5ys old and still not dry

[AndiB58]

My DS is 5 years and in Reception.

We are having a problem with him bed wetting, wetting himself in school, wetting himself at home, wetting himself when he goes out. Bascally wetting himself all the time.
He is a happy lad, plays, has friends, loves school but we can't get to the bottom of him wetting himself.
We've seen the wet nurse and she has advised he could have a small bladder so he needs to drink more water whilst at school but even with us and the school encouraging him he won't drink no more as too busy playing. We are on a waiting list for alarm pants and to see consultant but the waiting list is 7-8 months.
He doesn't drink dark drink, fruitshoot or fizzy drink. He only drinks water and non citrus squash.
His last drink is about 7pm ish and he goes bed at 8.30pm after going toilet and he still wets his pull ups. Over the last few weeks his been wetting the bed too. He sleeps straight through.
We've tried reward charts, offering him things and nothing works.
We've tried talking to him and nothing.
He doesn't mind being wet yet he doesn't like being dirty. He doesn't tell anyone when he does it. When we do realise he is wet, he apologises and promises not to do it again but he does.
His wetting his clothes/uniform about 2 times a day.
I seem to be the only parent going through this as everyone I speak to, their child is fine.
I feel embarrassed as he does it when we are out anywhere so I always have to bring a change of clothes.
It's breaking my heart and I don't know what to do. Any advise would be great.

Separate the night from the day. Night doesn't matter at all, you can't train for it and it happens when it happens, anywhere up to around age 7 is developmentally normal, they need to be producing a certain hormone.

He sounds a lot like my dd was. She wet constantly in the day and never seemed bothered. Eventually we got to go to the enuresis clinic and she was diagnosed with overactive bladder, put on medication and it was like flicking a switch. Never a problem since and has long since come off the medication. Was ant dry at night until she was 8 and that happened overnight.

For the day yes drinking more is important, school should be reminding him regularly to go to the toilet too. I'm sorry the wait for the clinic is so long, hopefully though you will get help there. Have you looked at the ERIC website, that has good, child friendly information.

Thank you for this @CannotEvenThink. This Is encouraging. I honestly felt like we we're the only ones going though this.
I was worried about giving him medication. How long was you DD on them for?

Is there any chance he could be constipated? I've taught children who suffered from incontinence when constipated because of the pressure that the bowel puts on the bladder.

Roughly how much does he drink when he's at school?

@Littlefish his not constipated as he goes for a poo quite regularly.
At school he has at least 2 glasses of milk but doesn't drink much else. They have encouraged him to drink more and go toilet but he doesn't

I teach Reception and we have "drinking competitions" to encourage reluctant drinkers to drink more. Basically we do something like counting up to 10 while the children drink, but they absolutely have to stop when we get to 10 (or whatever number). We also target certain children for extra encouragement. Re. toilets, we have all been known to escort a child to the toilet and hang around by the toilet door until they've been. We also provide timers so they sit on the loo for a certain amount of time, or sing when them while they are sitting there. "Let it go" is one of our favourites!

Hey there, just been looking at threads about children wetting them selves, my dd is now 9 years old and we have tried everything that people have suggested, I’ve seen doctors and nurses, been sent to hospital for tests and to the enuresis clinic. Awaiting results from the flow tests.. She still wets during the day and the night. We’ve been told not to put her in pull ups, because it’s sending her mixed signals. But when she visits her dads at the weekend he makes her wear them day and night. She said they don’t want to wear them as she feels like a baby but her father forces her so he don’t have to take her to the toilet (that’s a whole new thread) anyways.. I see you talking about medication for over active bladder, I think that could be what she has. I’m so confused, and feel so helpless. She gets so emotional cos she feels she can’t go to sleepovers with her friends. I’m at my wits end. Please if anyone has any help or advice for me then I’d be so grateful.