Bed Wetting

S., When I was a child, I had the same problem. My mom would wake me up and make me sit on the toilet until I went. I would often fall asleep on it. It worked for me. Good luck! (J. mom of 3)

My son is 8 1/2. My brother and my mother both had problems until they were about 12. With my son, I have discovered that if he has milk too close to bedtime, or doesn't go to bed early enough, he has an accident.

We have played around with different scenarios to try to find a trigger. Between the milk and the lack of sleep, I think we almost have it licked. He went from every night to about once a week. Even then, we don't make a big deal about it.

What I have noticed is he is a very deep sleeper. I have been known to sleep through some very strange things. My husband once set off the fire alarm, and neither my son nor I woke up. Very dangerous, but at least my husband is a light sleeper!

Good Luck! Just don't get too frustrated with her. Those kids are lucky to have you!

My oldest son is 7 and a half. He still, occasionally wets the bed. He's a very deep sleeper, and he just doesn't wake up. It's normal, if the child is a deep sleeper. If it's just on occasion, I wouldn't make a big deal out of it. Accidents happen.

I learned (because my son bed wets) that bed wetting is hereditary. My son's grandma and cousin both use to bed wet. I also found out that bed wetting is a symptom of a sleep disorder. Children or adults can have problems with sleep walking, night terrors, or bed wetting. All of these are symptoms of a deep sleep disorder. We are trying a program to help cure him right now. It has been a long process (about 9 months) but he has definitly improved. When he first started the program he would wet 2, 3 or sometimes 4 times in one night and was never dry. Now in a two week period of time he has been dry 3 times and only once did he wet 2 times in a night. He also used to have large to extra large spots on the alarm pad he uses. Now his spots are tiny or small. He may not be cured yet but I am seeing major improvments. If you would like to ask any questions please message me.

My youngest granddaughter is 10 and we still do the pullups. The urologist says she has a small bladder and it spasms so that so can't control it at night.

Hi S.! I am right there with you on the bed wetting. I have an 11 yr old who still wets the bed. I've tried everything, even taking her to a urologist, and my doctor has said that it is just something she will have to grow out of. It is hereditary. I wet the bed myself for the longest time. I have 4 kids. My oldest grew out of wetting when she was in junior high and like I said I have an 11 yr old getting ready to start junior high who still soaks the bed every night. My 6 yr old some didn't have much problems at all and my 4 yr old daughter still wears pull up. It seems to be worse for girls and being over weight seems to be a part of that too, at least as far as my kids go. But unfortunately I have not found any magical cure to help it. Good luck and I hope you can find something that will help.

D.

My doctor said do absolutely nothing until he was 8. Trying to wake him through the night and such can cause sleep disorders such as sleep walking or the inability to fall/stay asleep. She said give him to 8 years old, then we'll worry about it. He's 5 now. :( I wish he would just start waking up! Best of luck!

Some to all of the problem may be emotional. When we are awake we have a lot better control of our emotions then we do when we are asleep. You might try getting her into some therapy and see if that won't help. You didn't indicate why you are raising her and emotional trauma may have a big part in why she wets the bed.
She may not be getting enough water so the kidneys aren't working correctly. The more we drink the better they function and the more in tune brain and body are.

Hi S.,
I read the other responses and apparently most that contributed have, or have had the same problem with someone in their family. My input is entirely different, but when you think about it lines up with what some others said. Those who said it is heridatary are on to something, but there is much evidence that bed-wetting can be due to a nutritional lack. So if people in a family exhibit the same symptoms, it could be that they are all lacking in the same nutrition. I know of a person who wet the bed until she was 21 and had tried all of the things mentioned here. Her problem was solved in a matter of weeks after adding one vitamin complex to her diet. If you want to know what others have done along this line, please let me know and I'll share it with you.
S.

