Bedwetting 101

Bedwetting Alarm

Making the transition from being a baby to a toddler is a huge one. During that transition many things happen. One milestone is potty training. Potty training helps small children move from being reliant on diapers to using the bathroom on their own. But it does not always come easy and sometimes there are setbacks. One of the most common problems that can plague a child for many years is bedwetting. There may be a lot to this problem then you realize and that is where this article can come in handy. You can learn some of the facts about bedwetting and even find some ways to help your child ease through this difficult time.

What is bedwetting?

Bedwetting is exactly as it sounds. It is when someone wets, urinates, in their bed when they sleep. Most children after a certain age develop the ability to control their bladders. This lets them know when to use the bathroom and when to hold it. It also gives them the ability to go longer between bathroom trips. Some children have more trouble with this than others so the age can vary.

Are there medications to help stop bedwetting?

There are some medications you can consider giving your child if there is an actual problem. One medication that doctors may try is called DDAVP (desmopressin). It actually decreased the amount of urine produced at night. It can help your child learn how to hold his or her bladder. If there is an emotional problem causing the child to wet the bed then sometimes tricyclic antidepressants are prescribed. These are last step resorts though and should only be tried after everything else has failed. Depression medications often have a lot of side effects.

My youngest child gets teased by the older siblings about the bedwetting problem. How can I help the older siblings understand and get them to stop the teasing?

It would be a great world if parents could immediately put a stop to all teasing between siblings but it is not ever going to happen. Even adults get teased by other family members for things. It can be very difficult on a young child if he or she is getting teased by older siblings. The older sibling may not be able to understand why the younger sibling is still wetting the bed. Some may view it as laziness and respond in a very negative fashion. The key is talking to your older child about what is going on and how it may not be "laziness" on the young sibling's part. You can give help educate the older sibling on what may be wrong and this can go quite far.

Are there special sheets or mattresses I can buy to help me until my child stops wetting the bed?

Any parent that has dealt with a young child knows how difficult bedwetting can be to clean up. There are ways to cut down the clean up and help eliminate the smell. One way is to buy a mattress cover. The mattress cover is plastic and can easily be cleaned up. You remove the soiled sheets and wash them. Then you take a cleaning solution to the mattress covering and let it air dry. You will still need to wash the sheets each time they get soiled but at least you do not have to worry about the urine staining the mattress beneath the sheets.

Related topics about bedwetting
Negative Bedwetting Treatment
There is one bedwetting treatment that isn't helpful to a child, and that is the parents becoming angry or frustrated; the negative reaction will not be lost on the child. Being made to feel bad about something the child has no control over isn't a positive way to help. Instead of becoming angry at having to change bedding and pajamas nightly, there are many other bedwetting solutions that won't affect a child's self esteem.

My Child Wets The Bed Support
There is a difference between saying, "my child wets the bed" and "my child still has accidents at night." Most parents aren't concerned about their young child when they have a bed wetting accident, but do become concerned if it continues to happen beyond the age of six or seven. If it is an isolated incidence, then there isn't really any need for concern.

Bladder Training For Bedwetting Children
Bedwetting children beyond the age of about seven do need strong support from their parents. It is normal for children to have bedwetting accidents at younger ages, and even though it is frustrating for parents, it needs to be treated like a normal occurrence. Parents around the world will deal with nocturnal enuresis at some time, but as the child gets older, it is very important to help him or her deal with the problem of involuntary urination while sleeping.