10 Tips for Coping with Wet Beds
10 Tips for Coping with Wet Beds
- The first step in becoming dry is WANTING to become dry. A motivated child is much more likely to cooperate and be willing to learn about becoming dry.
- Give lots of encouragement and praise for dry beds. Never scold or make fun of your child when he/she wets the bed. It feels bad enough just being wet!
- Teach your child how the body works. Explain how the brain, body and bladder work, and how the brain and bladder need to “talk” to each other for the child to start being dry.
- Never restrict fluids before bedtime. This keeps the bladder capacity small. Extra drinks help the bladder stretch and may in fact encourage dry beds.
- It is important that parents do not lift and take the child to the toilet during the night. The parent’s brain is only bossing the child’s sleepy brain and the child’s brain has not had the chance to talk to the bladder. If the child’s brain is not being the boss of the bladder, the child will never learn to stay dry.
- Ensure the toilet is easy and safe for the child to get to during the night and that the child is not frightened to go.
- Encourage your child to take responsibility for wet beds. A young child could take the wet sheets to the laundry. It is reasonable to ask an older child to remake the bed and put the washing machine on.
- Watch out for sugary and acidic foods or caffeine and also for times when your child’s immune system is “run down”. At these times the bladder muscle may become irritable and wetting may become more likely.
- One of the key factors in gaining long-term dryness is the child’s self-esteem. Children need to want to be dry to feel good about their personal power.
- If night wetting persists beyond the age of five years, professional treatment programs are recommended.
