Bedwetting

[Ftfu123]

Hi,
I need advice on my child's bedwetting. They are 7 years old, and still have to wear a pull up at night. They are coming up to 8 years old and this shows no signs of stopping. They wake up every day with a full pull up, and if they don't wear one (tried just letting them not wear one in the hope they would get the hang of it) then they fully wet the bed and wake up soaked. They go to the toilet lots before bed, dont drink before bed (last drink with dinner an hour or two before bed). They even leak through their pull up and still end up wet, soaking the bed etc.
They aren't great in the day either. Constantly need the toilet. Going anywhere is a nightmare as as soon as we get there we need to find a toilet, any journey we make thats a few hours long requires multiple toilet stops, and he will still wet himself when out and bout at times (not sure if this is because he's scared to ask to go the toilet for the millionth time).
I just need to try and sort this now. Would the doctors help? Is there anything that can be done? Does anyone have or had similar? Any tips? He often seams to be desperate for the toilet when a few mins before he didn't even need to go. I didn't mind when he was 4, 5, 6 but now at nearly 8 years old surely this isn't normal?
School at times have noted his need for the toilet often, and I noticed sometimes his trousers smell of wee when he comes home. But he doesn't drink a lot at school. He even said he tries not to drink at school because of needing the toilet.
Any advice welcome. Thanks.

Yes of course you should take him to the doctor. Has he never been to see them about it before?

No he hasn't. My eldest wasn't dry at night till he was six and then just suddenly was overnight, so I guess I thought my youngest would eventually get there

If he more worried about how often he needs to go in the day time. Get him checked for diabetes. He really should see the GP

He could have diabetes or any number of other issues for crying out loud. You are completely remiss in not taking him to the GP before now!

Do one WYorkshireRose. I didn't come on here for abuse by some keyboard warrior. So rude and unnecessary the way you have written. Jeez, I came genuinely asking for advice. I'm not a doctor or a medical expert. How am I to know bedwetting is a sign of childhood diabetes. Way to make a mum feel great cheers.

It's not the bedwetting itself that may suggest diabetes; it's the excessive daytime peeing/the urgency and the incontinence at times. Is he excessively thirsty too?

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/your-child-and-diabetes/symptoms

Thanks dementedpixie. No he isn't excessively thirsty. Sometimes he doesn't seem to drink a lot at all. But when he does drink he's peeing all the time. He doesn't seem to have the classic symptoms of diabetes other then peeing a lot.
I have a doctor's appointment booked for him for next week now!

Not drinking in the day can make bed wetting worse, one of the recommended strategies to reduce bed wetting is upping how much the child is drinking in the day to ensure the bladder is used to holding larger capacities and to make sure the child isn’t thirsty and drinking lots in the evening. Eric has some good advice and information around bedwetting and incontinence in children in general: https://eric.org.uk/childrens-bladders/bedwetting/

Don't feel bad, there is next to nothing to be done about night time wetting. You have to wait for a hormone to kick in and it is common for children to still be in pull-ups at your son's age particularly where there is a family history of bed wetting or being late to be dry which it sounds as if applies in your case.
The reason to discuss this with your doctor is the day time frequency.You need to check that there is no infection or diabetes .The other possibility is that he has a very irritable bladder causing day and nighttime frequency which might benefit from treatment.

Thanks so much. He is booked in at doctor's next week now!

Thank you, this is helpful. I'd not thought about making him drink more in the day. To be fair I don't push him to drink loads, especially if we are going out as I know it will be a nightmare. Not sure how much he drinks at school but will try and encourage him to drink more, though he may not want to at school as it will mean him having to go to the toilet lots. I guess I should speak with his teacher and tell them to let him go when he wants. Maybe if he doesn't have to ask and can just take himself off to the toilet when he needs to it might help.
He is booked into doctor's next week.

I disagree you should have took to Dr earlier. It’s not uncommon to still wet at that age. My son did. He dribbled a lot during the day as well. Almost as if he didn’t feel urge till late. Dr wasn’t fussed.
Just before he turned 8 we bought a bed wetting alarm. Best money I’ve ever spent . Dry within 3 day!! After never a night dry.

One thing I found helped was emptying his Bowels before bed. If he didn’t he’s sometimes pee more than once previous.