Night time potty training.....help?

Question

I have a 6year old boy who was completely potty trained at 3 years old, after some events he started to wet the bed again but is has been 2 years since then and he still wets (not once in awhile but every night). Any suggestions? Is this at all normal? How long after something traumatic will he keep wetting?

Thank you all so far for your help. I just wanted to add that I would NEVER spank my child for something like this. And we do NOT believe in medication. Who ever put the spanking comment either does not have children or is just plan mean.

Answer 1

it is not a training issue. thousands of kids wet the bed from age 3-14. it is normal and just some thing they need to grow out of.
now, you say something about events. at this age it is hard to tell whether the events caused it, or just his age. most likely the events played a small part in it, but it was/is his age that is the real cause.
his bladder has not caught up to the rest of his body, this takes time. I suggest goodnites. these are "pants" for kids who wet the bed. just don't make it a big deal.


after reading the answer above me I have to add this...
DO NOT SPANK HIM OR PUNISH HIM IN ANY WAY! he cannot help it. it is wrong to punish a child for something he cannot help.
also DO NOT PUT HIM ON MEDICATION FOR WETTING! I spent 2 days in the hospital for dehydration when I was on bedwetting medication.

Answer 2

I agree with you should not spank a child for wetting the bed. Have you try talking to your child about why he is wetting the bed? Maybe you should put up night lights in his bedroom and have the bathroom light on too because he could be just scared of the dark. You should take him to the doctors to make sure this is not a medical problem. If you don't get this under control he will become a grown man and still wetting the bed.

Answer 3

First try to retrain him.Like waking him at night to go to the bthroom. Do give anything to drink a few hours b4 bedtime. All the while talking to him and finding out what is on his mind. Whatever events that happened. Maybe he needs some reassurance. Not trying to offend you. But two years is entirely too long to have been wetting the bed. And no help to solve the problem. His self esteem is possibly at little damaged. Whatever happen needs to be resolved and dealt with for him.

Answer 4

He might just be in habit. His bladder doesnt know when to stop, it's used to going at night. Just like usually in the morning we yawn or have to go to the bathroom right away. Try making a "No fluids before 7pm" rule or at least 2-3 hours before he goes to bed. That should at least help. Eventually his body will notice there isnt anything there to wet the bed with! :P Then after a few weeks (even a month or two if necessary) you can slowly start putting him back on liquids when he wants them before bed time!

Answer 5

My son went through the same thing at that age. We seemed to try everything to no avail. Try talking to your son about his feelings. Reese was just wanting attention, so by wetting, he got our undivided attention. My son outgrew the problem after about a year. Let him know that whatever is going on, you are there for him. It could also be medical. It wouldn't hurt to talk to your pedi. about the problem. He can offer some third party advice on the subject. Good luck!!!

Answer 6

Try limiting his fluid intake in the evening and before bed. If that doesn't work then I would seek professional help with what happened years ago, maybe he still has not accepted it or dealt with it. Also I am assuming that he has been to his doctor to see if it is a bladder infection and he sleeps to sound at night to realize it.

Answer 7

Learning to hold your pee at night is mental - he was doing fine earlier wasn;t he -? When my daughter had withdrawal and kept having accients i started waking her up at midnight to walk her to the bathroom, we kept working the hours till it worked for her, she would be lazy and have dreams about a toilet so she could pee without waking up. Sometimes it is for attention, but usually laziness so limit liquids before bedtime, wake them up several times and taper off until they get better, reward good behavior and punish bad behavior - not by hitting but by making them strip their own bed, make their own bed and if they are old enough stay home and wash the linens, they soon realize it is more convenient to get up and go. If there is a real mental block , try those alarms that go off when the bed is wet - they work too.

Answer 8

Seek counseling. There is a medicine that helps this. My nephew was having problems with anxiety and had to be put on medicine for the anxiety which helped him to stop wetting the bed at night.

Answer 9

boys' bladders develope at different rates than girls and he might just be having a lapse. Talk to the dr he might have a UTI that could be causing this. What was so traumatic?

Answer 10

There are counselors and therapists who specialize in bed-wetting without prescribing medication. If your child feels badly or embarassed about it, I'd check out therapy. Good luck!