Evaluating the Bedwetting Problem

By Gail Anderson-Metcalf

Evaluate how much of a problem bedwetting is in your family and how often it happens. Frequent accidents that causes many tears and embarrassment or even arguments in your household may need more aggressive treatment than a problem that occurs once in a while and results in only some extra laundry.

Different Types of Bedwetting Demand Different Approaches
Also, be sure to differentiate between primary and secondary bedwetting. A primary nocturnal problem is almost never caused by an underlying medical problem. A secondary nocturnal problem means that a child has had control of his or her bladder but has begun wetting the bed.
In these cases, it is especially important to have the child seen by a good pediatrician, as almost all cases of the secondary issue are caused by an underlying problem (psychological or physical) and so responds very well to treatment.

Make it Less Stressful
Once you have evaluated the bedwetting in your household, you can develop a plan of action. Since you will be learning many tips that you can apply to your plan in your research, your plan here is basically a contingency plan. On paper, write down what your child should do when he or she wets the bed.

Ideally, your child should contact you, and then you should take steps to clean up. Share the plan with your child so that when an accident happens, your child can put the plan into action rather than being ashamed and trying to get your attention.

There are also a few things you can do to make bedwetting less stressful. Putting special sheets on your child's bed, for example, can make clean-up much easier. Keeping extra sheets and blankets by your child's room can also make clean-up much faster, especially in a busy household. Even small things you can do to make bedwetting less stressful will allow you and your child to focus on resolving the problem rather than worry about clean up.

Reality Check
Consider whether there really is a problem. Although we often expect kids to grow up fast today, the fact is that occasional bedwetting up to age three is still considered "normal" by most experts - children at this age are still simply learning to do basic things like use the washroom and control their bladder. Even kids up to age five may have an occasional bed wetting "accident" and this should not be a cause for concern. Many experts consider children over five who wet the bed regularly to have nocturnal Enuresis. In many cases, this condition tends to run in families and can last well into teenage years.

Before you start worrying unduly about bedwetting, consider the age of your child. If your child is very young, it may simply take a few months or a year to resolve the issue. Many children have nighttime accidents until they are five or even older. If your child is older (six, seven, or older), consider whether anyone else in the family suffered from similar problems in childhood. Was there something that helped? Sometimes, just seeing the issue as a childhood ailment or a condition in the family that is always resolved eventually can help soothe the frazzled parent and the embarrassed child.

You need to consider the frequency of problems as well. A child who wets the bed after watching a scary movie or before a big day may be less worrisome than the older child who does not seem to be able to sleep through a dry night.

Gail Metcalf provides additional parenting information on her Babies, Toddlers and Parenting Information blog. Shop for babies and toddlers at the Online Baby Store with over 20 merchants featuring over 2,250 products. http://www.ExceptionalBaby.com
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Five Initial Tips For Dealing With Bedwetting

By Gail Anderson-Metcalf

If bedwetting is a new problem in your household, you will need to start working on the issue in the right way. These are initial tips you will want to adopt right away in order to start dealing with bedwetting:

#1: Work on Sensitivity
One of the biggest impacts of bedwetting on your child is an emotional one, so you should work on making sure that your household is sensitive to your child's situation. No one at home should tease your child or make them feel terrible about their bedwetting. The more teased a child is about bedwetting, the more difficult it will be for the child to overcome the problem.
The older a child is, the more ashamed they may be of wetting the bed, and the more important it will be to stay level-headed and calm to prevent shaming the child. Shaming will only result in trauma and may even make bedwetting worse.

#2: Watch Your Own Sensitivity Levels
It is not just siblings and other children that need to be considered. Parents often inadvertently are insensitive to their child's bedwetting. They are frustrated by the laundry that must be done and are sometimes even angered by having so many sheets stained or even ruined by urine.
On a rushed morning, dealing with urine-soaked sheets before dashing off to work can be frustrating, but it is crucial not to lose your temper. Even if you manage to be calm most of the time, one outburst about bedwetting will linger in your child's mind and make them feel ashamed.

If you find that you have no time to deal with sheets and clean-up in the morning, strip the sheets and leave them for later. If you are angry by the cost of bed linens, consider buying less expensive sheets in bulk for a while to reduce costs for yourself. Keep rags and other clean up items (deodorizer and cleaner) in the child's room for fast cleaning.
Work on reducing your stress levels when it comes to bedwetting, and you are less likely to make an unfortunate comment from pure stress.

#3: Educate Yourself
You will want to share what you have learned with others in your household. If you have several children, you need to be aware that siblings will often tease a brother or sister who "still wets the bed." Letting these children know that Enuresis is a condition can help them be more sensitive towards their sibling while measures are taken to prevent bedwetting.

