would.There is also medication available ,but I did not want to give to my son. Some people just have weaker bladders than others.I outgrew mine,but still have to go to bathroom and not drink liquids before I go to bed, otherwise I have to get up a few times.

My niece who is 11 still has troubles with bed wetting. she has been to see a pediatric urologist who said that some kids sleep heavily, and that for some kids their bladders, even at this age are still immature. However, I know someone else who discovered a kidney disease this way too. It's most likely nothing to worry about, but I think it's worth having a discussion with her pediatrician about it to be sure.

C.,

As a mom to a TEENAGE bedwetter (my daughter is 17) my suggestions are as follows:

Yes, some do grow out of this stage (though not in my case) - and other do not - Your sister/sister-in-law should take her to see her pediatrician to discuss the matter - there may be a medical problem lurking.

She can use pullups - or goodnites in the meantime.

If there isn't a medical problem - it could very well be stress related.

IF the pediatrician doesn't seem to know what to do or if your niece's mom is not satisfied with the results - she could seek out a pediatric urologist to see if they have any suggestions.

I don't believe in the nitetime alarms if your niece is such a heavy sleeper - in my experience, the alarms only woke everyone ELSE up in the house and not the bedwetter, and they corroded after a month or so.(even after thorough cleanings)

I also don't believe in waking the child after they've been sleeping to go to the bathroom - if they are in such a deep sleep and you are 'dragging' them to the bathroom and making them go, chances are they won't remember going the next day. (in my experience this has happened)

I've used the following 'techniques'/'rules' :

no food/drink after dinner - eating promotes drinking - drinking promotes bedwetting.

I've had my child sit on the toilet for 3-5 minutes every 2 hours - even if she said she didn't have to go. I would give her a puzzle or her gameboy to occupy the time - the time spent on the toilet allows for her 'system' relax enough to go. I've also bought her a watch with an alarm and taught her how to set it to go off every 2 hours to remind her to go to the bathroom.

The last resort is the one I had no choice in making and that was to put my daughter on medication. DDAVP comes in a nasal spray and also a pill form. Ditropan is another medication in helping with bladder problems. She is on both and I'm happy to say hasn't had an accident in a long time! We've tried to take her off the meds only for her to have an accident and then go back on them. The doctor's say that her bladder is just immature and there's no telling when she may stop.

I hope this helps....good luck to your niece!