How can I help my child to stop wetting the bed?

Most bedwetting problems are not due to diabetes or urinary infections, or even constipation. Instead, children wet the bed simply because they have not yet learned how to stay dry. Of course you should always check with your doctor and make sure your child has no other problems first, but once you have seen that all is ok medically there is something that you can do to help them learn to stop wetting the bed.

It’s like riding a bicycle; it takes effort at first, but then it’s automatic. For children who learned to ride a two-wheeler and threw away their stabilisers already, knowing that because they could master that one difficult new skill often helps them feel confident and understand that they can also learn to stay dry at night with relative ease.

 Medications or Hypnotherapy?

It is possible to take pills that treat bedwetting, but don’t cure it; as soon as you stop taking them, the wetting resumes. They can also be pricey and very rarely, they could cause seizures, so you have to be very careful to avoid overdosing. Clearly for most parents they would not be a good choice.

Instead using the skills they already have in their own imaginations, children can learn to stay dry on their own. Once you do it, you have that skill for life.

 So what children can learn is to pay attention to their bladders, even when they are soundly sleeping.

Part of the brain stays awake, checking in with the bladder from time to time. If the bladder reports that it needs to be emptied because it is full then it can wake them up like a night-watchman send them to the bathroom and then back to sleep to have a sound and dry night. 

That idea of having someone watch over them works very well because of course children have wonderful imaginations and use them all the time. If you have ever watched your child playing and being caught up in their own little world you will know how easily they can do that.

By helping your child into a state of relaxation we can help this idea sink into their subconscious so that they wake up if they need to without even realising how it has happened.

Another way to show your support

Bear in mind  that as a parent is is wonderful to be supportive and also not to pressure your child. They will stop bedwetting when it is right for them. They can grow in their own time and way and when you take away the pressure and give them support you can find they can surprise you how easily they can deal with the problem.

Most children with this problem would only really need to see me two or three times and once they have the skills they can already start to look forward to dry nights and all the benefits this can bring, such as sleepovers with their friends without worry!

You can contact me on [email protected] or call me on 07980 233160