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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

DS1 (5) not even remotely dry at night

42 replies

FourArms · 29/07/2009 07:19

DS1 is now 5yrs 4mnths. He was dry during the day at 2 with no issues, and is now absolutely fine during the day. He wears a nappy to bed, and has only ever had one dry nappy in the morning. I'm not at all bothered by this, and am quite happy for him to wear a nappy for as long as he needs to. From what my MIL says, DH was late-ish to be dry at night too.

However, recently DS1 has begun to be bothered by the fact that he still wears a nappy. Don't know if there has been some teasing from someone.. I suspect there has, but he doesn't want to admit it and gets very tearful when I ask about it.

What can I do to help him? I've bought the pyjama shorts nappy things, to show him he could stay at a friends and they wouldn't know. However, he wees so much, that they leaked into his top, so not great! He does drink a lot at tea (5:30pm ish), and then has milk and biscuits before bed (7:30pm ish). He mainly drinks ribena, which I've heard before acts as a diuretic. I've suggested lifting him during the night, but he doesn't want to do that, and is often wet before I go to bed. I think he just wants a magic wand. Don't we all?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

zazen · 29/07/2009 23:08

That's what we did when training DD FAQ.
Wee before brushing and wee after.

Also absolutely nothing to drink for at least two hours before bedtime.

Load all the liquids early in the day, and feed salty nuts if he's reluctant to drink early in the day. Then nothing to drink, for 2 hours before bed.

Good luck with it.
5 is quite young for boys though isn't it, especially with family history?

ipiratethief · 29/07/2009 23:12

my dd is 7 and still producing gallons.

has also regressed in daytimes, last yr especially, for emotional probs with her father.

I keep hoping the nappies will be drier as we go along too.

Sidge · 29/07/2009 23:12

bumpybecky - the maximum dose is 240mcg daily so you can't increase it further I'm afraid. (Excpetions are when a urologist has prescribed a greater dose). Dose isn't dependent on age or weight.

If she's started wetting again at night you might need to check that she hasn't dropped her fluid intake, hasn't got an infection, isn't stressed about anything, hasn't got out of a toileting routine etc. I find sometimes things go downhill in school holidays because the normal routine goes out the window!

Also every 3 months on Desmo she should be having a week off to see if there is any improvement; however if she's wetting then she probably needs to keep on it for now.

Sidge · 29/07/2009 23:14

and at being called an expert, I'm no expert!! Just a lowly nurse

bumpybecky · 29/07/2009 23:21

oh we regularly have a week off, we're not terribly efficient at ordering the repeat prescription before she runs out.....

I hadn't thought about it, but I reckon you might be right about dropped fluid intake.

and you're more of an expert than me so no blushing allowed!

thanks

Original poster

FourArms · 31/07/2009 17:47

Well, we went to see the GP today and citing all of my information from my friend, asked the doctor if he would prescribe DesmoMelts. He said he was reluctant to do so, given DS1's age, but did agree to refer him to the paeds. So, no idea how long that will take, but DS1 is happy we've done something. Not sure GP believed that it was really DS1 who is upset about it all, and not me (who really couldn't care less about the weeing, am just upset as DS1 is upset).

OP posts:

applepudding · 31/07/2009 23:14

5 years old is very young for this to be considered a problem - I believe this is not normally considered as something to be dealt with by medical profession until about 7/8.

My DS has recently started attending eneurisis clinic.

We have been given all the advice mentioned above, no dark coloured drink, last drink an hour before bedtime, and bladder training exercises to see how much urine Ds's bladder is holding. I understand that in many children the hormone which limits the amount of urine produced during the night is not produced until they are about 7 years old. DS has been given the loan of an alarm, which was an option we were given.

I would most certainly not want my DS to be given any medication until all other options have been explored, and this is at age 8, not 5.

Original poster

FourArms · 01/08/2009 08:53

I don't really consider it a problem AP, but unfortunately DS1 does. Believe me, this has in no way been initiated by me - I have taken the approach of it being a natural thing from day 1, and am quite happy for him to wear a nappy to bed for as long as he needs to. However, he has picked up from 'dry at night friends' the fact only babies wear nappies, and is now upset by having to wear a nappy to bed. Faced with DS1 in tears each night when it comes to bed time, I felt I had to do something.

OP posts:

applepudding · 01/08/2009 12:38

I always keep DS's drynites in a cupboard in my room so they are not visible when his friends come round. However, he does not have friends stay the night. I think it is only now that we are getting really concerned about this because he is coming to an age when the children are beginning to do sleepovers and, like you, I would hate for him to be embarrassed or teased.

My DH tells me that he also wet at night until he was in senior school; and I think there is a hereditary element. It is good for you that your doctor has agreed to refer your DS, but they may not be able to help you until his body matures.

asteamedpoater · 01/08/2009 20:20

One thing I was told by the advisor I spoke to at Eric (the childhood incontinence advisory service) was that milk is probably not the best last drink to give a child who wets at night, because whilst not being a diuretic, it does contain a lot of protein and fats, so takes longer to digest and therefore possibly longer for what's left over to get converted into urine, so increasing the chances that it will reach your child's bladder once already asleep, rather than just before bedtime for their last wee. So, I guess water's the safest drink near bedtime, if your child can tolerate the boring option, as that will pretty rapidly get processed and ready to be peed out!

Maybe Sidge could advise on whether this advice was accurate? (My son is a milk fiend and doesn't hugely appreciate other drinking options!!!).

PigeonPie · 01/08/2009 21:31

asteamed we've got the same problem with drinks. DS1 really doesn't like water and will only drink it when very very thirsty and there's no other option. At the moment he has milk for breakfast and supper and then watered down apple juice for lunch and I insist that he drinks it all at every meal as he just doesn't want to drink (despite it being on offer) at other times.

What else can I offer, other than water, that he will drink - and will want to drink?

applepudding · 01/08/2009 22:43

It was only dark coloured juice/squash we were told to avoid, so apple juice should be fine as is orange squash or juice. We were told to avoid drinking an hour before bed, but I do put DS some water in a sports bottle so if he is really thirsty he can have a sip.

However, I didn't realise what asteamed has just said about milk because although DS has stopped having a drink with his supper he always has cereal with milk on it.

Sidge · 02/08/2009 15:59

asteamedpoater yes milk is best avoided before bedtime - the Eric advisor was right. Water is obviously the best thing but if you have a child that won't drink water then citrus squashes and juices are ok, just avoid berry/red/brown drinks.

asteamedpoater · 03/08/2009 16:45

Many thanks, Sidge.

FabBakerGirlIsBack · 03/08/2009 16:50

My problem is DD and DS2 always want a drink before bed and DD will get upset if we say no and DS2 will just refuse to go to sleep.

There · 06/08/2009 04:31

Not read all the messages.

Just put our 4-year old who had totally saturated nappies every morning into pants for the night (because she asked), and not a wet night yet.

Don't understand it...

DidEinsteinsMum · 06/08/2009 23:03

Were as my 4 1/2 is getting through the odd night and woshing as he stands up in the morning. Any suggestions. have bunk bed setup and not too fussed about being dry. Nappies ditched for other reasons but why dry through sleep and woshing upon waking? dont understand as isnt he supposed to have more control when awake?

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