5 Year old wetting bed

Linda - posted on 11/12/2008

Hi, I am a mom of a dyslexic child. I have studied dyslexia and bed wetting for years now. Through my training I was taught to help a child through bed wetting by doing this procedure.



Before the child gets tucked in at night, use the bathroom. Remind the child if he feels he needs to go potty in the night to touch something cold, ie. door knob, running water, toliet bowl. Sounds weird, but a child who is wetting the bed is awakened when they touch something cold just before he/she urinates. If they don't touch a cold object they are still asleep, hence the bed wetting. Most bedwetters are dreaming when they wet the bed. The body is a wonderful thing and once they learn they control it they will have no more bed wetting episodes. Don't say much more than this to them, they are already feeling shame about this issue and don't need reminders. Say this once and see what happens. Post the results please. There is a step two if this step doesn't work, I will post if needed.

Stacey - posted on 11/12/2008

My now seven year old son had a lot of the same issues up until about a year ago. Our family doctor said that it was ok until he was 8 but I was tired of wet sheets! At the same time he was diagnosed with sleep apnea (a sleeping condition that causes them to not breathe at night) so we started seeing a pulmonologist who took out his tonsils and adenoids. Once he was healed from that he was diagnosed with asthma (which is what caused his nighttime and early morning coughing). We treated him with singulair for the Asthma and the coughing stopped but still no progress on the bed wetting (which can be a side effect of interrupted deep sleep). So...after research of medicines (that only work short-term) and machines (that are expensive and sometimes ineffective) we went out on a limb and went to our local small-town chiropractor. We did 3 treatments in 3 weeks and gradually the bed-wetting has gotten better. The Chiropractor manually manipulates or adjusts his neck, spine and hips. Here we are a year later and he maybe wets the bed once every 8 weeks. If he wets 2 nights in a row, we go back for an adjustment and immediately the bed wetting stops. I'm completely amazed as is his pulmonologist and our family doctor! It's been such a relief and so good for his self-esteem! We still limit liquids and have a waterproof mattress pad on his bed but he doesn't wear nighttime underwear anymore! I strongly urge you to give it a try!!! It can't hurt anything!

Ginger - posted on 11/12/2008

Her sensory that wakes her up may not be active. My nephew was the same way. You should ask the Doc to run some tests

Sue - posted on 11/12/2008

One of my kids use to have the same problem...A friend suggested when ya put them to bed at night, read a book to them....talk to them basically make sure they are calm when they go to bed...threatening them makes it worse....pull ups..overnights etc. doesn't cure them...it also worked on my grandchildren...Something upset them during the day....Ya have to continue with the calming before method.....

Patty - posted on 11/12/2008

Patience is the best answer. I wet the bed until I was about 9. All my father ever did was yell and get upset, this did not work, and neither did liquid restriction (although it has been known to work in some children). My daughter who is about to be 8 hasn't had an accident in about 3 years. I did what my mom did. I didn't make a big deal about it, in the middle of the night, I changed the sheets, got her washed off, hugged and kissed her and sent her back to bed. Eventually it stopped.

Nicole - posted on 11/11/2008

Someone else already replied similarly, but my son is 5 and also wetting the bed and when he had his check up they discovered very large tonsils. The tonsils (which are scheduled to be removed in December) are causing sleep apnea, which causes the poor little one to sleep so soundly he doesn't have a chance to wake up when he has to go.

Kisha - posted on 11/11/2008

My son still do that too and he's 5 too! I just stop giving him too much to drink when it comes to bedtime and have him go to bathroom before he goes to sleep. Usually that helps. In regards to coughing she might have allergies. Does she sleep with stuff animals? If yes wash them to avoid dust built up. It might be helpful to get an air filter for your child's room to filter out polen, dust,etc. from her room.

Jennifer - posted on 11/11/2008

Have you ever tried chiropractic care? It may be worth talking w/ a reputable chiropractor to find out if they may be able to do simple/gentle manipulation to assist with this issue. I have a friend who is a chiropractor and she said this issue is one of the biggest positive impacts she can make in peoples lives with her care.

