Still Wetting the Bed at 7 - Rescue,CA

Yes, my daughter wet the bed until she was 9 years old. I bought pullups that fit her, I give them to her and she would put them on every night and she was the one that put it in the waste paper can. I gave her handwipes to clear herself off with whe she changes her pull up. She was able to go stay at friends house with out anyone knowing that she had a pull up on. I put a plastic bag in the over night and he would bring the pull up home and put it in the garbage can. She was in control over the bed wetting. That made her feel good about herself.
J.

It could definitely be a physical development issue. My daughter had the same problem. She started taking medicine which solved the issue and had to continue until about age 11 when she was able to slowly reduce the amount and then stop altogether. It was worth taking medicine to resolve the embarrassment for her and difficulties with sleep-overs.

It could very well be a medical issue. His doctor should run tests. Although my doctor told me that they could wet the bed until age 7. My daughter wore diapers and wet the bed until she was almost 6. She finally out grew it. She is now 27 years old and a beautiful mother of 5. Her daughter is 5 and still wets the bed. If is not medical, then he will soon out grow it. He may just have a small bladder or be a very sound sleeper. Good Luck.

J.

I would definitely have the medical end checked out. It might not be an issue, but better safe than sorry.
I was a bed-wetter and still have a vivid memory of my mom finally taking me to the doctor and saying as we got into the car, "if I find out you're just being lazy I'm going to be very angry." It turned out I had a kidney disorder that kept my brain from getting the message that I had to go until my bladder was completely full. The doctors said I'd grow out of it, but it took years for me to get through the night dry. When I was 12 I developed a severe infection and ended up in the hospital for about a month with near kidney failure. By the end of my teen years, I was much better. However, it was only after years of embarrassment and harassment from kids at school. My heart just breaks for your son because kids can be so cruel.
As for getting through the night when I was younger, we monitored my drinks in the evening (basically, no drinks within 2 hours of bedtime, and little to no caffeine ever), and my mom woke me up in the middle of the night to use the restroom. Eventually it became a habit for me. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. I wish I had something more helpful to offer, but it was just a matter of time for me.
Hang in there, and good luck!

We finally tried the Malem alarm with our 7 year old son, after his wetting the bed a few times a week or more for years. It really helped within about 2 weeks. The alarm attaches to their underwear, and goes off when it senses any moisture. After being awoken in the moment when he peed by the alarm, he seemed to learn to sense the feel of a full bladder. My husband was very skeptical of the idea at first, but we were both amazed by it's effectiveness. After using it for a few weeks, he learned to awake and use the bathroom when he needed to. He is now 8 and only very rarely has any bed wetting accidents (perhaps once every 2-3 months), usually if he's had a particularly exhausting day. Hope this helps!

Hello J.,

Just seeing this post today. I am in the same boat. My boy is 7 soon to be 8. Here is what I started last night. His Doctor recommended it. It is a gismo called "Your SleepDry." You order it from Star Child/Labs, POB 3497, Santa Barbara, Ca. 93130. ###-###-####. I have had it for quite a few months waiting on my husband to read the instructions and hook it up. Well, he never made the move. I think he has a thing about hooking up his favorite "baby" to anything to solve the problem. But since I am the one washing every day, I took the paper, read it last night and executed. I did not hook it up in the proper spot so it did not alarm. It is an alarm system to help them wake up. If you get it, there are instructions. I will be back on tonight. They are suggesting that if you follow the instructions exactly, your problem should be improved/solved in 30 days. They even provide a reward for the child if the child is successful. You have to mail info back to them.
Hope this helps but like you I have tried every thing else and I mean everything. I will be glad to talk to you if you e-mail your contact info. D.

Hello J. P. You might consider seeing a Bowenwork Pracititioner. www.bowenwork.com The therapy is soft and gentle and works quickly. They ask you to refrain from giving apple juice and will treat the tailbone area...every 7 days until your child has 6 dry nights. It works pretty quickly! It also works on adults. Since a third hand is usually needed (blocking energy with holding points) you will be in the room with the child assisting, which gives comfort to a child. I've treated several kids and they do quite well. While I was a student practitioner a few years ago, my son was wetting and I began the Bowenwork protocol. I took him off of apple juice first, then proceeded with a treatment. I never made it to the second treatment because he was dry the next day and ever since.

L.

This is more common that one might think. On the advice of my pediatrician, we did not allow my son to drink milk after 7 p.m. in the evenings; then, we got him up around 11:30 p.m. every night and made him go to the bathroom. It took about four months but it worked. Good luck to you.

I have read that this is caused by an underdeveloped bladder and will correct itself as it grows. Poor guy, I hope it stops soon.