#4: Educate Your Child
For the child affected by Enuresis, being told the facts about bedwetting can be a big help. Children often hear misconceptions about bedwetting from other children. Myths such as "only babies wet the bed" can be hurtful to your child and can make him or her feel as though there is something "wrong" with them.
Often, explaining that Enuresis is an actual condition and talking about the remedies doctors have come up for it can help persuade your child that bedwetting is curable and a common problem. That way, your child can focus on resolving the problem rather than worry about the embarrassment they feel.

#5: Visit a Doctor
Since some bedwetting is caused by undiagnosed medical conditions such as diabetes or allergies, it makes sense to take your child to a doctor to be checked out. If there is a doctor in your area who is known for treating children with Enuresis, so much the better. In either case, ruling out medical problems can be a big relief. If a medical problem is causing your child to wet the bed, coping with the problem will also generally resolve the Enuresis.

Shop for babies and toddlers at the Online Baby Store with over 20 merchants featuring over 2,250 products. http://www.ExceptionalBaby.com
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Choosing The Best Bed Wetting Alarms – They Are Not All The Same

By Peter Crump

Bed wetting alarms are not all the same, even though they are all designed for the same purpose – a solution to bedwetting for a child or an adult. There are many different types of these alarms to choose from, which is why it is important for parents to choose the one that will be most effective for the child’s enuresis. Many times children have a problem with bed wetting because they sleep so soundly they don’t wake up in time to go to the bathroom. There many also be a medical reason for the bedwetting. Parents need to have the child checked by a doctor before they choose any solution and this includes bed wetting alarms.

There are three main types of bed wetting alarms on the market:
· Wired bedwetting alarms
· Bedwetting alarms that clip to the underpants
· Bedwetting alarm in a rubber pad

Each of these alarms has advantages and disadvantages. What may work for one child may not work for another. For this reason, parents do need to research the different enuresis alarms to choose the one they feel will be the most effective solutions for their child.

The wired bed wetting alarms are very unique in that they are really panty liners The remote sensor is placed in between the liner and the underpants. It uses a 9-V plug and a battery. As soon as the sensor detects the slightest bit of moisture on the absorbent liner, it send as signal to the alarm. The alarm, similar to an alarm clock, will continue to sound until the child or parents wakes and turns it off. Even though this is called a wired enuresis alarm, there are no wires attached to the sensor that the child could get entangled in during the night. The response to urine is instantaneous and the clock alarm can be placed far enough from the bed so that the child has to get up to turn it off. However, this type of bedwetting alarm is not suitable for use with boys because the liner for the underpants is very small and narrow.

The most common type of bed wetting alarms on the market today is the panty liner with sensors built in. The alarm is connected to the sensor through a clip on the pyjamas. There is a wire from the clip to the liner and it is also connected to a clock alarm. This is the cheapest model of bedwetting alarms on the market and it does have quite a few disadvantages. It has the same type of alarm system connected to a clock that will sound when moisture is detected. However, the wires can also be pulled loose from the sensor, which means that the child will not get out of bed to go to the bathroom. Since there are wires connected with these enuresis alarms, the child can also get tangled up in them if he/she moves around a lot during sleep. For some children, this type of alarm is not effective as a solution to bedwetting.

Bed wetting alarms that come with a rubber pad is wired but does not pose any problem with the wires getting tangled or pulled free. You lay this enuresis alarm over the mattress cover and then cover it with the bed sheet. It works in the same manner as the other types of bedwetting alarms by sounding when it detects moisture. There is no clip for the child’s pyjamas and the batteries are rechargeable, saving you expense in having to buy a lot of replacement batteries. It is harder to clean because you have to wash off the mat and the alarm will keep sounding until the wet bedclothes are replaced. However, it is the most effective of the bed wetting alarms.

Find out more about Bedwetting, visit Peter's Website Bedwetting Answers and find out about Bedwetting Alarms and more, including Adult Bedwetting and Bedwetting Diapers
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Adult Bed Wetting – What Is The Solution?

By Peter Crump

Adult bed wetting is a common problem as you can see from all the TV ads about bedwetting disposable diapers available for adults. The first thing for adults to do when they have a bed-wetting problem is to consult with a doctor to make sure that there is nothing medically wrong to cause this problem to develop. Bedwetting in the adult years can be a symptom of diabetes, kidney or bladder problems or something as simple as a urinary tract infection, for which there are antibiotics. Even though disposable diapers do help adults feel more comfortable, adult bed wetting does need to be checked out.

Allergies, cell anemia, and sleep disorders are also causes for adult bed wetting. Researchers dealing with this problem have also found psychological factors to be involved, such as stress and trauma. In some cases, age is the culprit as the muscles of the bladder start to lose their elasticity causing adult bed-wetting. Enuresis alarms work just as well for adults as they do for children and teenagers. These alarms wake you up out of your sleep at the first sign of moisture so that you do have time to get to the bathroom instead of wetting the bed.

