What can i do to get my 6 yr old to go to the toilet in the night?

Question

He goes in the day. But because he is a very heavy sleeper, he doesnt wake up to go to the toilet or wake up and realise he is wet. How can i help him establish a nighttime rountine?

Answer 1

Don't let him drink anything for about 2 hours before he goes to bed. Then, as you are going to bed yourself, get him up and make him go to the toilet - it seems cruel but it's the only way to get him into a routine.
Other than this, don't worry, he will grow out of it eventually. I used to have the same problem myself, I had it until I was about 10, then I suddenly just grew out of it. I found that it was a very distressing problem, and being told off for wetting the bed just made me more anxious, which stopped me sleeping well, so when I did sleep I was so tired that I went into a really deep sleep and wet the bed - you see the cycle developing?
So my advice is, try to help him get into the routine, but try really hard not to pressure him or make him feel like he is naughty or make him ashamed, because lasting damage can be done this way.
Good luck!

Answer 2

The kidneys are working all the time to flush through liquids, allowing some to leave the body and keeping others to ensure that the body doesn't dehydrate. You would have to stop liquids for a very long time to stop your son from still peeing during the night.

Eventually he will be able to control his bladder through the night and will sleep through without needing to pee. Does he do this every night or is it occasional? If he does it every night then it might be a good idea for you to set your alarm clock, say, for every four hours (or whatever), for you to wake him and take him to the toilet - he might establish this as a routine within a few days. If it is only occasional then I think that I would just let nature take its course and allow him to grow out of it.

I also believe that there is, or at least was, a device on the market that was put on to the matress. When it detected moisture the alarm would sound, waking the child before they did 'too much.' I think that your local pharmacist would be able to give you more details on that one.

My son did the same until he was quite old - he's thirty now and he doesn't wet the bed anymore!

Good luck with it. I know that it is annoying but the worst thing that you can do is cause him stress by it. Don't tell him off - but maybe make him change the sheets. He will realise that simply not getting out of bed at night causes work.

Answer 3

i have the same problem with my 6 yr old and myself until i turned about 12 my mother took me to the pediatrician and we were given a mattress alarm but because i was such a heavy sleeper the only person it woke up was my mother............lol

with my daughter i limit fluids for about 2 hours before bedtime and she only gets a couple of sips of water if she is very thirsty and make her use the restroom right before going to bed

i tried the taking her to the toilet when i went to bed routine and after a few weeks it did help however there is some controversy over this as some people believe it doesn't solve the problem it only trains the bladder to go at a certain time(which isn't good) there were times i went to bed a couple of hours later than normal and found she had already wet the bed

personally i find that limiting drinks and going to the toilet right before bed to be the most effective

good luck

Answer 4

ck-out "GoodNites" link for ideas.

1. ck w/ doc no infection going on.
2. limit liquids about 2 hours before bedtime.
3. leave a night light on.
4. encourage him to use the potty before bedtime.
5. a gentle reminder before bedtime, "that it is okay to wake-up in the eve. and use the potty" possibly say there will be a little surprise in bathroom if he wakes durring the night to go. (when he is sound a sleep) Put a teddybear on the basin, to greet him and he can bring it back to bed w/ him.
6. celebrate the dry nights. (stickers etc.)

7. 'a very heavy sleeper' ,,, why not gently wake him same time each eve, and assist him to 'sit and pee', then put him back to bed. ((after a few nights of waking him the same time ea. night he may be likely to start waking himself at this time if nature calls.))

8. try goodnites - pull ups, to help build confidence durring the night hours. Reassure these are a temporary solution until he masters the "how to".

Answer 5

my seven year old daughter is under the hospital for wetting the bed as shes a deep sleeper and doesn't even know shes done it she doesn't even wake once shes done it, at the moment i have to try and get her to drink more as that could be the cause, they done all sorts of test though to make sure she never had infection or kidney problems but all is good. if this drink thing doesn't work there try some thing else but i have two weeks to try. but i had tryed every thing i tryed stopping the drinks an hour before bed never worked I've taken her to the toilet before i go to bed she went wee but still wet the bed, and I've done a start chart and that hasn't work so i had no choice but to take her to my doctor and he transferred her over to the hospital so hopefully we will have dry nights soon.

if you want to chat you can email me on [e-mail]

Answer 6

My little brother has this problem, dont let him drink alot before bed, and right before bed make sure he goes to the bathroom and if you happen to wake up for any reason during the night, wake him up and have him go in just incase, but after about a week of not letting my brother have alot to drink before bed and making him go to the bathroom right before bed time he stopped wetting the bed, occasionally he will, but most nights he doesnt anymore.

Answer 7

Obviously, stopping fluids an hour before bed and establishing a regular potty time before bed are good ideas.
Another thing would be to let him change his bedclothes and sheets when they get wet. This is not a punishment in any way, just a natural consequence. You should be very supportive and helpful, but he should feel how it feels to change the bed every night. It might just help motivate him to stay dry during the night. (This, of course, is assuming that physically he is able to stay dry.)
Good luck!

Answer 8

I agree with the nothing to drink after 6 if he goes to bed a 830pm. The make him go potty before he goes to bed. A sip of water is ok right before bed this is what I did with my son. It worked really great!! also make him go as soon as he gets up!!

I wouldn't wake him up because he need his sleep. That is when he is grownig and he will be cranking throughout the day if he doesn't have a good nights sleep.

good luck!

Answer 9

I could be his bladder hasn't caught up with his growing, it's a very common problem. Talk to your pediatrician just to ensure that there isn't a physical reason for this.

Stop liquids 2 hours before bedtime, ensure he goes before bed. You also might want to try goodnights sleeping pants. Make sure he has a nightlight that he can see well to get to and from the bathroom. We have one in our hall and bathroom, kids get scared of the dark easily.

You might try waking him up to go when you head to bed if it's later than his bed time. This may help get him in the habit of waking up to go.

Good luck!

Answer 10

Can you have him wear Good Nights? It's not good for a child's sleep cycle to be disturbed like that. If you limit fluids before bed-time and he is still wetting the bed, do consider investing in Good Nights. He will eventually grow out of it, but having him wake up each night to go pee is just not good for a 6yo. (Or anybody, really!)