Both my children had this problem and both of them grew out of it. I did the same thing by taking the drink away and getting them up but nothing helped. I spoke with a specialist and was told the following:

Chronic bed-wetting is thought to be related to (1) a physically and/or neurologically immature bladder and/or (2) a deep sleeping pattern. Which means that the childs sleep pattern is not regular. They are in such a deep sleep pattern they are not able to wake themselves. Apparently these children often sleep so deeply that they are not aware of the message the bladder sends to the brain saying it is full. It is presumed that bed-wetting is an inherited condition. Usually a parent, aunt, uncle, grandparent or other family member(s) will have had the condition. Also, children with attention deficit disorder, learning disabilities or allergies seem to be more likely to be bed-wetters than children in the general population.
First of all, almost all children outgrow their bed-wetting habit. As children mature, their muscles become stronger and their bladder capacity increases. They tend to sleep less deeply and to become more sensitive to messages the bladder sends to the brain. (Hope this helps)

Hi S.,
I commend you on raising your grandchildren. My daughter now 14 has lived with this problem her whole life. Hers was a day and night issue for a long time. She didn't have a "holding it" problem she has no "urge" to pee. She honestly doesn't know when she has to go until right before she goes. She has learned to control it during the day and she is developing some sense of feeling now. She does take medication (a God-send) at night to concentrate her urine to make bedwetting less likely and she can go for several days without her medicine sometimes but it is not over for her. When we first started working with her, the doctor said to have her go every two hours during her waking hours. He also said to have her remove her panties completely so she could sit on the stool backwards because it helps her empty her bladder more completely. It sounds a little crazy but this is when it started getting somewhat better for my daughter. Hope this helps. Just keep talking to the doctor about your concerns for your granddaughter. This is not just a physical problem it can become an emotional one, especially when it comes to sleepovers. God bless you.

Hi S.,
My son is also 6 and will be 7 in July. He still wets the bed every night. He has to wear pull ups and its begun to affect him when he is invited to friends houses for sleepovers.
We have also tried everything from limiting liquids and cutting back on milk. We have even gotten up in the middle of the night, woken him up and made him use the bathroom. He still wakes up with a wet pull up and most of the time wet bed. Our Dr. said that we just have to wait it out. My husband wet the bed until he was 8... the Dr said that that make be an indication as to when he may stop. Oh its hard, but we are just trying to work with it. Im sorry there isnt a miracle cure. Hopefully there will be some good advice here that we havent tried, but at least you can know she isnt alone.

I just took my granddaughter to the dr. for her kindergarten checkup and told him about her bed wetting. He said it is because she is not getting enough sleep and not enough water. She likes to go to bed late and he said this is a no no. His daughter had this too. It seems the more water they drink the better the kidneys function right. Hope this helps.

It seems as though your doctor isnt giving you very good advice if he is telling you to "not worry about it until she is 7 yrs old" Some children just cannot control their bladders at night. I give you all the credit in the world for raising your grandchildren. they are very lucky to have you. My only suggestion would be is to set a timer and wake up a couple of times during the night and have her go to the bathroom. I know pullups are a godsend. I have a 19 yr old autistic that uses them every day and night. it can be frustrating, but stick with a schedule and hopefully she will grow out of her problem. good luck to you!!

Welcome to the Club !! My son just turned 5, my daughter will be 6, and they both do. My son does better then my daughter (more dry nights), and I use pull ups on them every night. My nephew is 8, and he still does too but not as often usually 2 nights a week he is wet. Its a waiting game.. good luck to you

Chiro works awesome for my son!
jo

My son had this problem. First, I would override your doctor and get her to a urologist to rule out any physical issues. Based on all the research and people I have talked to, though, it is a "sleeps too deep" issue, ie: sleep disorder, which is exactly what it was for my son. We went to two different bedwetting clinics (one in Cincinnati, one in Kansas City when we lived there). We did the medicines and an alarm. We finally went through a non-profit clinic in Houston (you do not have to travel there) that my mom read about in Dear Abby! It does cost a large chunk of change, but their program worked and he became a dry sleeper very quickly. http://www.hargitthousefoundation.com/ I highly suggest you spend the money and get the help she needs. My son was so relieved to be past this and get to go to sleep overs and slumber parties. It really boosted his confidence.

