Bed wetting

[Tini]

When did your kids stop wetting the bed?
Our 6 y.o. still has a few wet nights - although its coming better slowly. So many of his friends are already dry.

the specialist says nothing to worry about?

Any advice?

 

[erin74]

I'm no expert, but people with older kids have told me this can happen. One of our friends teenagers still has a problem about once a year when she is really tired.

I have heard that it is all about brain chemistry - night wetting. I had heard something about a nasal spray that helps - but maybe someone else may know more. I know that there isn't a great deal that you can do about it until they develop the physical ability to stay night dry.

Hope that helps and certainly hope someone knows more than me!!!

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

You may want to see a pediatric urologist. Sometimes there is an underlying problem that needs to be addressed. We took our six year old son to a specialist this year and found out he actually had a physical problem. He had to have surgery and is now on a medication to help relax his bladder. Turns out, they discovered when they went in, he has the bladder of an old man. The doctor said if we hadn't found out when we did, he could have ended up with major surgery. As it is, he may still need it but the medicine really seems to be working.

Of course, most of the times it is just something they outgrow but doesn't hurt to see a specialist (not your regular pediatrician but a pediatric urologist) just to rule out an underlying problem.

 

[HeatherJay]

When did your kids stop wetting the bed?
Our 6 y.o. still has a few wet nights - although its coming better slowly. So many of his friends are already dry.

the specialist says nothing to worry about?

Any advice?

I have a 6 year old who still has 2 or 3 wet nights a month. So far, we haven't worried about it. But we do our best to not make her feel ashamed or fuss at her about it. Usually, we don't even mention it unless she brings it up. I just wash her sheets while she's at school and go about it like nothing happened. At this point, I absolutely know it's not her fault. She's a pretty deep sleeper...I think that has a lot to do with it.

It's odd, though. I have a 3 year old who hasn't had a night time accident since she's been potty trained. I guess it's all individual with children.

Sorry I haven't been much help, but just know that your little one isn't the only one.

 

[Tini]

Thanks - we went to a urologist who said medication may work - some hormone - DHD???? that assist the kidneys in shutting down urine production at night. Didn't help much.

Sometimes we can go a month without a problem - other times - 6 out of 7 nights in a week are wet. It's embarrasing for him. But we too try make it a non issue - but he does feel bad about it because his friends dont have a problem.
He'd love to sleep over - but is worried about wetting a friends bed.

 

[HeatherJay]

Thanks - we went to a urologist who said medication may work - some hormone - DHD???? that assist the kidneys in shutting down urine production at night. Didn't help much.

Sometimes we can go a month without a problem - other times - 6 out of 7 nights in a week are wet. It's embarrasing for him. But we too try make it a non issue - but he does feel bad about it because his friends dont have a problem.
He'd love to sleep over - but is worried about wetting a friends bed.

Is there some sort of stress in his life that may trigger the bed wetting? My hubby wet the bed until he was 8 years old because he was terrified of his abusive step father. As soon as his step father was out of the picture, he stopped and never had another accident again. I'm not in any way, shape, or form saying that your son is experiencing abuse (I know from your posts that you're a great father ), but there may be something else in his life that's worrying him more than maybe you've realized? I know my own 6 year old gets SO emotional and upset sometimes over things that I'd never even think would upset her so much. Maybe take him out for a special father son day and have a heart to heart about anything that's been on his mind.

Good luck with this...I know how frustrating it is when you can't fix all their problems for them.

 

[Tini]

Is there some sort of stress in his life that may trigger the bed wetting? My hubby wet the bed until he was 8 years old because he was terrified of his abusive step father. As soon as his step father was out of the picture, he stopped and never had another accident again. I'm not in any way, shape, or form saying that your son is experiencing abuse (I know from your posts that you're a great father ), but there may be something else in his life that's worrying him more than maybe you've realized? I know my own 6 year old gets SO emotional and upset sometimes over things that I'd never even think would upset her so much. Maybe take him out for a special father son day and have a heart to heart about anything that's been on his mind.

Good luck with this...I know how frustrating it is when you can't fix all their problems for them.

Thanks - good to be honest.

