My 11 Year Old Still Wets the Bed

Updated on May 11, 2008
S.S. asks from Cabot, AR
13 answers

I would like to know if anyone has had this problem before. I have taken him to the doctor to see if something was wrong with his breathing causing him not to wake up through the night when he needs to go and they didn't act that concerned about it. He stopped for awhile, but has started again, was wondering if someone had some advice on what to talk to the doctor about when we go back. We have tried everything, going before we go to bed, not drinking anything an hour before bedtime, nothing seems to work. It is effecting his life, he is wanting to start spending the night at friends houses, and I hate to think what would happen if he did this at someone's home and his friend finds out about it. The doctors tried to say it was maybe psychological, but didn't give me any options on what to do for him.

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So What Happened?

Thank you all for the great comments, I will take them all to heart and try them. I appriciate all your advice.

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P.M.

answers from Little Rock on

Hi S.,
I am the mother of a 10 year old boy that is challenged with autism. My son also had problems with wetting the bed which was
probably more related to the autism, but after trying him on many drugs that didn't work to help behavior problems, I read about adding B-6 with Magnesium Chewable Wafers. I couldn't find it locally so I order it online from Kirkman Labs. It is important to take them together so the body can absorb it. It ended the bed wetting and has even helped some with behavior, and it is safe! I can't tell you how many nights I changed sheets and mattress covers- I thought it might be something you might want to read on just in case it could be deficiency. Good Luck!

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H.

answers from New Orleans on

My ex husband had this problem. The doctor said that his "tube" I'm not sure what the technical term for it is, but the tube that he urinates through. If you get what I mean was too small and when he was in middle school they did a surgury to increase the size. What my ex told me was the he wasn't finished emptying his bladder and at night it would seep out b/c it was still in the "tube", thus wetting the bed. There was nothing he could do to keeep from wetting the bed. His mother tied everything as you have. When they finally were told this and he ahd the surgury he instantly quit wetting the bed. I am not in the position to call him and ask him what the proceedure was calle dor how it was done. But, maybe you could inquire about it. I hope it helps. - H.

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A.R.

answers from Lafayette on

My daughter wetted the bed until she was ten. It was hard to break her she is now fourteen. My youngest daughter who is seven has just stopped and like you we've done the no drinking after 7 pm we've also fixed it until she did not drink after 6 pm and made her go to the bathroom before bed I would also set my alarm for midnight or 1am still did not work. I finally brought her to her dr. and he gave her some med. to take before she went to bed and it helped she still wet the bed every now and then but she has went without wetting the bed for almost a month now and still going strong. I know she may have an accident once in a while but you can now walk by her room with out smelling the urine. She is also proud of herself cause now she feels good about herself.

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K.S.

answers from Fayetteville on

Two out of 4 of our kids wet the bed until late. With our oldest son, we used a company called Pacific International. They explained that he had a sleep disorder, and took us through a step by step process. It was expensive (about $800, 13 years ago, and may be more now), but it was worth every penny. It was an amazing experience for us, and especially our son. It took him just 3 months to be completely dry, and we have not had a relapse (he is now 18!). When our dd was still wetting at age 8, we put her through a similar experience on our own. It took a few weeks, but worked for her as well.

Hope that helps!

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A.K.

answers from Fayetteville on

My cousin wet the bed up untill he was about this age also. They did not really give much info on him either. They said that it seemed that his bladder had just not caught up with his body size. (he's a large boy) The Dr did give hime some kind of rx nose spray to use before bedtime that helped but I'm not sure what it was. He saw Dr Mullins in bentonville. (I personally don't like this dr though)

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A.H.

answers from Fayetteville on

You may want to talk to your doctor about a medicine called DDAVP, it is for bedwetting and helps kids control it. You may also want to try getting him up in the middle of the night once or twice and making him use the potty then too.

