Boys and Bed Wetting: Help for Parents

December 15, 2010, By William Browning 3 comments

My wife and I had different challenges when we raised our daughter versus our son. One of them was getting our little boy to stop wetting his bed. Our daughter - no problems. Our son - problems a plenty. The good news is that even with the problems we had with our boy, after a few months of patience and understanding, we finally got it right.

When my wife and I transitioned our son away from diapers, there were more wet mornings that we had expected. At first, it was frustrating because we didn't know what to do. We tried several tips and tricks until we found a system that worked for us. Here are some things we tried as well as some general info on bed wetting that can keep you from pulling out your hair and focusing your attention on being positive about the situation.

Our Son's Situation

My son has been normal and healthy throughout his life. When he was five years old it was time for him to try to wake up without urinating on a regular basis. It wasn't a nightly problem but once every two weeks or so our son would wake up with a puddle of pee. The smell wasn't the best in the world and it was as frustrating for him as it was for mom and dad. I could tell he was disappointed in himself.

We began to take notes on what happened before he went to bed. We made sure our son had a nightly routine roughly the same every night. Dinner would be done by 6 p.m., playtime done by 7 p.m., in bed by 8 p.m. after a bath and then awake after ten hours of sleep.

What we realized was that some nights our son was getting too much sleep - up to eleven hours. On these nights, he was more likely to wet the bed. Since bed wetting can be caused by a sleep deep enough to ignore the "wake up! It's time to pee!" message your brain sends, oversleeping was creating the prime conditions for a wet morning. We decided to wake him up the same time every morning regardless of what time school started. Having him on a more normal routine with the same amount of sleep each day really helped. The bed wetting soon stopped. Relief for all.

Statistics

If you feel frustrated with your child's bed wetting you aren't alone. WebMD reports bed wetting is normal in children up to age six and they usually outgrow it on their own. Physiological factors regarding bed wetting normally revolve around a hormone called "antidiuretic hormone" which inhibits urine production in the body during nighttime sleep cycles. As each child develops differently, the actual age at which bed wetting ceases will be different in each person.

By the age of five, 20 percent of children wet their beds. By age 10 it drops to only five percent. A good guide for determining when it's time to develop bed routines to prevent urination usually comes with your child's comfort level. If your son or daughter is upset by the idea of waking up with a wet bed then it's time to take some steps for prevention.

Routines

WebMD talks about reducing the amount of fluids two hours before bedtime. Try keeping it under two ounces of fluids up to two hours before bed. This can be hard when your kid just wants a little more juice before bed, but limiting their intake before bed should be step one. Keeping a normal routine helps their sleep cycle as well. Too deep of a sleep and your kid might miss the message to get up and head to the bathroom. If these routines don't work for your kid, you may want to talk to your pediatrician just to make sure everything is normal.

Another important aspect of bed wetting is psychological. It is very important not to chastise your child over wetting the bed. You're frustrated. It's hard not to be, but your frustration only makes the situation harder for them. They can't get down on themselves and solve the problem here. They need you to be patient, positive and willing to wake up in the middle of the night and help them clean up without even the slightest grumble. Remember, bed wetting is probably more frustrating for your kid since he or she just wants to get on with their day of school or play without having to worry about wetting the bed.

Other Remedies

Younger kids may wear night pants depending upon their comfort level. If their peers start to tease them about having "diapers" you may consider other alternatives since you don't want your kids teased about bed wetting.

Bed wetting alarms are available for as little as $60 at drugstores. WebMD says they have a 75 percent cure rate when it comes to bed wetting. The alarm works by waking up the patient overnight to urinate. Eventually the body learns to go without urinating over night.

Drugs can also be prescribed to help inhibit the production of urine. A combination of drugs and the alarm is considered most effective in extreme cases of bed wetting over the age of six.

Whatever remedy you decide upon for your child's bed wetting, it's always wise to consult your pediatrician. Sometimes a suggestion over the phone can be just as valid as an office visit.