Bedwetting: Solutions
The best thing you can do is talk to your GP about a treatment plan for your child. There are a number of ways to deal with the issue, which at the end of the day, is a medical condition. However, it is recommended to avoid using pull-ups, which send the message to your child that it’s ok to wet the bed and doesn’t empower them to try to have a successful dry night.
Bedwetting alarm: This works on the principal that your child’s body will recognise the bladder is full and wake up. The alarm has a moisture sensor and goes off when your child begins to wet themselves. They can be effective, but require the family to be incredibly motivated and it can take weeks or months to see results.
Behavioural therapies: Night-lifting is one form of behavioural treatment technique that can be used to stop older children from wetting their bed. Try to walk him or her to the toilet in order to teach your child to get up and empty the bladder during the night.
Medication: Bodies are designed to produce vasopressin, which is a hormone that concentrates urine to prevent the bladder from overfilling. Some children cannot make enough of this hormone, so a synthetic version, along with restricting fluid intake, can help reduce bedwetting episodes.
Other possible solutions include:
- Limiting beverages before bed.
- Making your child go to the toilet immediately before they go to sleep.
- A reward system has been known to help. Success can be monitored using stars on a chart, along with prizes for certain periods of dryness.
- Acupuncture, hypnosis and massage are claimed to help, but there is no solid evidence.
Talk to your doctor about which techniques to use and whether medication is right for your child.