Penny - posted on 11/11/2008

My son was 12 when the bedwetting finally stopped. We tried everything. No drinks after supper, we had him checked for diabetes, we truly tried it all. He didn't feel anything at night and would sleep right through the wetting. He was outgrowing all "pull-ups" and we were at the end of our rope. We had visited our family physician and a urologist. They tested him and found nothing wrong with his bladder. Our final test proved worthwhile. He had a sleep study done to see if he had sleep apnea. HE DID! His sleep apnea was caused by his tonsils. There was no infection they were just to large for his throat. The restriction was causing him to not breathe well at night, making him overly tired and putting him into a deep sleep. We had the tonsils removed and within one week, he was dry in the morning. You may ask your physician about the testing that has been done in this area.

Angela - posted on 11/11/2008

My five year old still wets the bed, although it is occasionally. I agree that it is about being patient and giving it time. No two kids are alike, because at first I thought my son should have been over bedwetting, because my other 3 kids were, each case is different. It is frustrating, but there is nothing else to do.

Mary - posted on 11/11/2008

My reply is pretty mucht eh same as everyone else's. Hang in there, don't scold, be supportive and try to smile in teh face of piles of laundry ;-) Most doctor's don't consider might-time bedwetting a problem until children are over the age of seven. If you'd like to be proactive, maybe try looking for some books at the library? I notice that another member posted about thebedwettingstore.com. I was reading through it earlier this afternoon, and they have some great resources as well as stop-wetting products... Good luck!

Kelli - posted on 11/11/2008

I say, don't worry about it. Some kids have smaller bladders then others. My 5 1/2 yr old still wets the bed. There is nothing they can do to control it. Thier little bladders just can't hold as much as others. Pull up are a great invention. I have a niece that wet the bed until she was pretty old, like 10. I'm sure my sister wishes they had pull ups and goodnites back then. Limiting liquid intake didn't help with our daughter. They need to stay hydrated more then they need a dry pull up.

Amy - posted on 11/11/2008

I receive updates from babycenter.com for each of my children. This week's update was on this issue. Here's what it had to say...



Age 5: Bedwetting

As many as 1 in 10 children still wet the bed at age 5. Boys and those with a family history of bedwetting are most affected. In most cases, it's a problem of physical maturation. Night dryness won't occur until the brain and bladder communicate effectively to hold it in or to tell a child to wake up and go to the bathroom. That's why it makes no sense to blame or shame your child when accidents happen. Still plagued by bedwetting? Because it's an issue of physical maturity, an affected child can't really control his bladder at night. Avoid blaming and shaming. Clean up accidents matter-of-factly. Protect the mattress with a good pad and keep a change of sheets handy so you can provide a dry bed as efficiently as possible in the middle of the night. Five-year-olds may resist wearing absorbent pull-ups to bed as "too babyish," though they cut down on messes. Try pointing out that they even make nighttime underpants for grown-ups who need them.



Some parents swear by restricting liquids after dinnertime or waking a child to use the bathroom after a few hours of sleep. Doctors may recommend other measures, such as bed-wetting alarms or medications, but only after a thorough checkup to eliminate other possible causes, such as a urinary tract infection.



In most cases, however, time is your best friend. Few cases don't completely resolve themselves by adolescence.



Try to develop a good after-school routine for your child. For example, a snack, a little TV or quiet play, then physical play outside. Kindergartners are often exhausted — physically and mentally — when they come home. Whether school is all day or half a day, the pace often requires so much attention and energy that they're sapped by day's end.



Make sure that you or your child's after-school caregiver has extra patience during the school-to-home transition. Defiance, sassing, and other poor behaviors are often signs of fatigue. Your 5-year-old has had to hold it in all day at school (where you prefer he behaves) and feels comfortable and secure enough at home to let it all out. Sometimes moving bedtime just half an hour earlier can help.

Bridgett - posted on 11/11/2008

I also have been dealing with this with our oldest son which is now 10 years old and just stopped wetting the bed about 6 months ago. My only suggestion is to be patient and understanding. I was once told that "you don't see college kids wetting the bed do you?" it will soon resolve itself, I promise.