I had this problem when I was a child and it didn't stop until I was about 12 years old. As others have said it is very embarrassing. I would not recommend a product that wakes the child, simply because my mom used one with me and it was just traumatic to be woken up by an alarm in the middle of the night and it did not solve the problem. I have heard that many children grow faster than their bladder and combine that with deep sleep and the child will wet the bed. My pediatrician prescribed a medication that worked great. What ever route you choose remember to be supportive of your son in this difficult situation. This problem is not his fault.

My son is 11, almost 12 and he still wets the bed. It is terribly frustrating. I sympathize with you. It is my understanding there is a part of his brain that has not developed to wake him from deep sleep when he needs to go to the bathroom. It has nothing to do with what he drinks at night. We too have tried EVERYTHING. His doctor of 3 years who we like very much suggested to let it go. He will stop when his body is ready. My son wears good nights and also hates it. He has learned to be very sneaky for sleep-overs. I try to support him and not make it a big issue in an effort to save his self esteem. Boys usually grow out of it by the time they are 12. I wish us both luck it happens before then.

Most bed wetters must have something else going on. How is your son on behavior during the day? My son stopped wetting at 13. My son is adhd, avoid liquids after 7. Have him use the restroom before he lays down.

Hi J.
It could be medical. He could just be a deep sleeper or his bladder isn't big enought to handle it. My newphew was 8-9 before he stopped. His Dad and 2 uncles were closure to 9. I am just hoping my 3 1/2 old doesn't have this issue. Was your son late to potty train? Mine has just been ready for about a month now. I think this has something to do with the bed wetting not sure what. I know sleep overs were hard for my newphew so they would put the pull up into his sleeping bag before he went and he would put it on in the bag and no one knew then he would take it off the same way in the am and take it home that way, for him that was better then missing out or having an accident. He finally got the control. I don't know if any of this helps except to let you know others has been there.

I was told by a doctor that it is a chemical that is released to the brain that wakes the child up and tells them they have the sensation to urinate that is lacking. I was given a prescription for a nasal spray that absolutely works! Eventually she outgrew it but the nasal spray was a blessing. She could have sleepovers without embarrassement!

You should speak with his doctor regarding this issue, my brother is is now 32 had trouble wetting the bed up until he was around 9 due to a muscle that was under developed and was taken care of by different types of exercise. I remember it being very hard for my brother. Even if it turns out not to be a medical issue your doctor may have different things for you to try that you might not yet have done, a fressh outlook is sometimes what we need.

My son still wets the bed. He is 8. It is medical. His body is growing faster than his bladder and/or he is such a deep sleeper he doesn't wake up when he has the urge to go. We had my son on DDAVP nasal spray for awhile but it didn't always work and then the FDA said that this medication wasn't working well enough to use it for bedwetting so we can't get it anymore. I have been told that when he goes through puberty it will stop for sure, but that's a ways away. He is embarrassed too. I feel so bad for him. I am going to go back to the doctor and see if there is something else we can do. Maybe your doctor has a new idea.

I have the same issue with my (almost) 5 year old. He's been potty trained for almost two years. I took him in for it and they said he was just very constipated and that was pushing on his bladder. It's helped a little (the medication they gave him) but not a significant difference. I think it's a medical issue, personally.

At onestepahead.com (and probably other places) you can buy waterproof training pants- maybe they go big enough for a 7 yr. old, and they also have alarms. I'd talk to the dr. to rule out medical problems, but I think it's probably normal. Good luck.

We had great success with guided imagery, for two of my children who were about your son's age. We went to Dr. Michael Cantwell in San Francisco. I highly recommend him! Not enough people know that guided imagery can help kids get control during the night!

My son was wetting the bed at age 7 also. He is a heavy sleeper and monitoring his liquids in the evening wasn't always a success. I shared my concern with his pediatrician and she recommended the potty pager (check it out at pottypager.com). There is a sensor placed on the underwear that signals the pager when it senses wetness, that in essence will wake the child and remind them to finish what they started in the bathroom. While we didn't have overnight success with this, it did take 1 - 2 months for my son to be trained to wake on his own when he felt the urge to go. Good luck!

Hi J.,
All three of my children were bedwetters. Our oldest who is 12 now, stopped when she was 6, our middle child is 11 and has been dry for about a year now, and our youngest who will be 8 this month is starting to have more dry nights than wet ones. We still leave the plastic mattress cover on her bed just in case. Our son was on DDAVP, which is taken at night and helps the bladder to stop overproducing urine at night. Talk to your pediatrician and see if this is an option for your son. We have also tried Hylands bedwetting tabs, which are homeopathic and can be purchased at most vitamin stores or health food store. I understand completely! Feel free to email me anytime.
God Bless,
T.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. My father and I both wet the bed (of and on) till age 16. The doctors gave my parents some bitter drops to take at night just before bed and that worked. I got up and peed. BUT, I got crabby and they found out that the drops kept me from reaching REM sleep. SO, they quit that immediately. There was really no cure for sleeping too soundly to wake up to go to the bathroom. I did use a draw sheet with plastic under to minimize the bed changing but never found any cure except aging. I remember my parents waking me late at night to try to get me to pee and usually that helped. Slumber parties were pretty much nin-existant until I reached 16.

