Tips for managing bedwetting in your child

When your child wets the bed, you want to help him deal with the problem properly.

Many children just need time. In the meantime, there are a few things you and your child can do to make the process easier and more manageable.

Don't blame

If you are angry or upset that you have to make another wet bed, do not direct your feelings towards the child. They probably feel bad about it and they didn't do it on purpose. So don't scold.

Should we praise dry nights? Probably no. Bedwetting is not something your child can control. So it's better to save the praise for other things they do and can control, rather than this.

Provide perspective

Make sure your child knows that bedwetting is not their fault and that they are not alone. Let them know that millions of children, and teenagers too, regularly wet their beds. Tell your child if you did this when you were little. You can help them see that this is a problem they will overcome.

If you have other children, let them know that you won't be teased for bedwetting. Be prepared to apply this rule.

Talk to a doctor

Your child's pediatrician can check for problems that could be causing bedwetting. They can also give you ways to deal with it.

Knowing that bedwetting is a medical condition that your child can treat can help alleviate feelings of shame or embarrassment. The doctor can explain that this is often caused by a slight delay in the development of the bladder and the nerves that affect it.

Use the bathroom often

Ask your child to go to the toilet when he gets ready for bed, and then again a minute before he goes to bed. This helps empty their bladder.

If you're still awake an hour or two after your child goes to bed, consider waking them up so you can go to the bathroom quickly. This will not stop bedwetting, but it may reduce the amount of urine that can get into the bed.

If your child is afraid of the dark, put nightlights in the hallway and bathroom so that he does not hesitate to get up and leave when he is awakened by desire.

Try a bedwetting alarm

Some children wet the bed because their body hasn't yet warned them to wake up when their bladder is full. Bedwetting alarms wake children up at the first sign that they are passing urine. The child wears special underwear with sensors that emit a loud beep when a small amount of urine comes out. The sound signal wakes up the child, who can go to the toilet.

Over time, the alarm clock trains the body to notice what it's like to have a full bladder, and nighttime awakenings happen on their own.

Change the way they drink

Some children who are afraid to wet the bed do not quench their thirst all day. In the evening they are so thirsty that they drink a lot.

Encourage your child to drink more during the day and let him drink at dinner. Make it the last drink of the evening and they won't have too much fluid in their system as bedtime approaches.

No caffeine

It is wise to avoid caffeinated drinks, including cola and iced tea. Caffeine allows the body to speed up the process of urine formation. Carbonated drinks can also cause problems, so make sure your child avoids carbonated drinks.

Dress the bed properly

Use a waterproof mattress pad with zippers to keep urine out of the mattress. There are waterproof pads between the sheets and duvet. After a rainy night, you only need to wash the pillow, not the sheets.

Sleepover? Use the sleeping bag trick

Children with urinary incontinence should not miss sleepovers. Their friends won't know if you plan well.

Stash items such as disposable underwear or a waterproof sleeping bag liner in your child's bag so they don't have to worry about a wet spot ruining them. You can also send extra clothing in a plastic bag in case it gets wet. You can put any wet clothes in the bag.

Older child who wets the bed?

They may notice that this is extra work for you and feel guilty. If he wants to catch up, let him help you remove the sheets from the bed, wash or put clean sheets back on the bed. This can give them a sense of control. But don't make them do these things. If they think washing is punishing them, they will feel even worse.

Some older kids can motivate themselves to reach their goals in the morning by giving themselves small rewards for each dry night or other achievement. A prize from a parent may excite a younger child, but for an older child, the prize may mean more if they win it on their own terms.

More mature children may also be willing to try positive imagery, a process in which children focus on something good they want to see. Just before going to bed, they think of waking up dry. If they think about it often enough, it can help them succeed.