Hi S., this really hits home. I was a bed wetter until well into my teens. My mother took me to the dr. Which didn't help at all. I found that everyones body doesn't mature at the same time and when your daughter's body matures the bed wetting will stop. Please don't pressure her and all will be fine. Trust me i know.

My daughter would wet 2-5 times per week until she was 7 years old - then it just magically stopped (thank goodness!!). Luckily, she would wear a pull-up so we didn't have to wash the sheets every time. We had also tried a number of things - limiting drinks at night, getting her up in the middle of the night. My doctor told me the same thing - not to worry about it until 7 yrs. Some kids just take a little longer to get to this point but there is nothing wrong with them. I forget what exactly is has to do with, but maturation of something.... Good Luck

Raise the bottom of her bed by about 6 inches this should give her bladder the full feeling and she should wake up and go to the bathroom.My poor sister had the problem until she was almost 7.I was so happy when we didn't share a bed any longer.My sisters bladder has since been diagnoised as being very small and the Dr.s have stretched it twice, but she still has to go to the bathroom alot more than most folks.She inherited this from my Mother. At 46 years old she finally found out why.

You just have to let her grow out of it. My stepson wet his bed (not regularly, but on occasion) until he was about 12 years old. I know it's inconvenient, but it sounds like you've tried everything and she will grow out of it.

Hi Shelia!

There was another thread about this earlier that I got information from. My 6 1/2 year old was wetting the bed most nights (and wouldn't wake when we tried). A recurring suggestion was to take him to the chiropractor. I have been doing this (at $35 a pop!) what started twice a week for several weeks, then once a week for several weeks and now once every-other week. I have seen improvement, but still not cured! My husband and I are unsure whether to quit the chiro or keep going hoping it will eventually cure him. The other thing is, in this chiropractor's office is a Naturopathic Doctor whom I see and she said MANY time bedwetting is caused by food allergies or sensitivities. She said if it is, she can cure it. I haven't taken him to her, yet. I am strongly considering it. My older son never wet the bed. And my 2nd one is getting really embarrassed about it now. He doesn't do sleepovers because even with the nighttime underwear (we don't do disposable pull-ups) sometimes he is still wet in the morning because he wets several times a night (even with limiting drinks from suppertime on). I have never made him feel bad about this or been upset at him. In fact I make it very clear that I am not upset with him, but he is still ashamed. I hate what this is doing to his self-esteem. I don't know if I helped or not, but I also will be reading responses to see if we can get some help, too! Good luck with your granddaughter.

Hi S., I'm Stephanie, 54 and also a grandma (of 4 granddaughters).Although I am not raising mine, I do get to spend a great deal of time with them. Has she always wet the bed or is this new? Has the doctor ruled out any physical cause for the bedwetting? Does she wet every night? You don't say why you are raising them, but could that have anything to do with her bedwetting? I do know that sometimes bedwetting is a result of emotional trauma. If that is the case, and there is no physical reason, then I would continue to do what your doctor says and love on her until it passes. Can you and she talk about it? It might help if she can open up to how she feels about it and/or the situation that has caused you to be raising her.

No advice, just Many heartfelt thanks for raising your grandchildren. I truly hope it wasnt any thing tragic, and Mom is still in the picture. My thoughts and prayers are with you, you are a young Grandma and can do it!!!

My 6 year old daughter still wets the bed. Occasionally, she is dry all night. But like your granddaughter, she wets through the the pull-ups. I don't have any ideas for you, just that your granddaughter isn't the only 6 year old to still wet the bed. Good luck and if you find anything that works, I'm all ears.

Jennifer M.