Bedwetting?

Question

I look after a little girl once a week as part of my babysitting, she is seven. Problem is most nights, she wets the bed. I've told the parents, but nothing has been done. She's too old for nappies, and often doesn't go back to sleep if woken up, and is grumpy as well.
What could I do to help her?

I would like to add that if she doesn't want a nappy on, she is unlikely to want anything else on like pull-ups. I might have tried this, but all she did was scream.

Answer 1

First of all, it's not considered a real problem until the child is 9 years of age. Before the age of 9 the child's bladder may not be fully developed yet, and this can cause bed wetting. Also, the child may have a sleeping disorder that causes her to sleep very heavily, and doesn't allow her to wake up when her bladder is telling her brain it's full. Bed wetting should never be made an issue, before 9, and if it continues after the age of 9 consult a Dr., and let the Dr. determine what needs to be done. By no means should the child ever feel embarrassed or ashamed, because it's normal. Things happen we can't control, and that's OK! A vast majority of children wet the bed, and the majority don't stop till between the ages of 14 - 16. The best thing to do is for the parents to buy the Goodnights, by Huggies. If the child doesn't want to wear them, as the parent I would explain how washing the blankets everyday is tough on mom, and dad, and wearing the Goodnights would help them out a lot. Let them know there is nothing wrong with having accidents, the Goodnight is there so the child doesn't wake up to a wet bed anymore. The parents need to direct the bed wetting in a different direction, not the child. Children are always concerned about their parents, and they generally like to feel they are contributing to making the parents life easier.

Answer 2

HOnestly just remember don't convey any negitive feelings torward this. This could be very damaging to her self-esteem. Two kudos for trying to work with her!! Limiting liquids and potty time before bed and then wake her up when you go to bed are very good suggestions. It would be in her best intrest to suggest to her parents to visit a pediatrician. There could be medical reasoning behind the problem. It might go over well to approach it in a nonintrusive way; such as, I really adore your daughter and you guys are helping me learn so much about careing for a child, being in this situation has incouraged me to learn about bedwetting, I have found that it is very common and some suggestions, the best is that there are no set answers for a single child, I was amazed that most parents turn to thier pediatrician. I thought that it was something that everyone just knew. That way you are not coming across making them feel insuffecient as a parent. Being a parent myself I am a lot more open to (have you tried ____ it might not work because everyone is different only you know your child). I like it when people don't make it a problem also. When they make it like this is a norm for me not to know. This may not be the best way to approach it because it totally depends on personalites. It's probably not because they don't care it is probably because they are up in the air about what to do to. Good luck and remember loving a child is always a must to get through anything!!

Answer 3

you may not be aware that bedwetting - which doesn't have to be bedwetting with pullups - is a genetic condition in many children. It is most prevalent in people of eastern european heritage and is related, probably, to bladder size and depth of sleep.

there is utterly nothing abnormal about this. the child and her bed should be protected and respected and she should not in any way at all be made to feel ashamed or pressured to 'stay dry.' this is a psychological nightmare in the waiting.

there are plenty of pullups big enough - i know because one of my children was dry at night before age 2 and the other not until age 12. the same pattern is apparent in all the cousins of the extended family. obviously, some have the gene, some not.

Answer 4

Sometimes it's not all about how much a child drinks that makes them wet the bed! I knew a girl who wetted the bed until she was 11 years old! Her mom took her to the doctor and the doctor told her that she had a weak bladder! He put her on some kind of medicine for it and she hasn't wet the bed since!! That could be the problem! If the little girl's parents aren't doing anything about it...I don't know what to tell you!! Maybe you could suggest that they take her to the doctor about it! I hope that helps...

Answer 5

it could be that she feels unsettled. if u look after her during the day, as well as at night, maybe u should limit fluids after 6 or 7 at night. enocurage her to use the toilet before going to bed, and leave the bathroom light on or hallway. it could be that she wakes during the night but doesnt like the thought of walking about in the dark, in a house that she isn't used to apart from one night a week. explain to the parents what u are going to try and encourage them to do the same if they don't do it already. ask them what her night time routine is too.....

hope this helps, im having the same with my daughter, but have almost conquered it with the above.

Answer 6

Drug her, maybe a oneskin's worth of hash in her dinner or a quarter of a Valium in her hot milk, won't stop her wetting the bed but at least she'll sleep all night, which is your basic problem. Let her parents deal with the wider problem.

Answer 7

you can buy absorbant blankets made out of the same stuff as nappies to put on the bed to soak up the urine / feacies like they have in hospitals - it doent solve the bed wetting it just makes clean up faster and easier after all you only get to look after her 1 night out of 7 youve alerted the parents there is an issue that needs resolving nappies dont work the absorbant blankets arent constricting likie huggies because they are flat on the bed underneath them ...till they need replacing

Answer 8

Good answers as far as the time frame to cut out drinks . I suggest 4 hrs. before bed time and also try lien down with her for about 30 minutes to an hour to relax her and also suggest these remedies to the parents put them in writting but I believe if you would lie down with her for comfort she would also stop wetting the bed try it.

Answer 9

Try not to let her drink after like 6 and just make sure she goes before bed. my brother actually got medication to help him not sleep so heavy so that he would get up and go

Answer 10

She shouldn't drink anything 24 hours before retiring. If she does, see other answers.