Try using a bedwetting alarm, which makes a ringing or buzzing sound or vibrates if the child wets the bed. These are successful in curing the condition in 70 per cent of cases.
The alarm is very effective because it makes your child wake up as soon as the first drop of urine hits the underwear or the sheet. Your child is thus made aware that they are urinating and what it feels like when their bladder is full.
There are different kinds of alarms. Some have a copper net which is placed under the sheet. The net is connected to a bell, which will go off as soon as the first drop of urine hits the sheet. Others have a small sensor, which is placed in the pants, and is also connected to a bell.
Both your GP and the local children’s continence nurse will be able to advise you on obtaining an alarm. The alarm is often required for up to five months to achieve success, being used for a minimum of three weeks following the child’s last wet night.
It is possible to use drugs and an alarm at the same time and this has been shown to be beneficial in some cases.
Do not make the bedwetting a big issue in the family. Most children are embarrassed about wetting the bed, so it will help if the family support the child and show a positive attitude. Don't get angry with the child or punish them if they wet their bed. This could only make matters worse.
Let the child know that many other children do it too. If someone in the family has had the same problem, tell the child about it. Knowing that others have been affected in the same way will help a child deal with the problem.
Make sure the child doesn't drink very much during the two hours prior to bedtime. There is still no guarantee that the child will not wet the bed, but it may help.
Ensure the child goes to the toilet before getting into bed. Protect the bed by using a waterproof mattress, or a fitted waterproof mattress cover under the bottom sheet. This must be fastened securely to prevent any danger of suffocation. Place clean nightclothes and sheets next to the bed so the child can change if they wake up.
Let the child change the sheets; not as a punishment, but in order to learn to deal with the problem. It will also make the child more aware of the situation. If the child is in agreement, keep a calendar or diary and mark dry nights with a star. Praise the child when he or she wakes up in the morning without having wet the bed. Encouragement is often the most helpful way of dealing with the problem.
Some children take longer than others to achieve night-time dryness - initially having maybe one or two dry nights a week and gradually building up the number of dry nights over the following months.
However, if your child is persistently wet every night for a week or two he or she may not be ready to become dry. In this case, as a temporary measure, you may wish to use absorbent night-time pants rather than going back to using nappies. You could then try again in about three to four months.
Many parents have been told to wake the child in the middle of the night and make them go to the bathroom. Studies show that the positive effect of this is almost non-existent, since the child does not wake up by him or herself because of the need to urinate.
It may take weeks or months before there is any change. Training a child will take time, so patience is required from all involved. Most children naturally stop wetting the bed eventually. Do not be embarrassed to discuss further options with your doctor or health visitor if none of the above suggestions appear to be effective.
