Bedwetting by children above five can be highly stressful for both parents and children. It is distressing for children to wake up in a wet bed, and it can also make sleepovers an embarrassing experience. Fortunately, there are many ways parents can help their children stop wetting the bed. The tips outline several simple steps parents can take to support their children through this challenging experience.
1. Ensure Your Child Doesn’t Have UTIs or Bladder Issues
If your child is wetting their bed, it’s good to determine if there are any underlying medical issues. It’s crucial to take your child for an overactive bladder assessment by a doctor or urologist to ensure they don’t have an underlying condition that causes involuntary urination at night.
Involuntary urination at night can be distressing and embarrassing for both parent and child alike. Your health expert may also help determine if your child has Nocturnal polyuria (increased production of urine during sleep), which is common in children with diabetes. Be sure to talk to your physician about these symptoms as soon as possible to get your child on track with a treatment plan if they have any bladder issues.
2. Limit Fluid Intake Before Bedtime
One of the main reasons kids wet their beds is because they don’t drink enough water during daytime hours and drink more before bedtime. Hence, you can increase their fluid intake in the daytime but limit it before sleeping.
It may help them get a good night’s sleep without worrying much about waking up in a pool of urine. It’s also crucial to make sure you tell your child not to consume any liquids at least 2 hours before going off to bed so that they can at least reduce the number of incidences while sleeping.
3. Take Your Child for a Bathroom Break Before Bedtime
The easiest way to stop bedwetting is by ensuring your child is well hydrated and on a schedule before bedtime. Take them for a bathroom break two hours before they go to sleep, and allow them to get up at least once during the night for one last trip.
The key here is consistency. Any deviation from these routines and you’ll increase your child’s chances of wetting their bed. Be aware that some children need more time than others to adjust to a new habit—and don’t be surprised if it takes several weeks or even months for things to start working out.
4. Reward Your Child For Staying Dry
With a simple reward system that connects right into bedtime, you can motivate your child. Every time your child goes through an entire night without wetting their bed, they get a small prize—perhaps 10 minutes of video game time. The key is consistency.
Make sure you don’t reward more than once per week, and make sure they can only earn rewards after going through an entire night. Keeping things predictable and consistent will help take some pressure off you and your child.
5. Support Your Child’s Emotions and Encourage an Active lifestyle
Your child may be dealing with many emotions, both good and bad. Don’t forget how hard it is for them to stop wetting their bed. Put yourself in your child’s shoes and try going to bed with a full bladder. When you wake up in the morning, make sure your child understands that they are not on the wrong or broken because they’ve been having peeing accidents at night.
Make sure to let them know how proud you are of them for getting help. Let your child know that you’ll always love and support them through everything! It plays a significant role in helping your child be ready for pre-school.
Encouraging them to have an active social life will also give them something else to focus on besides their nighttime bedwetting. Use positive reinforcement whenever possible when helping your child deal with these emotional issues. Praise your child every time they use the toilet during waking hours instead of using diapers or pull-ups at night. Positive reinforcement will help encourage good behavior!
Conclusion
Helping your child to stop bedwetting is vital, but don’t forget that life is a journey and not a destination. There will be good days and bad days with your children, but every day should bring joy. As they grow up, make sure you let them know how important they are to you and give them unconditional love each day. However, medical assessments from a qualified physician on the overactive bladder can help identify underlying medical causes of bedwetting and may lead to treatment options. Every child is different when it comes to bedwetting, and your child can grow out of it with consistent effort.