There are medications that have proven effective in controlling adult bed wetting. One of these is DDAVP, which helps to reduce the amount of urine that the body makes at night. Adults who drink a lot of liquids may have to use the bathroom more at night and if they take medication for insomnia, then they might find it hard to wake up when they need to. This medication helps to treat the symptoms of adult bed-wetting, which means that you will not urinate as often during the night. However, this is not a cure for adult bedwetting. It is mainly a measure to control it. Once you stop taking the medication, bedwetting will start again.

You do not necessarily need to take DDAVP every day in order for it to control adult bed wetting. You can either take this as pill or a spray, but a cold or a stuffy nose is likely to interfere with the action of the medication taken in spray form. You do have to take the medication at night and it does have side effects, which some adults are unable to handle. The common side effects of this adult bedwetting medication include headache, nausea, sinus problems and nosebleeds. When you are taking this medication you are not allowed to drink any water after taking it.

For adults, Imipramine is an anti-depressant drug that has been found effective in treating adult bed wetting. Like DDAVP, this reduces the amount of urine the body produces during the night. However, most doctors do not like to prescribe this medication because of its many side effects. In fact prescribing medication for adult bedwetting is usually the last resort. Doctors prefer to try methods of behavior modification first and if the adult is comfortable, disposable diapers keep the bed sheets dry at night. Adult bedwetting is a problem that doctors are well used to dealing with, so there is no need for embarrassment when deciding to talk to a doctor about your problem.

Find out more about Bedwetting, visit Peter's Website Bedwetting Answers and find out about Adult Bedwetting, and more, including Bedwetting Alarms and Bedwetting Diapers
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Sleep Enuresis: Causes and Treatments

By Jared Winston

Sleep Enuresis, more commonly known as Bedwetting, refers to the lack of ability to maintain urinary control during sleep. This recurrent involuntary urination is also called Nocturnal Enuresis, which is characterized by at least two occurrences per month in 3 to 6 years old infants and at least one occurrence per month for older children.

Though it is considered normal for children below 7 years old to have enuretic episodes, 5% of 10 year old and 3% of 12 year old children, and as many as 1-3% of 18-year-old teenagers may continue to experience this disorder.

Primary and Secondary Enuresis:
Primary Enuresis is involuntary urination that occurs from infancy with at least two episodes a week, and comprised of 70-90% of all cases. Secondary Enuresis, on the other hand, refers to a relapse after experiencing an extended period of dryness. Adults are more likely to suffer from the secondary type.

Causes of Sleep Enuresis:
Sleep Enuresis can be caused by many factors including hormonal, dietary, or emotional factors.
One of the most common causes of Sleep Enuresis is the inability to develop the antidiuretic hormone cycle in some people. In this cycle, which is typically developed by individuals by the age of 2 to 6, the pituitary gland releases a hormone at night that promotes water retention in the kidneys, thereby reducing urine output till sunrise. Failure to develop this hormone cycle naturally leads to Sleep Enuresis.

An overactive bladder can also cause Sleep Enuresis in many children. By nature, muscle spasms occur in the bladder during urine retention and removal. When these spasms become too active or uncontrollable, the bladder is incapable of holding the normal amount of urine, which eventually results in accidental urination during sleep.

Another common hereditary factor is failure to develop an awareness that enables a person to awaken before urinating on bed. This awareness is normally developed by children during the natural process of learning how to control the bladder while awake.
Besides these common causes, medical disorders such as diabetes, urinary tract infection, sleep apnea or epilepsy and psychiatric disorders may also cause individuals to develop Sleep Enuresis.

Treatments:
Simple behavior modifications can be very effective treatments for children with enuretic episodes. For example, intake of liquids and dietary bladder irritants such as citrus products should be discouraged before bedtime. Taking note of when the enuresis actually occurs, and waking and taking the child to toilet before that hour, can also be very helpful.

Psychological treatments such as encouragement of self-reliance, participation in management, inculcation of self-respect and responsibility are also recommended by many experts. Physical punishments and coercion, on the other hand, are considered to be the most counterproductive measures and should be avoided at all costs.

Using devices such as bedwetting alarms and moisture alarms, combined with bladder muscle exercises, dietary changes, retention control training etc can also be helpful remedies in treating Sleep Enuresis.

For some of the more severe cases that cannot be treated by behavior modification, alarm devices and other treatment methods, using medications such as Desmopressin, a synthetic substitute for the missing antidiuretic hormone discussed earlier, is found to be very effective. Desmopressins such as DDAVP, Stimate, and Minrin can easily be administered nasally or intravenously.

