What can I do about my 5 year old peeing the bed?

Question

It seems like every other day I am washing the sheets because my daughter will pee the bed. I have her go potty before bed time and I make sure she goes, I tell her if she has to go to get up and go. The bathroom is right next to her room. But still she will pee the bed. What can I do to have her stop?

Answer 1

Many times kids have different reasons for this habit not the least of which is fear of the dark, or being alone. May I suggest a few actions which helped folks I know.

1) get a radio next to the bed, the kind like babies use. Ask your daughter to call for you if she needs to get up and use the potty. She may not need you to help, but to stand in the hallway and guard against monsters.....

2) get her to wash the sheets with you, or have her do the sheets herself. Until many kids see the problem, many wont' make a change.

3) Encourage her and don't belittle her for any problem. Let her know it's a problem, but one which you are willing to work with her on in order to get through it. Never make the problem HERS alone, it's YOURS and HERS together - and it's an easy problem as well as one you can both work to take care of. Don't judge her against friends or siblings (Susie doesn't wet the bed...) every child is a single situation in and of itself. This helps her self esteem and lets her know you'll always be behind her with any problem she has as well as saying that any secrets she has will be protected by you.

I hope this helps.

Answer 2

My kids are still younger and in diapers, so I don't have experience from that perspective, but I do have first hand experience because I was a bed-wetter. Do not punish your daughter - she definitely does not mean to do it and is probably horrified and embaressed when she does. Make sure you praise her when she wakes up dry.

What finally worked for me to stop wetting the bed was something called a "light alert" that my parents got. It basically was a sensor that you put under the sheets and it plugged into this light unit thing. When it got wet, it would start beeping a light would flash. It woke me up and I'd go potty. After a few weeks (I don't remember how long), I didn't need it anymore because I began to wake up from that about-to-pee feeling. I know my parents tried a zillion other methods before that, but that was the only thing that worked for me. I never went back to wetting the bed!

While I think some of the other suggestions listed are great ideas to minimize the bed wetting - not allowing drinks after a certain time, waking her up throughout the night, etc. - ultimately, all those methods do is limit the stimulus, not the response to it. What the light alert does is teach your child to recognize the stimulus of having a full bladder (versus sleeping through it) and respond accordingly - going potty!

Good luck - I'm sure your daughter will be dry in no time!

P.S. I think my parents bought the light alert at sears...I am sure you can find something similar there or a child product website.

Answer 3

Several things could be the problem. Being a nurse my first question would be since this is a female, has she been checked for a urinary tract infection. Once thought to be rare in kids this young they are in fact seen more often now. Secondly I would ask you what if anything has changed in her life? Has she started a new school, new kindergarten, lost someone important in her life etc. Then I would ask you what time in the evening do you last give her liquids to drink. If you are allowing her to drink colas,koolaid,juice,milk,even water right up until bedtime, taking her to the bathroom and then putting her to bed, it would not be surprising that she is wetting the bed. Also, how sound a sleeper is she?
There are many, many reasons that she may be doing this. If you don't have an answer to some of the questions I have suggested then a visit to her pediatrician is probably the best thing that you can do. You sound like a loving, concerned parent and I know that you are aware that scolding her will only lead to other problems. Good luck to you both and i hope you find a solution soon.

Answer 4

Some kids, especially girls, can't control their bladder at night until they're 12 (sorry to say :) I'm sure she's embarrassed about it. She doesn't do it on purpose. She can't help it. Reducing fluids doesn't work. It seems the brain just doesn't register the urge if they're sleeping. Invest in more sheets and a rubber bed mat or buy those special night time diaper/pants. You can try rewarding her when she has a dry night, but it probably won't help. Teach her to change her own bed and at least put the sheets in the laundry as soon as she is able. Please don't punish or drug her. She'll outgrow it and one day she'll appreciate your understanding.

Answer 5

first of all is she peeing the bed just to do it? or is it because she is asleep and doesn't know she has to go? that was my problem, i didn't stop until i was in my late high school years...very embarassing. if thats the case the best you can do is get things like pull-ups and be considerate and understanding of her. you could try asking a doctor for help. if she is doing it because she dosn't want to get up i might mae sure there are night lights around that might help her feel more at eas to get out of bed and use the bathroom at night.

Answer 6

I'll go along with the majority here and say that she will grow out of it. Girls usually before boys, but each child at their own pace. I am pretty sure that she wouldn't so it because she wants attention, there are better ways to get that than peeing your bed. She needs support and acceptance from you, when she is over it, that is what she will remember.

Answer 7

my sister~I dont know if you are christian, but I have sweet story to share about this same situation with my 4 yr old. She was having this problem and I told her pray for God to help her go. I said that the Holy Spirit does wake her up, she just isnt listening and she needs to listen. So she prayed for that and awoke the next morning dry. When I praised her for the accomplishment she said "i asked Jesus to help me and He did and now my whole life is changed!" I almost fell out laughing. My daughter's room is right next to the bathroom as well and I've given her the option to make a little palet in the bathroom so she's close to go if she has to. Thats helped her at times. I also make her understand that her bed is not a toilet. I ask her would she do a number two in the bed? She understands that is gross and the correlation sticks in her mind-my bed is not my toilet. Another tip is to limit liquids a couple hours prior to bed time. Having her go before bed doesnt help if she just drank a cup of juice. It wont get through her till later anyway. Remember, the Bible says to train up our children, not raise them. You raise chickens. You Train Children.

God Bless you and keep you....

Answer 8

Don't let her drink anything a few hours before bed time. Have her wear Good Nights until it's under control, no need for you to have to wash sheets that often.

Answer 9

Wait. Have you ever heard of a grown up who isn't potty trained? It'll stop eventually. Don't be anxious, because you are making her anxious and that is the reason she does this. By the way, don't give her many liquids before she gets to bed.

Answer 10

ok, i comprehend it is going to be fairly stressful, yet you have have been given to set an alarm for your self to circulate off each and every few hours at night. each and every time the alarm is going off, circulate into her room and make her get off the mattress and use the bathing room. additionally what human beings are saying above me approximately slicing off all fluid intake some hours earlier mattress is likewise a reliable theory. And save making her use the bathing room precise earlier mattress, do no longer give up doing that. additionally, it is advisable to invest in some plastic sheets in case you haven't any longer already. whether you place her in diapers/Pull-united statesa. night, it won't seize each and all the pee. positioned a plastic sheet on her mattress so it won't get into the mattress.