Good Luck,
K.

I had the same issue with my daughter at 3 years old we purchased a electronic devise we found at Longs Drugs. It is battery opperated you put the pad in their underware and the box that beeps when the slightest bit of wetness gets on the pad. We explained to our daughter what is does, that it will wake her up when the pad gets wet and she should get up and go to the bathroom. It worked after training her brain to wake up when she pees it only took two weeks and she was getting up by herself after that. Never peed the bed again.

I too have a 7 year old who wets the bed on a nightly basis. He wears a pullup (better than a diaper) and doesn't seem to mind. We had tried all the suggestions to no avail. My older son had a similar problem and outgrew it by 7. We had tried several meds with him but did not like the side effects. Definitely get him checked for any medical conditions, but if there is none, let it go. The more you harass, the worse it is. It is not uncommon for boys to have problems even into the teen years. Good luck.

I have 4 children, 13, 10, 7 and 4.

My son (now 25) had the same problem. I think at about the same age, maybe younger. We used a service that Suzanne Somers was a spokesperson for, not remembering the name now. However, they used an alarm pad on the bed. When a drop of moisture hits the pad, the alarm goes off. The procedure then would be your son would wake up, go to the bathroom, then put new sheets on the bed and go back to sleep. The idea is to train the mind to respond to the need to urinate and hold it and wake up and go to the bathroom. It also changes the sleeping patterns. The changing of the sheets becomes a bother, enough so to train the mind to not want to get them wet. The service provided a log system and a great telephone support system. Actually, a person came to the house to get everything set up and meet with my son. The support is extremely encouraging. Never negative or a put down. So, you might search online for this service (I think it starts with a P (no pun intended). Or, search for an alarm pad on your own. This worked for us in a relatively short period of time, maybe 3-4 months? Anymore questions, please contact me.

My son was a little younger, but I have outlined a visualization/subconcious traning technique that I used. I found it in a potty training book from the library, but cannot remember the title. Use in addition to limiting pre-bedtime fluids and taking the pre-bedtime trip to the potty.

At night tuck him in and turn off the lights in his room and in/around the closest bathroom. Have him close his eyes and imagine he is sleeping and the feeling of the urge to urinate. Have him "practice" going to the bathroom...turning on the light, pulling down his pants and reaching to flush...don't actually need to flush and waste the water. Have him lay down and run through this scenario 4-5 times each night. For us, within two weeks, accidents had cut down significantly and he would only practice 1-2 times per night and within a couple of months he was trained completely aside from occasional accident from too much fluid, falling asleep prior to making the bedtime trip to the bathroom or from sheer exhaustion after a big day.

My son is now 13 and if you meet him in the hallway in the middle of the night, he is not truly awake, but his subconscious mind turns his body on autopilot to get him to the bathroom and back to bed.

My sister had the same problem till she was in the 8th grade. She could not control it and yes it is probably a medical issue. Her husband also had the same problem till he was 13. Save your son from embarrassment. talk to the Dr.

My son wet the bed until he was 10. I tried everything I could - that was 20 years ago. He slept so soundly he rarely woke up. My family was just mortified so I tried all the old tactics. I got mad and made him change the bed and wash the sheets, I restricted his fluid intake, I restricted his activities as a consequence.

My mother spent $50 (a lot of money back then) on a device that he attached to his underwear that would set off an alarm when it got wet. All that did was wake me up, I'd go in make him get up, change his pjs and the bed and then I lost sleep and had two sets of sheets to do.

I finally gave up and he finally grew out of it. Now I know that often it's a physical issue with the size of the bladder and how soundly they sleep and I regret being so mean about it and wish I would have been more understanding. It's like any other physical thing that's just underdeveloped. If our child had a spasm and spilled the milk we wouldn't punish them we would be sympathetic that the problem existed and help it be less obvious to others. I hope you consider what I have to say because down the road you will regret not being understanding to his dilemna - hind sight is always better and we can learn from others mistakes.

A little bit about my situation. I too have a son who wet his bed everynight until his 12th birthday. I took him to Dr's etc even specialists (Urologists) They checked him every which way. They said by the time he is 12 or 13 he will or should out grow it. He did. I know the heartbreak and his frustration. My son had to wear nightimes at night and cut down on his drinking still in the evening. The Dr's said it is common in boys especially. Hang in there and just be discreet and teach him how to also be discreet. We used to send him with nightimes in the bottom of his sleeping bag, and a bad to put his wet ones in when spending the night at a friends. Hang in there and we sympathize.

