bed wetting in older child with special needs.

[45nanny]

Help , this is the 7th day of having to completely change my ds bedding , not just pj ,but the whole lot . He is still in Nappies (he's 13 with special needs) I have tried taking him to the toilet before i go to bed , he goes and then i put his nappy back on , it is always dry at this time . But by 4/5am , he has woken because he is soaked.
I have tried to cut down on his fluid after tea and yesterday i though he drunk less, so how come every thing is getting so wet. I am going to try bigger nappies, to see if that makes a difference.He is fairly well endowned and i wonder if this is the problem , not enough space in the nappy .i'm
so tired i just dont know what to do and now its raining and i have two loads of wet bedding to get dry . Any ideas.

I sympathise 45nanny as I've been having similar problems too & trying to find a new product to suit DD. Are you supported by the continence service? Sounds as if you need a larger size, for night time use at least.

I've also experimented with putting a washable absorbent/waterproof wrap over the top of the nappy at night which helps. I'm using ones from Motherease or a MinkiYoyo which would be too small for your
DS but you might find ideas in the continence section here www.minkinappies.co.uk.

Thank you reiver, my continence service ,is just negitive, they just think he should be out of nappies. He is dry in the day and has been for over four years , but dispite having tried everything i cannot get him through the night. will try the website, just running out of ideas,

As well as trying the next size up also try the next absorbancy up. For example, with tena the maxi is about 3 times more absorbant than the plus.

Have just spoken to the continence service again and too my suprise(have someone new in charge) they are going to investigate my son as they thing that he has a problem with the amount of urine he is producing .They have upgraded his night time nappy for the time being until all the appointments to see various proffessional come through , so no short term answer , but things look a little bit more hopeful , mean while on with the washing . thanks for the relpies .

Hi 45! Glad you are getting somwhere with the continance services.
My ds (sn nearly 9) was a multiple night time wetter until recently. Nappies almost always leak and like you the continence services wont help due to day time almost dryness! ( I think the gatekeeping staff should have to do the washing for a week befor they refuse!!)So you have my sympathy with all the washing!! (I was a 6 loads a day mum till recently - doing my bit for global warming!!)For years we have limited fliuds from 6pm, and espect ds to use the loo before bed x2 (before teeth and again just befor settling.)
Anyway a new consultant and a new approach. We are now trying medication ( desmopressin )to reduce urine output at night. The theory is- if the brain doesnt make its own as it should -now can give it an add on. Its available as an undertongue melt and I think a spray. It works for ds !!Now it is mostly 1 wet bed on waking. Ds just has to learn to wake up and use the loo now!! I live in hope!!
Ps I use booster pads (from the baby dept) in boots to add absorbancy inside nappy(another MN idea -thanks). Also use very thin duvet or a fleece blanket (instead of a top sheet)on top of ds (with warmer duvet ontop) as they fit in the washer. ( Ps am still waiting for nhs nappies - they are so expensive!!!)
So there is hope! Meanwhile hope the rain stops gues who else is trying to dry bedding but only 1 lot! Yippee!

Ps meant to add that you can buy absorbant bedpads that wrap to form a tube, called a sleeping bag liner pad (designed for males who need absorbance on both sides IYKWIM). Fio is that what you mean?) Their extra size means they take a bit longer to dry. Ds has one but for him it doesnt work well in bed because it is very stiff, and he is very wiggly (its ok in a sleeping bag though)! It might work well for someone less mobile. I presume you use a bed pad (underneath)already! I have tried a lightweight pad inside the duvet/above the sheet - strategically placed - but for ds who sort of snuggles around it did not work!

magso, may I ask which nappies you are using? DD's outgrown the largest Pampers & our continence service are struggling to find anything to fit as their next products are too large.

Haven't found a perfect solution (cost is also an issue for us - especially with overnight changes so 2 a night use).
Tena pant plus xs with extra pad from Boots seems to be best fit on pullup style (I want ds to be able to use loo if he can!!).www.tenadirect.co.uk see products
Tena super pants more absorbant but a bit baggy (think I could fit in one) also quite expensive.
Drynights (not absorbant enough on their own)with extra pad or 2 works but ds figits with it as not as comfy. Untill recently we got away with pampers easyups size 6 but now are so tight they rip/ping off!! Our local nhs uses Attena which make a pull up but it is not very absorbant and doesnt come in xs (small is very generous!). Attena make a slip style xs pad which fits ok but is difficult to remove for loo use!
Anyone found a good solution that is not too expensive? Any one had any success with the nighttime pants (from ERIC)that put disposable pads in?