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D.D.

answers from Little Rock on

My sister and I used to be frequent bed wetters until we were about 14 years old! I can still remember times when I would think I was in the bathroom, and I would wake myself up realizing that I was peeing the bed! My mother used to do the things you've tried with the limiting the water before bed and going before I went to bed. She even went to the extreme of setting the alarm for about 2 a.m. to wake me up to go and that didn't even help! Somehow I would still manage to wet the bed between 2 a.m. and whatever time we got up. She even tried bumping the time up more and more each night. She was told that my bladder hadn't developed enough yet to hold me through the night. But in my honest opinion, I think it was psychological, because I can still remember times when I would think I was in the bathroom, and I would wake myself up realizing that I was peeing the bed! My mother also wet the bed on her and my dad's honeymoon night, and she was a grown woman! I'm not sure how this can help you, but thought I would share it with you. Best of luck

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H.R.

answers from New Orleans on

Some other things to consider... Some foods can be irritants to the bladder and cause problems with bed wetting - orange juice is one of them. Caffeine can have this affect as well. Don't underestimate the effects fatigue and stress may have. Does he miss his dad a lot when he's away working?
Ask your son if he has dreams about water before or during bed wetting. This is often a mental trigger that you have to train yourself to recognize so that you can wake up to go to the bathroom. The dreams may be of abstract water images (being in a boat, in a swimming pool) or specific (sitting on the toilet, taking a bath). Explain to him that if he notices these images in his dreams, he should try to wake up to go to the bathroom.
Combined with the efforts you are already making, these things may bring resolution to your son's situation, though it will take time.

Blessings,
H. R.
Doula/Childbirth Educator
(and former bed-wetter)

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M.B.

answers from Fort Smith on

I have a 7 year old daughter that about 3 years ago started wetting the bed after not having done it for a few years so I talked to the dr. about it several times and finally he sent us to see a urologist because I tried everything too ,the having her go right before bed and stopped her drinking 2 hours before bed time ,anyways they did some test on her and found out that she had an enlarged bladder and she was not emptying it out completly and that is what was causing her to go in her sleep. So they had to put her to sleep and stretch her urethra so that when she went her bladder would empty completly. The dr. said that he had alot of patients with the same issues that he had to do that procedure on. Ever since she has not wet the bed.Thanks goodness! Maybe that will help. Good Luck!

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L.T.

answers from Jonesboro on

My brother-in-law has this problem but after getting old enough & married to my sister he finally went to the doctor. He has some kind of thing I am not sure what to call it that causes this but he has been on medicine for it now for several years. He's in his early 50's so you can imagine all of those years he thought it was something to do with his bladder being weak! In fact his daughter (5) is starting to do the same thing. They are hoping it's not the same problem. Right now they have alarm clocks set to get her up every 2 hours to go to the bathroom, she's not allowed any liquids 2 hours before her bedtime and they limit her liquids during the day. This is working most of the time but they may need to take her to the doctor if it doesn't stop to get her checked. I am sorry I can't remember what it is called but surely your doctor would know about it. Good luck & tell your son to hang in there!

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J.D.

answers from Little Rock on

i KNOW, BEING A MOTHER OF THREE GROWN CHILDREN, THAT U SOUND LIKE U HVE DONE ALMOST EVERYTHING, BUT DID ANYONE EVER SUGGEST THE ITEM U CAN BUY FROM SEARS, IT IS AN ALARM THAT WILL WAKE THEM UP IF THE SLD HAPPEN TO STRAT TO WET THE BED, I HVE SEEN THIS WORK WITH ADULTS..IT MIGHT BE WORTH A TRY..I DID HVE A NEICE THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, AND MY HOUSE WAS THE ONLY ONE SHE WLD GO SPEND THE NIGHT, THEY DID HVE SO MANY TESTS RAN ON HER..AND AS AN ADULT NOW SHE HAS NO PROBLEM...HOPE THIS MIGHT BE SOME HELP..GOD BLESS YOU

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C.M.

answers from Lafayette on

Some kids just wet the bed until they outgrow it! My nephew who is 10 now would wake up a urinate all over my siter in laws house. Or would not even wake up at all. He did this untyil he outgrew it! He finally stopped about 6 months ago but she thought it was more serious than that! Her daughter also did this and she is 7 now but her problem is is drinking right before bed or waking yup and drinking while the mom knows nothing about this.

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J.S.

answers from Fayetteville on

I worked for a pediatric surgeon-urogolist for quite a while and would see his quite often, I would have your Dr refer you to a pediatric urologist because a lot of time this can be fixe with medications but he needs to have some test to make sure.

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