How can a 9 year-old be encouraged to stop bedwetting?

Question

The child does not does not feel the urine or is unable to wake up when it is coming.

Answer 1

Studies have shown that bedwetting does not happen by any conscious effort of children not to get out of bed and go to the bathroom to relieve themselves when they feel the urge to pee.
It may not be solved by trying to wake children at a designated time at night to make them pee. This might only disrupt their biological clocks and make them loose precious sleep.
http://www.bedwettingrelief.com/bedwetting.php
It wouldn’t hurt to consult your pediatrician for a thorough assessment of your child’s health and make sure there's not a medical reason why your child cannot stop bed wetting.
The general advice is to get professional help when:
bedwetting continues after the age of seven or eight, or is occurring frequently before this time and causes distress for the child or family

Answer 2

Like many people, I was a bedwetter in an era when bedwetting was considered a "discipline problem." My own mother would place her hand on the back of my head and slam my face down onto the wet spot on my mattress and rub my face back and forth while screaming at me for "not voiding my bladder before going to bed!" This went on until I turned 12.

Mercifully, times have changed and we know better.

First, I would encourage you to have your child checked out by a doctor to ensure that there is not a MEDICAL reason behind the bedwetting.

Once it's determined that there is no medical reason, then I would encourage you to purchase A LOT of "Goodnights." You can try limiting the child's liquid intake after 7, but the truth is, if he's a bedwetter, he'll probably wet the bed regardless of whether he had anything to drink or lots to drink after supper.

Contrary to some opinion holders, you do not need to wake your child up two or three times each night to go to the bathroom. Frustration and exhaustion will abound, but the bladder won't learn a damned thing from it. Bedwetting is not a reflection of a child's discipline level...or bad parenting. It's more common than you can imagine and, typically, it's the fault of an immature bladder that will eventually correct itself. Better put, your child really will grow out of it.

For those occasions where your child simply cannot wear Goodnights to bed (they're thin and discreet but sometimes they're just not discreet enough for overnight camp, sleepovers, etc.) the doctor can and very likely will prescribe a pill that will stop the bladder from releasing overnight when taken shortly before bed.

I encourage you to do everything possible NOT to make this a huge issue in your house...to provide a calm, supportive atmosphere where your child can mature at his/her own pace without fear of punishment or humiliation. Celebrate the dry mornings, pay no attention to the wet ones and you'll discover one day, that it's no longer an issue.

Peace to you and yours.

Answer 3

That can't be encouraged. Most bedwetting is a sleep anomaly as opposed to a bladder problem they simply can't wake up to go also, their system is undeveloped and their brain doesn't release a chemical to slow down urine production while sleeping so they make the same amount of urine as if they are awake.

What we have done (have an 8 year old, we're down to once a week or so, big change from every night.) is...

Absolutely no milk products of any kind after 5PM. If he eats ice cream, drinks milk after 5 it is a guarantee that he will absolutely wet the bed that night.

Eat supper before 6:30PM, no fluids after 7PM, bed at 8PM consistently.

If he gets off schedule, has had a really busy day, or we do something out of the ordinary that day, he'll wet the bed.

Talk to your doctor and tell him your concerns, there is a nasal spray that can be used for sleep overs and the like that is a synthetic of the chemical that the brain is not producing.

I know it's frustrating...but he probably will grow out of it as long as you don't make a huge deal of it. That way it stays a physical ailment as opposed to emotional baggage.

Answer 4

I have a 6-year-old son who has ADHD and also has a bedwetting problem. There is medication that your family doctor can prescribe which will help. My son has the same issues of not being able to wake up to go to the bathroom at night, but he does fine during the day.

Regarding the poster who insinuated that parents who don't get their children up in the middle of the night are lazy, we got our son up every night, sometimes twice a night, for a year, and he STILL had a bedwetting problem. Obviously for some children, it's not a question of them getting in a routine of waking up; they either sleep too deeply or do not get the "signals" that other people normally receive. I would go see your family doctor and talk to him/her about what can be done to help your child. Good luck to you and your family!

Answer 5

I hate to tell you this, but bedwetting is still normal at this age for a lot of kids.

Has the child seen a doctor about bedwetting? Get a referal to a urologist. Have a urinalysys and an ultrasound done to make sure all the plumbing works OK. Consider seeing a chiropractor and starting DHA supplements.

Limit fluids prior to bed. Make sure he goes before bed. Put him in Goodnights or Pullups overnight and use a plastic sheet under his regular one to protect the mattress. At nine, he is old enough to help clean up any messes and help do any laundry.

Answer 6

Don't let them drink any liquids for 2 hours before bedtime. Make sure they use the toilet right before bed. Try the "goodnights" pull ups for bigger kids. The child is not doing this on purpose, so try not to make too big of a deal about it. You might try waking the child up about 11 to go to the bathroom. I'm assuming that you have had the doctor check the child to make sure there isn't a physical problem that could be helped by medication.

Answer 7

Usually bed wetting is caused by something else that is bothering the child. Find out what the problem is by experimenting, first getting a proper bed sheet that will not pose a problem if the bedwetting continues. You can't really blame a sleeping child for something he or she cannot control. Stop anything to drink before bed by at least 6 pm or 3 hours before bedtime. If you have to wake the child later in the night before you go to bed to go to the bathroom and or first thing in the morning to go to the washroom. You cannot bed wet if there is nothing to cause them to urinate during the night. If all else fails then you need to take a more drastic approach by consulting a physician who specializes in this department. Good luck.

Answer 8

My son is 7 and has this same problem. My son that is 18 had this problem until he was 15 so sometimes it just goes with the territory. I don't let my son have alot of liquids in the evening and i make him go to the bathroom right before he goes to bed. But I do not make him feel bad when he has an accident because he feels badly enough already. He is to embarrassed to have friends over to spend the night. I am anxious to read the answers to your question. Please know you are not alone and good luck. Happy Holidays. Good question by the way!!!

Answer 9

regrettably i do not trust that there are quite some extra treatments that you may try. I have a 9 3 hundred and sixty 5 days previous that from time to time wets the mattress now in truth now that i'm wondering about it that's been about 6 months. i trust that is time which could help. ideas although get a plastic liner for the mattress, try the product good nights with him, he received't favor to yet with somewhat supportive communicate from you and letting him keep in mind that many human beings have this difficulty youthful and previous he will positioned on them and be plenty happier waking dry interior the morning basically having to remove the coolest nights

Answer 10

I have got to hope so! I have a 6yo son that does it. Talk to the doctor. And, wake her up frequently during the night. There are many programs and such that look at it. But, stay away from meds.... they are basically poisons, and your child will learn eventually. I hope so, because wash sheets every day! Just remember that pressuring them doesnt work. I ignore it, and it seems to go away for periods of time. But, talk to the doctor, to eliminate a medical problem!