Copyright © Jared Winston, 2006. All Rights Reserved.
Learn more about enuresis and more importantly how to control this embarrassing and uncomfortable condition once and for all at Bedwetting Relief.
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Adult Bedwetting – Exercise May Help The Problem

By Peter Leigh

Adult bedwetting is as embarrassing to adults as it is to teenagers. No one wants to admit that he/she has a bedwetting problem, but doctors see adults on a daily basis that suffer from enuresis. This is the name given to bed wetting in anyone over the age of five because by that time most children have learned to recognize the signs that they need to get out of bed to use the bathroom. Even at that age, they become very upset by bedwetting, so you can only imagine how anyone with an adult bedwetting problem must feel.

Whether adult bedwetting occurs suddenly or develops gradually, it is something that needs to be checked out by a doctor. It could be a symptom of a disease such as diabetes, a sleep disorder, an infection in the urinary system or even an allergy. Once the doctor runs the necessary tests, he/she may send you to a urologist as a precautionary measure. During this time, you can wear bedwetting diapers to keep dry during the night, especially while you are waiting for the medication to take effect. Adult bed wetting also responds well to enuresis alarms to wake you up in time to go to the bathroom.

Adult bedwetting is often the result of aging and the loss of muscle tone in the walls of the bladder. There are exercises you can do to reduce the occurrences of adult enuresis. These include doing such things as squeezing the bladder several times a day. This process helps to strengthen the bladder muscles because you pretend that you are trying to stop urinating. It also works during the day when you go to the bathroom so that you are actually stopping the flow. This is one method of exercise that adults suffering from nocturnal enuresis have found effective.

If your adult bedwetting occurs occasionally, you should start a diary recording the events surrounding the bed wetting episodes. This should include such things as how much you had to drink before you went to bed and what foods you ate. Drinking too much alcohol is often responsible for adult bed wetting because it puts you into a deep sleep. Since alcohol impairs brain function, the connection between the brain and the bladder is severed so bed wetting is more likely.

One factor to look at as a cause of adult bedwetting is the psychological factor. Stress and trauma can bring on bedwetting in an adult who did not even wet the bed as a child. This is where keeping a diary of events leading up to the adult enuresis episodes can help you determine what is causing them. Once you realize a pattern in stressful events and adult bedwetting, then you can take steps to avoid certain things that bring it on.

Find out more about Bedwetting, visit Peter's Website Bedwetting Answers and find out about Adult Bedwetting and more, including Teenage Bedwetting and Bedwetting Alarms
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Dealing With Diurnal Enuresis

By Jared Winston

Diurnal enuresis is a type of incontinence that affects young children during their waking hours. The condition cannot be diagnosed unless the child is over five years old and is younger than sixteen. Diurnal enuresis is a very distressing condition for both the child and the parents.
There can be several reasons why a child develops diurnal enuresis. The first thing that needs to be medically established is whether the child has contracted a urinary infection. This involves the child providing a urine sample for testing. The doctor will also discuss family history, including toilet-training; bowel habits; and the regularity and nature of urinary stream.

As well as a urine infection, diurnal enuresis can also be caused by a brain hormone, known as antidiuretic hormone, not working properly. The presence of this hormone determines how much water can be held in the body. If the child has too little of this hormone being released into their body, their bladder may not be able to cope with the level of urine being stored.
Other things to consider if your child has developed diurnal enuresis is whether they have an overactive bladder - this is more common in girls and it can be a sign of infection. Quite often young children can become so caught up in an activity that they don't want to stop to go to the toilet. They then leave it too late and this can result in their bladder overflowing before they make it to the toilet.

Discovering with your doctor what it is causing your child's diurnal enuresis and working out how to help you and your child cope in this situation is crucial. It may be that a medical treatment isn't necessary and many children do grow out of the condition. But whatever the treatment your child needs you. There is an estimated 75% chance of a child with diurnal enuresis having a parent or sibling who has previously had the same condition. If it also happened to you, share the information with your child so that they know they are not the only one.

There are many things you can do to help your child with diurnal enuresis. The most important thing is reassurance. Tell your child, and remind them often, that it isn't their fault. Never allow their siblings to tease them. Recognise the warning signs: the child may start fidgeting or holding themselves in the perineal area. Encourage the child to go to the toilet and never punish them if they have an 'accident'.

It is important to know that whatever is causing your child to have diurnal enuresis, it is not the child's fault. The child isn't being lazy or naughty - it is a condition that they have no control over. While emotional stress does not cause diurnal enuresis, a result of having diurnal enuresis can lead to the child having emotional stress and losing self-esteem. Avoid this happening to your child.

Copyright © Jared Winston, 2006. All Rights Reserved.
Learn more about enuresis and more importantly how to control this embarrassing and uncomfortable condition once and for all at Bedwetting Relief.com =>http://www.bedwettingrelief.com
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