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An End to Bedwetting
Q: My 6-year-old has been wetting his bed for months. What's the most effective way to address this problem?
A: Even after a child is toilet-trained, usually between ages 2 and 4, it's normal for him to wet the bed at night as often as a few times a week. And after that, he may occasionally wet the bed because of stress or other problems within his family, in which case it's important for parents to be sensitive and patient and avoid making their child feel guilty or ashamed.
If a child of at least 5 wets the bed twice a week for three months or more, it's time to seek treatment. And according to a new review of almost 70 studies, urine alarms are the best treatment for bedwetting, says Michael Mellon, Ph.D., pediatric psychologist and director of the Mayo Clinic Enuresis Conditioning Clinic in Rochester, MN.
The alarm, which is either worn on the nightclothes or attached to the sheet, activates when it's moistened, prompting the child to use the bathroom. However, it needs to be used for an average of three months to be effective, and it works best with kids who are 6 or older. "It can be quite demanding," explains Dr. Mellon, who conducted the review. "Once the alarm sounds, the child has to get up, shut it off, use the bathroom, probably change his clothing, reset the alarm, and get back into bed."
For this reason, parents need to be an integral part of the process -- as should a therapist. "Most kids need a lot of support during treatment. After that, most kids have learned how to stay dry, and they're done." Seventy-five percent of children will become dry after using an alarm, with a 15% to 20% chance of relapse.
Alarms usually cost between $75 and $100 and aren't always covered by insurance, a source of frustration for Dr. Mellon. If your child does not respond to alarms, ask your pediatrician about a medication called Desmopressin (known as DDAVP), though Dr. Mellon cautions that most kids continue to wet as soon as they stop taking it.
Copyright © 2001. Reprinted with permission from the December/January 2002 issue of Child magazine.
All content here, including advice from doctors and other health professionals, should be considered as opinion only. Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others.
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In addition to the other suggestions, try chiropractic adjustments. At age 8, our son was freed from both enuresis AND encopresis after a few treatments. I had had long labor and he had been face-up presentation; those birth canal trips can be tough on a baby's nervous system/spine.
12/19/2010 02:30:53 PM Report AbuseMy 6 year old son wet the bed every night & wore Goodnites. We got an alarm & had about three weeks of crazy nights. He'd sleep thru it, so I would wake him. After 3 weeks of faithfully using it, he was dry. Parents can't rely on the alarm alone to do the work. It sucks having to get up, it's like having a newborn all over again. But the happiness that was brought to my son due to having no more pull-ups and having dry nights was worth it all. I bought the cheapest alarm ($50) & it worked.
10/11/2010 01:54:10 PM Report AbuseI have 2 sons both whom wet the bed about every night. I was wondering if there is a night time diaper that doesn't feel like a diaper when worn. I want them both to wear something to bed but pull ups and good nights both feel like diapers so they wont wear them. If there isn't anything that doesn't feel like a diaper does anyone have any suggestions on what I can get for them to wear to bed so they don't soke the bed sheets every night?
7/16/2010 09:13:54 PM Report Abuseok i tried all of this and my 7 1/2 yr old still is wetting the bed help
4/24/2010 01:49:06 PM Report Abusemy 9 year old bed-wets literally every night. For him to have dry nights he needs to be woken up at least thrice in the night. Waking him up is also quite a task as he is a deep sleeper. He is miserable that he can't be dry in the nights please help!!!! jcd
4/9/2010 08:48:05 AM Report AbuseMy step-son will be 8 in less than a month. We have tried combinations of MANY different things. From stopping drinks at a certain time at night, to waking up through the night to get him to go, to DDAVP. NOTHING...and I mean nothing (not even the DDAVP) has worked. He has been to the urologist who says that he does not have a small bladder. Any suggestions? I am out of ideas and I didn't have this problem with my own son.
4/8/2010 05:33:54 PM Report AbuseI have a 8 year old GRANDSON AND TRIED THE ALARM. DID NOT WOKE HIM, CUZ HE IS A VERY DEEP SLEEPER AND DOES NOT HEAR IT.SO I GET HIM UP AT 3:30 TO GO. THAT SEEM TO WORK.(thats when my housband gets up.)
3/24/2010 02:58:39 PM Report AbuseMy 4yr old hated pullups because her twin sister didn't have to wear them. We knew she was still young, but her cries broke our hearts. We did behavior modification and woke her up every night to go to the bathroom. After 3mths we stopped to see, and she has been dry for 4mths now!
3/22/2010 11:36:55 AM Report AbuseAgreed. try warm loosefitting, soft fabic -depnding on where you live. try a calming routine before bed. Music, aromatherapiy positivr imaags, etc.
3/15/2010 11:45:54 AM Report AbuseThe last article I just read said that most times, bed-wetting is caused by a small bladder. This is true of my almost 6 year old, who constantly used the bathroom during the day, because her bladder is so small. I couldn't possibly imagine hooking her up to some alarm and having her sleep disturbed. OMG! Buy some pull-ups and wait until kids naturally stop wetting the bed. Why does everything have to go to the extreme?!
3/15/2010 10:29:26 AM Report Abuse