How to Stop Wetting the Bed
Do not panic., Limit your child’s fluid intake in the evening., Avoid giving your child caffeine., Cut out bladder irritants., Encourage regular toilet usage., Use a “double-voiding” technique before bed., Resolve any constipation., Do not ever...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Do not panic.
Nearly 15% of children still wet the bed by the time they reach five years of age.Though this number tapers off, you generally shouldn’t worry about bedwetting up until the age of seven.Prior to that, a child’s bladder and control can still be developing. -
Step 2: Limit your child’s fluid intake in the evening.
In the hours leading up to bedtime, try to reduce the amount that your child has to drink.Note that this does not need to be over the course of the entire day.
On the contrary, encouraging your child to hydrate in the morning and early afternoon can actually help cut down on evening-time thirst.If your child is thirsty in the evening, especially if they are participating in sports or other physical activities, do offer them water.
If your child’s school allows it, send him or her to school with a water bottle to avoid excessive fluid intake in the late afternoon and evening., Caffeine is a diuretic, which means that it can lead to a need to urinate.While you should generally avoid giving young children caffeine anyway, it’s especially true when trying to help stop bedwetting., In addition to caffeine, you should try to cut out other possible bladder irritants in the evening that can lead to bedwetting.
These include citrus juices, dyes (particularly juices with red dyes), sweeteners, and artificial flavorings., In the late afternoon and into the evening, encourage your child to use the toilet roughly every two hours.This will help avoid a sense of urgency over the evening. , Many children use the bathroom at the start of their bedtime routine as they get ready to change into pajamas, brush their teeth, etc. “Double-voiding” means having your child use the bathroom then and then going a second time directly before actually going to sleep., Pressure from your child’s rectum due to constipation can manifest as bedwetting.
To make matters more difficult, children often feel too embarrassed to discuss constipation, but this simple issue comprises up to a third of all instances of bedwetting in children who otherwise have control.If you confirm that he or she is constipated, try a fiber-rich diet for several days.
If this doesn’t make a difference, then see your pediatrician.
There are many good options to help children with constipation. , Though the process is frustrating, you should never resort to punishing your child for bedwetting.Your child likely feels embarrassed by the occurrences and wants to stop just as much as you want him or her to stop.
Instead of punishing failure, try rewarding the successes on nights when your child stays dry.You can reward your child with anything from playing a game, stickers, to a favorite dish for dinner.
Use what you know he or she enjoys. , Waking your child up before you go to bed to have him or her use the bathroom again will resort in a frustrated and poorly rested child.You don’t want to wake your child on instances when it’s not necessary either.
Instead, try a bedwetting alarm.
These devices clip to underwear or a pad on the mattress and beep as soon as they detect moisture, allowing your child to get up and go only when a bedwetting incident is imminent., Bedwetting in children can indicate a more serious issue in a minority of cases.
To be safe, see your pediatrician, so he or she can test for:
Sleep apnea A urinary tract infection Diabetes Abnormalities of the urinary tract or nervous system , Since children typically outgrow bedwetting, medications aren’t usually recommended by most pediatricians.However, some are available as a method of last resort.
These options include:
Desmopressin (DDAVP), which boosts a natural anti-diuretic hormone to make less urine at night.
However, these drugs have side effects and can also affect sodium levels, and you must monitor your child’s fluid intake while on the drug.
Oxybutynin (Ditropan XL), which can help cut down on bladder contractions and cause greater bladder capacity. -
Step 3: Avoid giving your child caffeine.
-
Step 4: Cut out bladder irritants.
-
Step 5: Encourage regular toilet usage.
-
Step 6: Use a “double-voiding” technique before bed.
-
Step 7: Resolve any constipation.
-
Step 8: Do not ever punish your child.
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Step 9: Try a bedwetting alarm if necessary.
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Step 10: See your child’s pediatrician.
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Step 11: Ask your child’s pediatrician about medications.
Detailed Guide
Nearly 15% of children still wet the bed by the time they reach five years of age.Though this number tapers off, you generally shouldn’t worry about bedwetting up until the age of seven.Prior to that, a child’s bladder and control can still be developing.
In the hours leading up to bedtime, try to reduce the amount that your child has to drink.Note that this does not need to be over the course of the entire day.
On the contrary, encouraging your child to hydrate in the morning and early afternoon can actually help cut down on evening-time thirst.If your child is thirsty in the evening, especially if they are participating in sports or other physical activities, do offer them water.
If your child’s school allows it, send him or her to school with a water bottle to avoid excessive fluid intake in the late afternoon and evening., Caffeine is a diuretic, which means that it can lead to a need to urinate.While you should generally avoid giving young children caffeine anyway, it’s especially true when trying to help stop bedwetting., In addition to caffeine, you should try to cut out other possible bladder irritants in the evening that can lead to bedwetting.
These include citrus juices, dyes (particularly juices with red dyes), sweeteners, and artificial flavorings., In the late afternoon and into the evening, encourage your child to use the toilet roughly every two hours.This will help avoid a sense of urgency over the evening. , Many children use the bathroom at the start of their bedtime routine as they get ready to change into pajamas, brush their teeth, etc. “Double-voiding” means having your child use the bathroom then and then going a second time directly before actually going to sleep., Pressure from your child’s rectum due to constipation can manifest as bedwetting.
To make matters more difficult, children often feel too embarrassed to discuss constipation, but this simple issue comprises up to a third of all instances of bedwetting in children who otherwise have control.If you confirm that he or she is constipated, try a fiber-rich diet for several days.
If this doesn’t make a difference, then see your pediatrician.
There are many good options to help children with constipation. , Though the process is frustrating, you should never resort to punishing your child for bedwetting.Your child likely feels embarrassed by the occurrences and wants to stop just as much as you want him or her to stop.
Instead of punishing failure, try rewarding the successes on nights when your child stays dry.You can reward your child with anything from playing a game, stickers, to a favorite dish for dinner.
Use what you know he or she enjoys. , Waking your child up before you go to bed to have him or her use the bathroom again will resort in a frustrated and poorly rested child.You don’t want to wake your child on instances when it’s not necessary either.
Instead, try a bedwetting alarm.
These devices clip to underwear or a pad on the mattress and beep as soon as they detect moisture, allowing your child to get up and go only when a bedwetting incident is imminent., Bedwetting in children can indicate a more serious issue in a minority of cases.
To be safe, see your pediatrician, so he or she can test for:
Sleep apnea A urinary tract infection Diabetes Abnormalities of the urinary tract or nervous system , Since children typically outgrow bedwetting, medications aren’t usually recommended by most pediatricians.However, some are available as a method of last resort.
These options include:
Desmopressin (DDAVP), which boosts a natural anti-diuretic hormone to make less urine at night.
However, these drugs have side effects and can also affect sodium levels, and you must monitor your child’s fluid intake while on the drug.
Oxybutynin (Ditropan XL), which can help cut down on bladder contractions and cause greater bladder capacity.
About the Author
Jessica Gordon
Specializes in breaking down complex lifestyle topics into simple steps.
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