My 9 year old still wears nappies every night

[Mumof3goingloca]

My 9 year old son still wears nappies every night. My daughter, now 13, was exactly the same until she suddenly stopped at 9. My other child, who's 11, was dry at night from around 2.

My son says he doesn't want to wear nappies, but he falls asleep and starts weeing. He also has quite a lot of daytime accidents, leaking through his underwear. I honestly can't keep washing every day so i ask him to put nappy pant with his pj's.

We've tried so many tips from ERIC the charity and read all their resources. We're hoping he'll suddenly stop like his sister did.

The only things we haven't tried are a bedwetting alarm or medication through the GP.

Has anyone been through this? did your child eventually grow out of it?

My son was a bit younger than yours when he stopped wearing pulls up, I think he was about 7, but it was the alarm that helped him do it. He slept so deeply and his pull up was soaked when he woke every morning so I was really sceptical it would work but it did, and relatively quickly. Can’t remember now exactly how long but perhaps 3-4 weeks? I bought one from the ERIC shop. Really recommend.

Apparently the body is suppose to release a hormone when they get to a certain age to stop bed wetting. It might be worth taking him to the doctors. Good luck

It's hormone related, and more common in males. I'd definitely try medication, as an over active bladder sufferer i notice the medication i'm on is also is prescribed for bed wetting. It helps so much with my frequent night waking for bathroom trips.

I think the school nurses can refer you for extra help from 7 onwards as that’s when it’s beginning to be considered outside the norm

Daytime accidents aren't normal at his age, I'd take him to the GP. It can't be doing his confidence any good continuing to struggle.

I think at that age I would approach the GP for medication if only for his own dignity. Both mine were dry at night and during the day from aged 2 and honestly potty training was a breeze with both. I think if your child is finding it so hard to stay dry even during the day aged 9 you need to look into support from the GP

My daughter is 6 and been dry all day since 3 years old with no daytime accidents whatsoever in 3 years but she cannot do a dry night to save herself. Pull ups every night, always wet every morning. Praying she grows out of it soon. My other children (2 boys) were both dry all day and night from age 2 so this is bizarre for me

Very much in the same boat as you here with no less than three older bedwetters.

DD1 (9) and DD2 (7) are ordinarily in pull-ups at night. DD3 (4) is in nappies. Though there have been occasions where both older girls have had to have a proper tape on nappy as well, as an emergency measure.

It is often hormonal and genetic/can't be trained and there is really no big deal in using them unless you make it one. It is much better than the relentless cycle of laundry and broken sleep and ours have never made a fuss as they all know they need protection at night.

We have tried the alarm without success. DD1 is currently being seen by the enuresis clinic so hopefully we will be able to try the medication and see some results there.

Daytime accidents are a very different thing to night-time wetting and you may want to get that checked out separately. Daytime leaking or urgency often points to something physical that needs sorting, like an underlying urinary tract infection or constipation.