Help needed with bedwetting

[Pheel]

Hi

I was wondering if anyone had any advice. My 6 and half year old son has an accident at night about 1/2 times a week. Once he was out of nappies he was virtually dry all the time at night from 3 and half until he started school at nearly 5. However, since he started school, he has fairly consistently wet the bed. It's getting awkward because the poor thing had an accident at a sleepover a month or so ago and he's starting to be much more aware about it. It doesn't seem to be related to when he goes to bed, how much he has or hasn't drunk during the day, how tired he is, really is just random. Any help would be great or is there nothing I can do?

Hi Pheel. Sorry you're having this problem, but I wouldn't worry too much about it. Bed wetting among this age group is incredibly common, particularly among boys.

It may be worth a quick trip to your GP just to rule out any underlying medical reason, since you say he was dry before. However, I suspect that the cause is starting school. He may not be anxious about anything (though I'd do some gentle probing to find out) but school is simply utterly exhausting for them at this age and it can have funny effects on their sleep and bodily functions.

Ordinarily, when a person sleeps well, their body slows down and they produce less urine. This is why we don't normally have to go to the toilet during the night. Sometimes, when you're over-tired, you sleep very fitfully. (you may not have any recollection of this the next day) The result is that more than average urine is produced. In a young child with a small bladder, this can lead to bed-wetting, especially if they are so shattered that they're brain isn't responding to the bladder's signals that they need to get up and go to the toilet NOW.

It will probably sort itself out over time, and the best plan is simply to protect the mattress and make as little out of it all as possible. Have you tried double-sheeting the bed - i.e. where you put a waterproof mattress over the bed, then sheets, then another waterproof mattress and another sheet? Then you can whip off one set in the night and it saves you having to remake the bed there and then.

HTH

I think lots of boys are going through similar problems at this age - its just not talked about. They dont even consider it a problem until at least age 7, and then you can get a referral to a eneuris clinic.

Keep patient - some boys need to use an alarm, others take a pill (cant remember what it is for). We used an alarm and had a good response after a couple of weeks.

But even now, my DS age 11 has an occasional lapse. He just doesnt seem to realise when he 'needs to go' even during the day time.

we used washable mats under the sheets, and tried not to make a fuss.

when I brought the subject up with other mums at schoo, there were 4 or 5 other boys in his class at the same time with the same problem - that was at age 7-8

Thank you so much for your comments, very reassuring. I am definitely going to take up the idea of double sheeting as that will make things much easier in the night. Thanks again :)

hi there, I would recommend either talking to somebody at ERIC (the national children's charity that deals with bedwetting) they have a helpline which is 0845 370 8008 - you can talk to somebody in confidence who will be able to help support you and understand what is going on with your son. There are things that can be done to help him - you can also look at their website, www.eric.org.uk
June is ERIC's awareness month and we're calling it "Dry and Mighty" - we know the impact that bedwetting has on children and we just wish more people would come forward for help and support instead of just putting up with it. Children deserve to become dry and mighty !
best of luck,
Jenny