Name: Mother
Oakview, CA
Number of kids: 2
Ages of kids: 5 and 8
Problem: My 8 yr old son still wets the bed, I also did until age 18. I had my own bladder stretched as a child, went on anti-depressants, went to clinics, etc. etc. but nothing helped it was awful to grow up with this problem. I have been trying to help my son, I don't know what to do. I've tried waking him, he is a very deep sleeper as I was, this does not help. He has worn pull-ups, which keeps the bed dryer but doesn't solve the problem. I have tried homeopathy with some success, a few dry nights here and there. I have taken my son off the foods that he is allergic to, which helped wonderfully, for about three weeks. I wonder if someone out there knows what the total solution is?
Solution submitted by Karakoo from WA: We have a son that wet the bed NIGHTLY until he was almost 6. He slept so deeply that he would not even wake up after he wet himself. Who knows what element of our strategy was the real key to his success, but here is what we did...1) we cut his liquids off at 6pm 2)made him take off his own wet sheets to be washed 3) and not as a punishment, but in preparation for school days, we made his bed time an hour earlier. In my honest opinion, it was either the earlier bedtime or just physical maturing that was the trick. He was able to start waking himself to go to the bathroom shortly after his bedtime changed. I researched it some while we were going through it and learned that it is very symptomatic of sleep disorders and also sleep apnea, so I think you should consult with your doctor. GOOD LUCK!
Another solution submitted by Tom G. from Bancroft, MI: We know how difficult and frustrating the problem of enuresis (bedwetting) can be. We also know how easy it is to wait, because we have been told, "don't worry about it, they will outgrow it". So, many parents seem to be caught between waiting for them to outgrow it, and the frustrations of having to deal with the problem every day. Please remember that some do outgrow the problem, but many do not. And while many are quick to tell you "don't worry about it, they will outgrow it", no one will tell you when.
In the mean time, bedwetting can cause a poor self-image or self-esteem and may lead to other problems. The bedwetter is reluctant to go to camp, stay over with friends, or do the things kids normally like to do. The Sleep Disorder Research Center knows that these things can be turned around in the life of a child with a proper correction.
It has been shown that the reason a child or adult will have the problem of nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting) is because they sleep too sound or hard and simply cannot wake up. Also, the wet bed is not the only problem The child or adult bedwetter is usually sleeping incorrectly and may not be receiving the full benefits from the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep.
Working with thousands of families, we have observed that many enuretics have characteristics such as lack of attention span, daydreaming, inability to finish their schoolwork, abnormal restlessness and inability to sit still. Get the book and analysis from Sleep Disorder Research Center. Only $15 and gives insight and solution. Visit our website. Or call 1-800-765-3360.
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