How to Treat bedwetting

Bedwetting can be frustrating for both parent and child

Bedwetting can be just as frustrating to the child as the parent. After finally getting a child potty-trained, the parent can be frustrated that a child continues to wet his bed at night. The child, who cannot help the bedwetting, feels frustrated because he does not know how to make the bedwetting stop. Patience is the key when dealing with bedwetting

Things You'll Need

• Disposable training pants
• Waterproof mattress pad

Instructions

1. Place a waterproof mattress pad on the child's bed. One frustration that parents have with bedwetting is the damage that is being done to the mattress with each episode of bedwetting. A waterproof mattress can minimize, and even prevent, damage to the mattress.

2. Limit the child's fluid intake before bedtime. Drinking fluids before bedtime increases the risk of the child wetting the bed. Minimize the amount of fluid the child drinks so your child will have less fluid in her bladder during the night.

3. Dress your child in disposable training pants at bedtime. Disposable training pants are available in larger sizes that are specifically designed for bedwetting. These types of disposable training pants are less likely to leak than the type that is not designed for bedwetting.

4. Make sure your child uses the bathroom before going to bed. An empty bladder at bedtime is a good way to minimize the chances of bedwetting during the night.

5. Wake the child to use the bathroom during the night. Before you go to bed, wake your child and tell him to use the bathroom. This can help train your child's body to wake up when his bladder needs to be emptied.

6. Talk to your child's doctor. If you or your child are becoming distressed, then talk to your child's doctor about other alternatives, such as using a moisture alarm to wake the child when he wets the bed.

7. Be patient. Very few children are still wetting the bed when they leave home for college. Some children develop the ability to hold their urine overnight slower than other children do. Bedwetting through age six is considered normal and nothing to worry about long-term.

Tips & Warnings

• Bedwetting is normal for younger children. Most doctors do not consider bedwetting to be a problem until the child is six or seven years old without staying dry overnight.

• Medication is available to help your child stop bedwetting. Talk to your doctor about whether medication is recommended in your child's situation.

• Never punish your child for bedwetting. Your child cannot help that his body is not responding to the signals that his bladder is sending. Punishing your child for bedwetting will only exacerbate the problem.