Marty - posted on 11/11/2008

We've had the same problem. We finally made her stop having anything to drink aftter 7. We make her go to the bathroom right before she goes to bed at 8:30. Usually I get her up at 10 and make her go to the bathroom again. She doesn't like getting up but she goes right back to sleep. It has put a stop to the bedwetting.

Amy - posted on 11/11/2008

I should add that my son was 9 when we started using the alarm. Our pediatrian reccommneded it as my son's problem was that he is such a deep sleeper. The alarm is ment to wake them and when used properly, the child will (hopefully) be able to recognize the need to urinate before the bladder opens the flood gates!

The alarm is not for everyone - talk to your pediatrian first. We went ahead with it because my son was emotionally affected by the bedwetting. He was embarrassed to sleep over at friends' houses and refused to wear pullups. And he really wanted to go to church camp, and didn't want to be known as the 'boy who wets the bed' for the rest of his life. Children DO remember those things!

Leah - posted on 11/11/2008

Hello,
I would recommend a visit with your pediatrician to make sure her bladder is developing appropriately before trying to start any behavior modification.

Mandi - posted on 11/11/2008

my son does too and he is almost 6! i sometimes wonder if it will ever stop! you aren't the only one!

Heidi - posted on 11/11/2008

I agree with Stacy, don't worry about it. Both of my children are very hard sleepers and just never woke up. My youngest is 6 and he can't get up nor can I get him up to go to the bathroom. I could bang a drum next to him and he won't wake up. He's obviously not ready.

My daughter was 9 when she was finally able to get control, although she did have other bladder issues which delayed her keeping dry. But, one day she just woke up and used the bathroom and she's been fine ever since.

Good luck.

Brandy - posted on 11/11/2008

I would just keep putting the pull ups on her at night. Some children have weaker bladders than others. Some just dont wake up to the feeling of having to use the bathroom. The most important thing to do is nothing i believe. Just talk to her after wetting the bed and tell her that shes supposed to do that in the potty and leave it like that. I have a 2 1/2 year old girl who is fully potty trained and thats what i did with her.

Jessi - posted on 11/11/2008

Is it always a coughing thing? If not (and this may sound mean, but it worked for my niece), I put her in a diaper. She was potty trained for a few months and then reverted back to peeing wherever she wanted to. We realized it was an attention thing, and put her in a diaper. When she didn't get the attention she thought she was getting, she stopped and has been fine since.

User - posted on 11/11/2008

My 5 year old does the same thing. Sometimes he wakes up dry, but most of the time he is wet in the morning. Our doctor also said to be patient. We just don't think his body is ready for it yet, but if it keeps up until after he turns 6 we will try one of the bed wetting alarms. My son has never been one to be rushed so we are taking the same attitude here.

Stacy - posted on 11/11/2008

My suggestion would be to not worry about it! Some children have "inmature" bladders, but she will eventially outgrow it. I found that it was much easier to just not make a big deal about it and plan on the pull ups. It is a lot less work too. Washing sheets every day for a week gets old. You hit the nail on the head when you said "she can't control it".

Sacha - posted on 11/11/2008

my son turned 5 today... he is nowhere near night trained... they say it could take a few more years... I am not pushing the issue... I know he wants to wake up dry but says that he doesn't feel it when it comes out at night.. I heard that when their bladders mature they will wake up when they have the sensation of having to go to the bathroom during the night... for some kids its just sooner than with others....

Anne - posted on 11/11/2008

My almost 7 year old stopped completely when he turned 5 but started right back up as soon as he started kindergarten. I am trying to be patient with him but it does get frustrating, especially since pull ups are so expensive.... I asked my Dr about it... he said if it is still a problem after he turns 7 then we will check more into it. Everything I read about it says to be patient... they all end up dry sooner or later.

Amy - posted on 11/11/2008

We went through this for years with my son. I know your frustrations and what your daughter is going through. We finally ordered a bed-wetting alarm from the bedwetting store. One of the best investments I ever made! As long as it is used the way it is supposed to - it works!