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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