We used one of the bed wetting alarms (electronic device that goes in underwear) for our daugther when she was 7. Didn't think it would work because she is such a heavy sleeper, but it did. First couple of days it woke us up and I had to walk her to the bathroom. Next couple of days it woke her up and she took care of it herself. After less than two weeks of using it she never wet the bed again. (She just turned 10.)

At this age, it often IS a medical problem - in many children your son's age, their bodies are capable of taking in and needing far more liquid than their bladders can hold. A child's bladder can tend to grow disproportionately to the size and needs of their bodies, so often, the bedwetting has nothing to do with sleeping too soundly or drinking too much before bedtime, their bodies just simply are not yet capable of holding that much liquid in a too small bladder over the course of an entire night. It can obviously also be behavioral, but in most cases, its just a body/bladder size issue that your child will grow out of.
You can buy Goodnights boxer shorts at the grocery store - they are specifically for older children that suffer from the same sort of bedwetting that your son does. They are not at ALL like diapers or pull ups in any way - they are just absorbent shorts (they come in seperate boy and girl colors) that look JUST like regular old material shorts. Try those, and see if your son will wear them - and make sure he knows that lots and LOTS of kids his age still wet the bed, and that it has nothing to do with him, but that his body is growing faster than his bladder, but that it will catch up soon.

My niece has the same problem (she's 10 now and still has to wear pull ups to bed). It turns out she has sleep apnea, and one of the side effects of that is bed wetting. It is definitely a medical issue, and not at all her fault. It's not a serious medical condition or anything, but I would have your son checked out. It might give you some answers, and your son some much needed peace of mind.

Hi J.!

I am so sorry that you and your son are going through this. The poor thing has to go through personal humiliation like this.
You didn't mention how long this has been going, or if you work, but I'd be willing to bet...it's normal for some boys. I've heard through friends, reading, etc...that some boys bladders don't develope to their normal size until later. Which, unfortunately, results in bed wetting.
My boys did "pretty good", but my oldest wet the bed until he was 6. Not every night, but about 3-4 times a week. I was losing patience because of how exhausting it can be to change a bed all the time!
But, my frustration showed him that I was angry at HIM, and not the chore, and it made matters worse. More tears, insecurites, etc..

If I could do it all over again, I would've put that bed pad on sooner to protect the matress. I would've gone to Goodwill/Walmart, and purchased more sheets and underpants to have ready. I would've made up a little chart to give "happy faces" to the successful nights, or the nights that he tried to wake up "make it".
I didn't use a diaper, as that's the "easy way out" for us mom's. Even though it IS easier, it prevents the situation from correcting itself, especially at his age.

I'll bet he'll outgrow it soon. Try to be patient, and keep reaching for moral support when you need it.

The "Dark Side" of my brain is questioning other issues. But, if you are CERTAIN that he is not abused in any way, then it is probably just normal. But if you are NOT certain, then please re-adjust your attention to the situation closer.

I'll be thinking of him and praying for his self-esteem.

:o) N.

has he ever been dry at night? if not, then his body just isn't ready yet. If he has been dry previously then look into what might be causing any kind of stress or emotional issues in his life. But definitely see his doctor about this. My almost 15 year old still wets the bed occasionally (usually when he's stressed or sick). One of the things we found after talking to his doctor about it was that his body was bigger than his bladder. He was the size of the average 12 year old at 9, with the needs of a 12 year old, but with a 9 yr old bladder. We opted to put him on DDAVP, and it worked WONDERFULLY with no side effects that I could ever tell.

We still keep a plastic sheet on the bed under regular sheets, that way the mattress doesn't become damaged. One of the things our pediatrician said was "I've never know any one who graduated from college and still wet the bed every night so don't worry about it."

For those of you with 3 year olds still wetting (especially RECENTLY potty trained) it takes longer for night time dryness to be achieved as opposed to daytime dryness. And MOST children aren't ready to even begin potty training till at least 3. If they aren't staying dry at night by the time they are 5, then worry about it.

It is not uncommon for boys to still be wetting the bed at that age. Their bladder simply is not big enough yet to go throught the night. It is, however, very frustrating, and alot of laundry. I have a nine, almost ten year old girl still wetting the bed. I am currently using an alarm system that attaches to her undies (under her diaper) and the MD assures me that at some point this will work..... we will see. You need a perscription, and I got it at Horsnyders on Soquel Ave... Insurance paid for it, the cash price was 75.00 ish dollars. Good Luck, D.

They have made progress in this area such as an alarm that will signal your child to wake I recall reading about. Talk to your pediatrican. I was a bed wetter and usually I was having a dream and in it I had to go the bathroom.

