Bedwetting: Facts and Fiction
The issue of bedwetting is not as black and white of an issue as you may think. It is also possible that it is more common than you may have thought and not reserved for only children. Kids and adults alike suffer from this problem and there are many different ways in which we can tackle this dilemma. In order to tackle this problem properly, one must sort through all the facts and fiction surrounding the issue of bedwetting to ensure that the proper solution is chosen.
Some Child Bed Wetting Myths
I’m sure we have all heard some kind of an old wives tale for the reasons bedwetting takes place, but do we fully understand the underlying reasons? In an article for WebMD.com, Denise Mann notes that roughly 5–7 million children aged 6 and above are affected by primary nocturnal enuresis, otherwise known as nighttime bedwetting. The first trap parents must avoid is not to blame the victim. When bedwetting in children happens at a young age, we need to realize that this can be a social issue to some extent.
As pediatrician Michael Wasserman M.D. points out, if a three-year-old doesn’t care about wearing a pull-up at night then basically don’t make it an issue, but if your six-year-old is worried about being ridiculed by a friend, now it’s a problem. One common bedwetting piece of fiction is that bedwetting is caused by parents doing something incorrectly. Nocturnal enuresis often runs in families and is most common in children under the age of 8 who are heavy sleepers. The healthychildren.org identifies punishing children for bedwetting as another wrong approach. This can cause the problem to get worse since, more often than not, this problem will go away on its own. Some other myths including emotional problems and a child’s diet are also untrue and pure fiction. For some, there may be an underlying medical problem. If your child has been dry for a while and suddenly experiences bedwetting a urine test is an option to determine if a urinary tract infection is present or even a sign of Type II diabetes.
What causes Bedwetting in Adults?
Children aren’t the only ones affected by the stigma of nighttime bedwetting. Secondary enuresis is nighttime bedwetting in adults and is relatively uncommon and therefore should be evaluated medically. Erik Castle M.D. reports for mayoclinic.org that some of the common causes can include: bladder cancer, diabetes, prostate enlargement, and urinary tract infection/stones among other reasons. Side effects from medication can also be a contributing factor. One possible cause of adult bedwetting is caffeine overdose. An article written by Autumn Rivers for healthline.com identifies a caffeine overdose as ingesting more than the recommended amount of caffeine (approximately 200–300 mg per day).
Finding the Correct Bed Wetting Solution
Once we get past the myths and untruths, the next step is finding a proper way to handle bedwetting and tackle the problem.
- The first step in dealing with nocturnal enuresis is ensuring that your child knows that in fact, this is normal. Let your child know that this is in fact relatively common and just about all children will eventually outgrow it. Not only should your bedwetting child understand this, but siblings should also be informed, and teasing should not be tolerated.
- If you feel the need, discussing it with your pediatrician can lead to some helpful hints. As webmd.com states, your pediatrician may recommend that you limit fluids just before bedtime, or if your child is old enough (7 years or older and other methods have failed), try a bedwetting treatment medication that reduces the amount of urine produced by the body at night.
Bedwetting Alarms
One tool parents can utilize to help with nighttime bedwetting training is an alarm system that senses moisture.
- The DFree Incontinence Wearable Device is a unique wearable device for urinary incontinence. It supports self-toileting by continuously monitoring the bladder and predicting when to go to the bathroom.
- The next option is a revolutionary alarm system, the Urocare DRI Excel Bed-Wetting Alarm System. When the Urocare Urosensor is wet with the first drops of urine, it sends a signal to the extra loud DRI Excel alarm unit and triggers the alarm treatment to begin.
- Sometimes children can become accustomed to an alarm noise and become desensitized to it. In this instance, the Malem Wireless Bedwetting Alarm System features eight random sounds to combat auditory accommodation and the transmitter can be clipped into any pair of underpants.
- Another wireless option is the Urocare DRI Eclipse Wireless Bedwetting Alarm which is small in size and designed like a space rocket to appeal to children. It features a nonmetallic sensor that avoids corrosion by urine, minimizes skin irritation, and is easy to clean. Its battery life can be as much as three years and is latex free.
Diapers and Bladder Control Pads
For another layer of protection, the use of overnight pull up diapers and bladder control pads can help avoid embarrassing accidents and an increased laundry load.
- The Medline DryTime Disposable Training Pants feel just like real underwear. They provide heavy absorbency and are available for a variety of children ranging from 20–40 pounds or more. Used in conjunction with other methods this can help your child achieve their goal of a dry night.
- Another option for both boys and girls is the Cuties Refastenable Training Pants. These are geared more towards younger children and can help them feel secure overnight while they outgrow their nocturnal enuresis. If your child balks at the idea of wearing a diaper or pull up, one possibility is the use of overnight pads that can be inserted into their own underwear.
- The Tena Overnight Pads provide superior protection when the wearer is laying down, like in bed, and offer an adhesive strip so that they may be worn inside the wearer’s own underwear, therefore, minimizing any stigma about wearing a diaper.
- For some older children, it’s possible to wear the Salk HealthDri Mens Breathable Reusable Briefs. These have the feel, wear, and care of regular underwear, therefore, eliminating the embarrassment of diapers while still providing the wearer with protection against overnight moisture and protection from skin irritation.
- Comfees Premium Training Pants possess soft, stretchable side panels that pull on like real underwear. They offer comfort, fit, and up to 12 hours of leakage protection. They are perfume-free and latex-free.
Underpads
Since it is relatively common for young children to experience nighttime bedwetting, an increased laundry load may result. One way to combat this is to use a bed pad, either a washable one or a disposable one.
- Some bed pads that can be washed include the Cardinal Health Essentials Quilted Reusable Underpads. They help to protect bedding against nighttime wetting and can be laundered for reuse.
- For those that opt for a disposable option, there are plenty of options to meet just about every need. The Attends Night Preserver Heavy Absorbency Disposable Underpads use a superabsorbent polymer combined with cellulose fibers for heavy absorbency while wicking fluid away from the skin to avoid irritation.
- Attends Supersorb Maximum Underpads provide All-in-one protection for both patient and bed and reduce the need for multiple underpads. Its Super absorbent polymer channels lock fluids away from the skin for maximum performance and help prevent odor.
- Another disposable pad that is ideal for nighttime use is the Covidien Wings Plus Maxima Disposable Underpad. It's super absorbent polymer and the odor-controlling agent is ideal for controlling incontinence overnight as your child outgrows their primary enuresis.
Understanding that most children will face some degree of nighttime bedwetting and that this is actually a normal occurrence can help parents reassure their children that there is nothing wrong or even shameful about it. The key is to use some tools to make this “phase” of childhood pass painlessly and without any stigma.
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