Bed Wetting

Bed-Wetting

Like failing the Big Test or dropping that high fly ball in the bottom of the ninth inning, bed-wetting is among the more humiliating experiences of childhood.

And it's something that many kids have to endure--about one in every seven, in fact.

But unlike math class or Little League, bed-wetting--or enuresis, as it's medically known--is likely to be part of a family tradition. If both parents were bed-wetters, chances are three in four that their offspring will be, too. If one parent was, the odds are about one in two.

Usually, bed-wetting is due to a small bladder, and most children will "outgrow" the problem. In fact, parents don't need to give bed-wetting a second thought until the child is about five years old--the age when most children have adequate control of urination.

Even though, in most cases, bed-wetting isn't caused by psychological problems, it could affect the child's self-esteem. It's important to avoid humiliating or punishing children who wet their beds. In fact, doctors say that punishment can worsen the problem because of additional stress. Instead, give your child a little understanding. And here's what else you can do to help your kid have a drier dream time.

Hit the sack. After heredity, the biggest culprit is sleep loss. "Not getting enough sleep will make bed-wetting worse," says Thomas Roth, Ph.D., president of the National Sleep Foundation and director of the Henry Ford Hospital Sleep Disorders and Research Center in Detroit. "I don't think napping is a good idea, because it spreads out the sleep you should be getting at night, but I do advise that bed-wetters increase their sleep by going to bed earlier."

Address those allergies. "Another reason why kids wet their beds at night is allergies," says Marc Weissbluth, M.D., director of Childrens Memorial Hospital Sleep Disorders Center in Chicago and author of Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. "A child with allergies has more difficulty sleeping and fewer deep-sleep periods." During the time when they are going from a deep sleep to a light sleep, the sphincter around the urinary passage relaxes, and they wet their beds.

"If you're not sure whether allergies are the cause, check for signs of snoring, mouth breathing or night sweating," says Dr. Weissbluth. Then treat the allergies.

Let them slurp a lot during the day. Rather than depriving your child of fluids at night, some experts recommend giving extra drinks during the day to "stretch" the bladder and improve its capacity. One way that may be helpful is to encourage the child to "hold off " urinating as long as possible, according to the Journal of Pediatrics.

Reward them for results. An easier method (at least as far as kids are concerned) is to have the child keep a diary and to award gold stars on the calendar for each dry night. In one study, 70 percent of bed-wetters who were treated this way wet their beds less. One in four stopped bed-wetting entirely.

Get "alarmed." There are various safe and effective bed-wetting alarms that are worn on the body and help wake up the child at the first sign of bed-wetting, says Barton D. Schmitt, M.D., professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Denver. A moisture sensor is attached to the child's underwear, with a buzzer or an alarm near the child's ear. When a few drops of urine are released, the alarm sounds, and the child awakens and uses the toilet to finish emptying the bladder. Eventually the child will awaken to the sensation of a full bladder. One drawback: The alarm may have to be used for four to five months before it has the desired result (a doctor's guidance may be helpful).