I remember this stage for myself. I remember getting my dreams to help me. Some little prayers before going to bed will help maybe not immediately but with repetition it will program the subconscious to wake him up.

More kids than ever are having this these days. I believe it is because there are so many new souls on the planet than ever before and it is hard to get used to being in a physical body. I know this may sound totally weird, but it is well worth trying, even if the above explanation is too far out to believe. The worst that can happen is that it won't help.

"I pray that my inside self will dream me awake so that I can be proud that I went to the bathroom all by myself. I know it's hard to remember that I am in a physical body now, especially when I am floating in my light body during dream time. I ask my angels to nudge me when it is time for me to get up and then after I go to the bathroom I can come right back to floating with the angels."

Love, L.

I would definitely get this checked out. My brother was a teen when he quit wetting the bed. Through tests, they found out that he had spina bifida (not a severe case). As he started growing, his spine kind of straightened out and it wasn't a problem anymore. My parents also tried the alarm, and it didn't work because my brother is also a very heavy sleeper. My brother was very ashamed, but my mom did everything she could to help him. I actually didn't know how long this bed wetting had happened until I got older and he told me. My mom taught my brother how to do the laundry, so that if there was an accident, he could clean everything up by himself so he wouldn't be embarrassed to have to come to my mom and say, "I wet again." Especially if there were friends over. She helped him to learn from this experience and grow from it. She helped him to be proud of what he COULD do. Be positive! And Good Luck! You will be in my thoughts and prayers! ~Sarah~

Our neice had a similar issue which was related to her kidneys. It's worth taking your concern to his pediatrician for further evaluation.

get your child checked. I thought my child was just sleeping to hard or lazy or what ever the stigma with bed wetting is. Then she started getting bladder infections so I got her checked and she had a serious bladder defect that was causing her to hold her urin. When she slept and relaxed her constanly full bladder would relax and just let open she had no controll over it. I felt very bad thinking it was just her and the intire time she was sick.

Hi J.!

The timing on this is so weird. I just talked to a friend of mine last night about my 3 year old who still wears diapers at night. I told her he keeps having accidents, and she told me she had the same problem until she was 14 years old. Apparently, she's such a heavy sleeper it caused a lot of problems for her. I will ask her if there was anything special she did to conquer this obstacle.

I had this trouble with my grandson. Everyone always says it is psychological, but from my research it is a sleep problem. THese kids sleep so soundly that the message does not get to the brain that their bladder is full and needs to be emptied, sometimes their muscles are weak, or they may have a small bladder, but mostly they do not get the message to the brain because instead of going through the cycle of deep sleep and then less sleep they go right into the deep sleep and stay there. They also are tired because they do not go through this cycle. My grandson also had terror dreams and yells in his sleep and sometimes even sleepwalks and has no recollection in the morning. It also tends to be genetic, so see if some relative has had this problem also. My Grandson has a younger sister and brother that also have this problem. I finally called The Enuresis Treatment Clinic in Michigan. It is expensive, but if it works, it does not matter. Some kids grow out of this also. I found them on line at www.nobedwetting.com. I hope this helps you. They are very nice about talking to you about this problem also.

Hello J.,
Have you tried the brand called GoodNites. They look like real big boy underwear, but they have that extra protection inside that he needs. Not only is it easy for him but also on you. I've had the same issue with my now 5 year old boy. He wets every now and then but it sounds like your doing every thing possible to help him. I would seek medical advice. He could have a small bladder. HOpe this helps, E..

hi J., yes it could definatley be a medical issue. my sister growing up was a bed wetter. my mom tried everything, waking her up not drinking anything after 5pm, nothing worked. we thought she was just lazy and gross(poor thing) but it wasn't til she was in a car accident at about 9 years old that a doctor told my mother that she had a immature bladder. it was developing, but at a slower rate so it wouldn't hold very much which made her incontenant. i think she was about 12 when she finally stopped wetting. it was very hard for her, but i do think it's worth it to get it checked out.good luck and i hope that everything works out for your child.

I have two children, 16 and 7, who both had/have this issue. When my daughther was 7 and still wetting the bed I did take her to the doctor to find out if this was a medical issue. All the necessary checks where made and it was determined that she simply was a sound sleeper and when her bladder was full it just didn't register. The doctor gave us the following alternatives: 1) There are several medications that can prevent the bed wetting, but don't fix the problem. 2) There is also a bet wetting alarm that the child wears at night, once any wetness is detected then the alarm sounds and wakes the child up. We were going to try the alarm and then all or a sudden she completely stopped wetting the bed. My daughther was around 8 1/2 when she stopped. My son is almost 8 and he is starting to have nights when he doesn't wet the bed. I'm hoping that it does stop soon or else I will try the bed wetting alarm with him. My suggestion would initially be getting a medical checkup. Good Luck!

