How to Help Cure Bedwetting Problems

Bedwetting is a problem that affects thousands of children. It is an embarrassing and degrading experience to each and every child who suffers through this nightly ritual. So what can parents do to help their child conquer this problem?

First, keep in mind that scolding, spanking or punishing the child does absolutely no good, and can, in fact, make the problem worse. The child is not wetting the bed on purpose; there is some reason for it. It might occasionally be a physical problem, but most often it stems from a psychological reason. It could be something as simple as the child is afraid to get up and go to the bathroom during the night. Whatever the reason, parents must attempt to find out the why before they can cure the problem.

Sit down with your child, alone, and talk about the problem. Even if the child is only four or five years old, he is old enough to understand. Be careful not to make it sound like you are accusing or scolding him. You could open the conversation up with something like: "Hey, I thought we could try to figure out what's causing your problem at night." Or, if you, by some chance, had the same kind of problem, now would be a great time to use it to get the ball rolling. You could tell him how your father or mother sat down with you to try to figure out what the problem was. Let him know that you are going to help him beat this problem.

Once you've started the conversation, make a serious effort to find out what is causing the bedwetting. Ask questions like, "Do you wake up before or after it happens?" If it is before, gently ask why they don't get up and go use the bathroom? It could be simply a matter of it's dark in the hall and the child is afraid. If so, ask if night lights in the hall and bathroom would help. Is it chilly in the child's room? Would turning the heat up a little help him to get up to go to the bathroom?

If he's not afraid of the dark and his room tempature is fine, the reason could be even more obvious. Maybe he's drinking a glass of milk right before bed time. You could try making sure he doesn't drink anything after a certain hour. Let him have his bedtime snack earlier. However, if your child wants a drink of water at bedtime, that's fine. Let him have a drink.

If you cannot come up with a logical reason for the bedwetting, try some of these suggestions to help locate the problem.

Always make sure that the last thing he does before he hops into bed is go to the restroom. Even if he says he doesn't have to, make him go try.

Place a digital clock, pencil and paper beside the bed and ask the child to write down the time the bedwetting occurs. If the child is young, tell him to just write down the numbers on the clock. If he remembers to do this a couple of times, it will help you pinpoint about what time the bedwetting is going to happen. You could then set your own alarm and come get him up to visit the restroom before it happens. Once you get him used to getting up to use the bathroom, he will begin doing it on his own. This takes some cooperation on both your part and his, but it will be well worth it.

If he doesn't remember waking up before or after the bedwetting, you may have to go in and check his bed several times during the night. Once you have narrowed down the time period the bedwetting occurs, you can begin waking him up for a visit to the restroom. Again, this will take some time and dedication on your part as the parent, but ultimately, you will solve the problem.

Or you could invest about one hundred dollars for a bedwetting alarm. These alarms monitor moisture and give off an alarm when the child starts wetting the bed. It helps to wake the child up so that he or she can go to the bathroom. Check out information on these alarms at bedwettingsolutions.com

In the meantime, keep a waterproof liner on the mattress to prevent urine stains. These can cause embarrassment later on if seen by a friend or playmate. Keep the sheets changed and the room aired and odor free.

Let your child know that their problem is yours also and that together, you will conquer it. And keep heart, most kids grow out of bedwetting sooner or later. Of course, you want it to be sooner.

Credits: Shelia West; Bedwetting Solutions