3 Tips For Addressing Bedwetting In Older Children

Most parents expect their child to outgrow nighttime accidents by mid to late elementary school age. In some cases, older children or even teenagers might have occasional or frequent nighttime accidents. There are ways to address bedwetting incidents and possibly reduce their occurrence.

Think About Their Fluid Intake

Your child may be a deep sleeper, which makes it harder for them to notice the signal when it is time to wake up and go to the bathroom. Make sure you child is not consuming any caffeine throughout the day. Although you may not think about your child consuming caffeine, especially young children, the occasional soda might be the culprit. Try to set a cut-off time for drinking fluids. Approximately two hours before bedtime should be sufficient. Many children take a glass of water to bed in case they are thirsty through the night. If this is necessary, remind your child to take a small sip, just enough to prevent a dry mouth.

Reduce The Embarrassment

Bedwetting can be an embarrassing issue, especially as your child grows older, an anxiety about the issue will only make it worse. It is much easier to help them protect their clothing and bedding when they are younger, because they may not feel uncomfortable wearing protective undergarments to bed. For older children and teenagers, it may be better to invest in absorbent mattress pads. They are more discreet and less uncomfortable than wearing protective undergarments and can be hidden under the fitted sheet. Although this will not prevent soiling clothing or the sheets, it is much easier to clean these items than the mattress.

A major concern for children is they may want to have sleepovers at home or spend the night at a friend's house, but are afraid they will have an accident. Since there are many types of protective undergarments available, even if an older child is wearing adult sizes, it should be easy to find absorbent underwear. To keep the underwear discreet, find protective undergarments made to mimic underwear and suggest your child wear them before arriving to the sleepover. If they change into their pajamas in private, no one should notice.

Speak With The Doctor

Even children who have accidents longer than you would expect will likely outgrow the problem. It is always wise to bring up the issue with the family doctor. They can help you determine if there is any physiological reason for bedwetting or if there are psychological factors. Physical reasons could include underdeveloped kidneys or diabetes. Even at a young age, psychological factors need to be considered. Issues such as abuse, bullying, anxiety, or depression could be precipitating factors, especially if bedwetting is a sudden problem.

Once you can rule out serious reasons for bedwetting, you and your child can develop ways to make the problem occur less frequently. Although the problem can be frustrating, reassure your child they will eventually overcome the issue. For more information, talk to a professional like Choice Medical Group.


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