J., it could be that the nerves in his pelvic region are being interfered with causing his body not to signal him to either wake up and go to the bathroom or to hold it. Many parents report an improvement, often quite significant, after implementing a schedule of regular chiropractic visits for their child. In addition, numerous case studies have demonstrated that chiropractic care has quickly improved or even resolved the problem.

While there is no guarantee that chiropractic will help, it does provide a sensible, non-invasive approach to managing the condition. Most chiropractors check children, but your best option is to find a chiropractor whom specializes in children. You can locate one at www.icpa4kids.org.

I too have a 7 year old that still wets and his younger brother (age 4) is dry more often. I believe that you just need to be encouraging and don't show your frustration. We use the overnight underwear that are like pull-ups. I always ask if he is going to wear one when he gets dressed for bed or if he thinks he can go without. I make sure he goes before he goes to sleep. I'm cheer for him when he is dry for the night, and we both take apart his bed when he is wet. I'm matter of fact about it, don't make a big deal. Boys in my family have history of wetting the bed into their early teens. You don't find out these things until you are complaining of the frustration. No one ever wants to admit that they wet the bed after whatever age. I think if we take the pressure off, they won't be so stressed and it may work out better. One thing I did learn is that caffeine can add to the problem for kids as well as adults. Just remember, he won't go off to college wetting the bed. his bladder will eventually grow and catch up with the rest of him. :) good luck!

Hi J.,
I can understand your issue on this matter for my son adopted his son at 4 yrs old and that was one of the causes his mother gave him up.
Come to find out, his bladder is small for his age. We never got upset or shamed him for he already lived in fear of what was supposedly going to happen. The doctor suggested to cut out stimulants like carbonated drinks, chocolate or anything with red dye in it. Also, no drinks after 7p.m. then get him up at midnite. Beings my son is a teacher and gets up early, I would take it on myself for the night time duty. Also, we put a protective covering on his mattress. With lots of patience, understanding, and love, he gradually overcame the problem.
We were informed, also, some boys wet the bed up to 10 years old. To me, that don't seem to be your case.
It is a team effort to overcome the problem. I wish you all the luck in the world for I know it is totally embarassing for your son.

Hey J.!
I used to wet the bed until i was about 5, my mother would put a warm towel on my belly before i would go to bed for a few weeks of course dont let him sleep with it. Make sure he doesnt have anything to drink 2 ours before bed time or it could be he's cold at night. If none work maybe it could be something more serious, ask him if school is ok, if other children are teasing him, or if any one is getting too close to him if you know what i mean. When it comes to our children we need to open our eyes to "what if" better to be safe especially now that there are so many nasty people in the world. God Bless

My guy does the same thing and he is 7 in June. We have also tried the same things. For us I am pretty sure it is just a matter of development because I had the same problem. But with you it may be a medical issue and my son's doctor has said there are alarms you can use to help train them.

Hope this helps,
P.

I have a nephew who was having the same problem. He finally stopped wetting the bed at about 8 years old. The doctor told my sister that he had a "relaxed" bladder and that he would grow out of it. Some tips he gave were definitely no liquids after 6:00 p.m. Also cut out any type of caffeine in his diet; whether it's in the drinks or any type of chocolate item. You would be amazed at what food and drink items contain caffeine. It was frustrating for my nephew and my sister but it was love and patience that worked them through it.

Good luck.

My son still occasionally has issues and he is now 13. He took medication nightly for a couple of years that really helped. You should consult your doctor - there may be something that they can do to help. Every child is different, but this is a very common problem. Make sure your child knows that.

Good luck.

Hi J.,

I don't think it's a medical issue. I know several people that have had success with an alarm designed to wake the child up when it senses wetness. Look on the internet for web sites that sell them.

T.

All you can do is try not to let them drink too much before bedtime, no sweets several hours before bedtime and I used to get up during the night and help my daughter to the toilet. there is nothing wrong medically it is just that some kids take longer than others to get control. My daughter was 7 when she stopped wetting the bed. they just need lots of love and understanding. Time will take care of it, no worries.

I also have a bedwetter who is 7. My advice is to relax and take the time to support your son through it. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Many kids, particularly boys, are late at being dry at night. The usual problem is they still sleep too soundly during the night or their bladder just isn't big enough yet to make it through the night. If he feels bad about himself, it can make matters worse. There are cute boxers now for when they stay with friends, if that's an issue. Our situation is worse than yours, because we have a girl who is also 7 and has been dry at night for a long time. We just tell our son, his time will come -- everyone's does when they dry through the night.

Hope that helps.

S.