Thanks for the suggestions, magso. Tena sent me some samples but unfortunately the XS were too large for daytime use. Drynights are a good fit but agree with you about absorbancy. I can boost with a Boots pad at night but find it too bulky by day as the nappy/pull up then gapes & leaks.

The best I'm using atm (thanks to a MN tip)are Tesco own brand nappies Size 6 which are bigger than Pampers 6, absorbent and much cheaper. No good for you if you want a pull up though. (Don't think the Tesco pull ups are any bigger but the nappies are)

Have you tried a reusable trainer pant/pull up over the top of a nappy? I'm finding that works well at night.

I can remember getting 'Libero' pull-ups for DS4 which were inbetween pampers and Tena.

Magso - glad to hear the booster pads helped! I use 2 per night with DS and a tena small size, super absorbency and we very rarely have leaks.

Thanks Reiver - do you need a pull up by day or a traditional slip style nappy? I don't know the answer but others might. I found the Feel and Learns XL quite stretchy ( bigger than easyups) but not absorbant enough for night use of course ( but my ds is skinny and tall). Ds only uses nappies to sleep - he has been out of daytimes since starting school all be it with accidents and well trained parents!!

Ah Manxmum thanks couldnt recall your name! Booster pads work fine if ds doesnt fiddle or remove nappy!! He is able to remove wet boosters (just pulls out and throws- have put a couple of bins strategically placed to receive!) and they pad out oversized pull up.
Libero thats the brand I was searching for - got some ( XXL?) in france the things we sn families bring home as souvenirs! ( & memory almost nonexistant now!!)

Thanks for ideas magso & ManxMum - will follow up on Libero. Don't really mind whether it's a pull up or nappy as long as it fits & absorbs but there are advantages in having a pullup by day to aid potty training (wishful thinking!).

One good product I found (not available on NHS though) is the Curity Sleep Pants/youth pull ups range. Available in three sizes medium 20-29kg, large 30-39kg & XL 39-57kg and work out at between 50p-57p per pullup depending on size from www.betterlifehealthcare.com/view_product.php?prodID=5317

Thanks reiver have orded a pack of curity sleep pants to give them a try as significantly cheaper than tena pants. Did you find them more absorbant than drynights? Can't find an internet source for Libero pants. ( I can't see DH shoping for some on his next business trip to France either!!

Ps Attena do xxs pull on for waist 38 - 55 ( and xs 45-60) don't know if this helps reiver. Sorry gave wrong info earlier.

On a completely different note, I have heard that cranial osteopathy can really help with this type of issue. Might be worth a try...

Thanks for the suggestion, Baglady.

Yes magso, we found the Curity much better in fit & absorbancy than drynights. (As they're a continence product, think you should be able to get them ex VAT for SN) Don't know how they'll compare with the tena versions - time will tell!
No, I've not tracked down any Libero online yet either but will search for Attena as an XXS sounds promising - thank you.

When my daughter was about 8 we used a combination of desmo melts and a bed wetting alarm to get her dry at night.

After a few days of using them both I reduced the dose and she had totally dry nights in about 2 weeks. The alarm was about £40 on the internet and the best money I have ever spent.!!

Apologies to 45Nanny for nicking your thread! Hope you have the new nappies and it is working!
Thanks reiver and vig.
Ds reacts very badly to sudden loud noises so I have some concerns! Have other parents of sound sensitive children with asd had success with an alarmt? An alarm is the next thing to try I think if we can find something tolerable.
Desmomelts certainly reduce the number of wet nappies and beds a night which makes it all a lot more manageble. We all get more sleep now!

i know how u feel my son is only 5 but soaks through his nappy every night, washing is getting me down, its been like this for 3 years now, help!!! tried an alarm, am thinking of going to docs for desmo melt but am worried they will say he is too young, he gets so upset about it, he has been dry through day since 17 months and hates putting a nappy on at night.

Hi bexbex. Have just bought a new washmachine - yet again - so I sympathise with the constant washing. I do think with my son he just sleeps too deeply to wake! I cannot imagine how hard it must be if your child is upset too - ds is ambivalent. I was told that eneuresis clinics ( here) will not see children until nearly 7 but its worth checking with the GP anyway. I presume you are using an absorbant pad under your son - but with boys theres always more to wash isn't there!
There are a couple of things that might help with the leaks. Sometimes a bigger nappy will help ( perhaps with a booster pad to fill it out, sometimes cotton pants under the nappy helps with both containment and if the child is half awake awareness ( but worse for rash if doesnt wake).
We have had some success ( at 9) with a vibrating body worn alarm, (yes we tried it eventually!)however ds is back to wetting most nights (but only once a night thankgoodness) so time to go back to the alarm for us.