We have explored this. He is being home schooled and has no possible physical abusers that we are aware of. We discuss this as parents. We also have a good open relationship with him and are not aware of any strains on him.
I was also a bed wetter til quite late - so it is possibly hereditary. But would like to help him - it really seems to becoming an issue in his life.

 

[we5frogs]

Sometimes kids have an immature bladder, and for some the problem is that they sleep so deeply, that they are not aware of the message the brain is getting telling them their bladder is full.

The best advice our docs give is to never make a big deal about it, not to pinish or make them feel bad about it, involve the child in clean up (this is not a punishment, but does provide motivation them to correct the problem), and if the child is really bothered by it to try the following treatments according to what you feel most comfortable with.

Retention Control Training: The child is asked to control urinating during the day by postponing it, first by a few minutes and then by gradually increased amounts of time. This exercise can extend the capacity of the bladder and strengthen the muscle that holds back urination. Parents should always check with a doctor before asking their child to practice retention control.

Night-lifting: This procedure involves waking your child periodically throughout the night, walking your child to the bathroom to urinate, and then returning your child to bed. By teaching your child to awaken and to empty his or her bladder many times during the night, it is hoped that he or she will eventually stay dry.

Moisture alarm: Moisture alarms are considered a useful and successful way to treat bed-wetting. Medical research has shown that moisture alarms have helped many children stay dry. This treatment require a supportive and helpful family and may take many weeks or even several months to work. Moisture alarms have good long-term success and fewer relapses than medications.

Also, there are pull-ups for this age group that might allow him to participate in sleep-overs without anyone being aware of his bedwetting should it occur.​

 

[Hisrosebud]

Tini-
my son was a very late bedwetter--6th grade. For sleep overs I bought him "goodnights" and hid them in a plastic ziploc bag inside a brown lunch bad. He would go discreetly to the bathroom to change in his pjs. He would put on the "goodnight" In the morning it went into the plastic bag, zipped, and into the brown bag.

I found an advertisement for them in a magazine. It was a boy who was ashamed to go to a sleepover because of bedwetting. It listed all the things he was feeling. That "visual" helped my son feel better about himself; he didn't feel so alone.


we tried ddavp nasal spray, did not work.

we tried waking him up. nada.

my brother was a bedwetter, he used the alarm. It woke us all up, not him. so I didn't want to spend the money trying for my son.

I did teach him to get up and clean up after himself. He can't help it but he has to learn to take care of himself...

17 now, dry. THANKGOD.

A lot of boys are bedwetters in my family until puberty. We were told small uretha? the tube that goes to the bladder out the penis....whatever, didn't help matters.

patience. patience and Goodnights for sleepovers and lots of TIDE to get rid of the smell in the sheets.

Jane

 

[Hisrosebud]

because his friends dont have a problem.

My son was surprised to learn that he was not the only one with a problem. Other kids were keeping it a secret. From what I am told ALOT of boys are bedwetters--certainly seemed that way in my family. My husband's nephews too.

You did say that it comes and goes, have you checked his diet? Apples, apple juice make bedwetting more common. We gave our kids white grape juice instead. Also sugar...not just talking about white sugar--natural sugar. We limited fruit to lunch time or before hand. Learned this from a behavior specialist that worked with autistic children. They found that to limit apples in almost all of those kids the bedwetting and wet pants almost stopped completely. Just a thought because you said it comes and goes....

 

[MyLittleWonders]

Wow, I'm glad I read this ... our almost 4 year old wets every night ... sometimes more than once. I have him in cloth "pull-ups" so his sheets stay pretty much dry, and we aren't worried because he's still pretty young, but he LOVES apples and apple juice. He'd live on both if we'd let him. I wonder if we get rid of the apples/juice for a while what would happen. Are there any other juices/fruit that seem to be involved or just those two?

 

[BeanMak]

I know that soda pop is also a bladder irritant and can cause issues

 

[Hisrosebud]

I heard that it is mostly apples and its' juice. I was told to substitute it with white grape juice. I am convinced though that it can be any sugar... it processes so quickly. We try to encourage our kids to be water drinkers. I love water so that helps. Let me know if it works, I would be encourage.

Jane

 

[Tini]

WOW - we love apples. Have them at least twice a day.

Must look into this.
Thanks Hisrosebud.