My third child, a daughter, wet the bed until age 10. We moved and had well water,not city water,without the clorine in it. She never wet the bed again. We feel that it was some kind of an allegry to the clorine in the water. Hope it will work for you to elimate the clorine in your drinking water ,as well as the bath water. Water that sits overnight allows the clorine to escape.And don't use clorine bleach in your laundry. Also remember swimming pools have a lot of clorine in them. Hope it works for you,as it did for us.
mother of 4( all grown up now)
Carol L.

My son only wet the bed at 5 but I tried to remain positive and his legs were getting too big for the pull ups so I had to do something. (mom is 5-11 and dad 6-5)
Anyway, I think he was really afraid of the dark and afraid to wake me up as well. I bought him one of those lights that you stick on the wall in a closet or something. It is in a dome shape and it takes batteries and you can push it on. I put it right next to his pillow and when he wakes up he can push it on and take it with him to the bathroom and put it on the sink while he uses the potty and then bring it back with him. This made it a little less scary for him. Also I told him that we could pick out some really fun pajama's or boxers. We chose Sponge Bob boxers and a few other pairs and he loved those. I would go with him to the potty every night for about two weeks and then eventually he started going by him self. I hope this helps. What I have learned is to approach any issue positively whether it be rewards with things to decorate his room with to help him enjoy sleeping in a clean bed etc. not toys! As far as a medical condition, I don't know anything about that but I would also check on that if it continues.

You seem to be doing all things right. Is there some stress he is having?: This could cause it. Since you are doing it all, I think a doctor would be the right choice. Both of my boys had this problem, and so did my sister (long ago). Good luck to you.

My son wet the bed until he was 9. Sometimes there is a medical issue that may take surgery to correct. Check with your pediatrician. My son simply grew out of it. He was a heavy sleeper, and the sensation to urinate was not strong enough to wake him up.

Remember that he isn't just being stubborn, and this isn't a decision he is making - his body is in control. Shaming him or yelling at him or punishing him probably won't get you anywhere and it only makes him feel bad. Continue what you're doing, they are all the right things. Get a plastic cover for his matress, extra pajamas & underwear, and let him go without diapers. He'll still wet the bed, but he'll do it in "big boy" attire and feel better about himself. Keep encouraging him to try to be aware of when he has to urinate, and try the "kegle" exercises - urinate a little, try to stop it, urinate some more, try to stop it, and so on. This will strengthen the muscles so he has more control.

He should grow out of this in a few years. Be patient and kind with yourself and him. Good Luck!

One thing is, don't use disposable diapers. They are so absorbent, and they wick moisture away from the skin, so they don't let kids feel the sensation of wetness. Get some thick cotton training pants and plastic pants to go over them. That way your son will really feel the wetness, but it won't make such a big mess in the bed. It helped with my son, it might help yours.

Also, if you haven't talked with his doctor about this, do so. Sometimes there are physical reasons for bed wetting in older kids.

Good luck.
K. K.

J.,

The worst thing you can do is make him feel like something is wrong with him. Definitely have him checked out to be sure there is not a complication...and ask the family for a history. In most cases this is NOT a medical or size of bladder issue!! I wet the bed till I was 13, my dad till he was 16 and my uncle till he was 15. Most times it is a hereditary problem and is because the child can not wake themselves in the middle fo the night.

As children grow their brains develop an automatic response system that wakes them in the night telling them they have to use the potty. In some kids this takes longer to develop. Here is an excellent explanation on bed-wetting and using the alarm system http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/pa/pa_alarms_hhg.htm . My mom used it with me 25 years ago <grin>.

Another great informative site; http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/children/par...

And the alarm system; http://www.bedwettingstore.com/index.htm?gclid=CJ2K7r6a8p...
http://bedwettingstore.com/Bedwetting_Alarms/malem_ultima...
http://www.wet-stop.com/

Good luck! The best thing you can do for your son right now is to help him be and feel normal. It’s not his fault.

Good luck!

It may be a medical issue, or possibly even an emotional issue that is manifesting itself at nighttime. I'd recommend taking him to see a doctor as well as a child psychologist, who can possibly dig a little deeper to find out the root cause of this. Be sure, though, to make sure you don't shame him or make him feel like he's going to the doctor because there's something "wrong" with him. Treat it more like a fact-finding mission, and that they're there to help him figure it out. Best of luck!

My son did that until he was almost 10, he was a deep sleeper. The doctor didn't seem concerned about it. I was told that it was very common in boys. My son didn't mind the pull ups until he wasn't wetting the bed (only once in a while). I would ask your doctor to confirm. I used a plastic mattress pad so that it was only the sheet that needed to be changed. You can wipe the mattress pad with cleaner of your choice, let dry and remake the bed.

My middle son, was a bedwetter until he was 9. I used to get so frustrated! This was over 20 years ago. Diapers didn't work for him as I only had cloth diapers to use and rubber pants didn't come big enough for him! I asked his doctor about it and he said that his bladder was not developed enough to hold it all night. We started setting an alarm clock and getting up with him every couple of hours to go potty. Finally after about 6 months, he was able to get himself up, most of the time to go during the night. Finally he was able to hold it all night, but as I said above, he was 9 when he was able to sleep all night and not wake up wet, if he didn't get himself up to go a couple of times during the night! There might be something that the doctors can give him to speed that process up, but remember, do not scold him or punish him, when he does wet! It makes life miserable for everyone and doesn't accomplish a thing. When he was invited to a sleepover, then I suggested he bring a sleeping bag and sleep on the floor. We would put some clean underware and Pj bottoms in his pillow case, so in the morning he would just slip the wet ones down to the bottom of the bag and put on the dry ones, and then get up. The mom would just roll the bag up, for me and I would just launder it at home. His friends didn't notice that he had changed and he could still be with his friends! Just try to let him do the normal stuff and don't make a big deal about the bedwetting! It will stop when he is ready! Good luck!

Hi J.;
my son was also a bedwetter, I know it's stressful for them of course. A good activity to strengthen the muscles associated with urination is called crazy straw form a therapy known as HANDLE. It's very simple: Just buy a straw with loops and have your son either focus on the second loop while drinking through the crazy straw or have him close his eyes all together while drinking. I also do this activity as it strengthens the pelvic floor muscles as well as the eyes. and the afore mentioned. Best of luck to you!
Shauna R

Actually it is possible it is a medical condition. Called Enuresis and there are some medications that may help and you should discuss with your pediatrician what other solutions there are. I did a quick web search and there is lots of information out there. Good luck!

I'm a certified Bowen therapist. In Bowen there is a protocol for bedwetting. Usually, unless there is an underlying emotional issue, the problem resolves within 3-4 sessions. You can go to their website at www.bowtech.com to fine a practitioner in your area.

Other alternative therapies like homeopathy and accupucture are also very successful.

Good Luck

My son wet the bed - the last time was about 8 months ago. He is nine now. He sleeps hard at night because he plays HARD during the day. We ALWAYS make him pee before bed. His bed is mad up of two sets of sheets with waterproof pads. So in the middle of the night, I yank off one and it is already made with the other. I grab a blanket out of the closet and he is set. That way the frustration is kept to a minimum when dealing with it in the middle of the night. We did not really discuss it in the morning - just to say bring your sheets down so we can wash them. He was already embarrassed enough and there was no other point to discuss. I am pretty sure he is out of the stage but I wouldn't be surprised if it happens again.

Good Luck.

Hi J.,
I know how frustrating this can be for the whole family, and especially for your son.
Our almost 8 year old son had the same issues, is a very sound sleeper and also loves to drink water later in the day. He is also quite the fan of chocolate milk and hot chocolate as well as citrus fruits. (More about that in a moment). We did have him checked out by the pediatrician and he recommended the Malem bed wetting alarm (I found it online at Bedwetting Store). The alarm arrived with really nice tuck-in waterproof pads and two story books about fictional characters with bedwetting problems. My son really wanted to be successful so he was very motivated to do everything "by the book". The alarm came with a booklet that explained all about bedwetting and things that parents need to know about it, like cutting back on water starting in the afternoon, double voiding right before bed (having your son pee when he's ready for bed, then have him pee again after reading a story or coloring a picture about 20 minutes later)and avoiding foods that stimulate urine production like citrus and chocolate!!
My son wore the alarm for a total of 6 weeks and then he was dry every night. He has been dry at night for 3 months now. I will be honest and tell you that the process wasn't easy but it was SO worth it. I highly recommend a pediatrician visit and then if everything is medically OK, go get an alarm. You'll wonder why you waited so long! GOOD LUCK TO YOU AND YOUR SON!

Dear J.,
I think you should have your son checked for any medical reasons that could be causing this. However, if he can control his bladder during the day, chances are, it won't be medical. He may be a very deep sleeper and get so relaxed that he just pees through his body signals. It might sound mean, but I would stop the diapers all together. He may hate them, but he also knows that if he pees in the night, he has that safety net. He can pee if he has to.....he's got a diaper. He won't like being wet, especially if he has to help wash his jammies and sheets. I don't mean that as a punishment. That's the last thing you want, but if he pees his bed, he is old enough to help clean it up. My son has a friend who was wearing pull-ups every night until he was 10, but ironically, when he came to spend the night at my house, (which is quite often) he never once used the pull-up his mother "secretly" sent for him and he never peed. I would have been okay with it if he did, but......these "accidents" I was supposed to be prepared for on the down-low never happened. So, he was able to control himself. I remember, vividly, wetting the bed a few times at about that age, but I knew I had to pee and dreamed I got up and went into the bathroom. Once I felt I was wet, I realized I needed to get up and actually go. It just takes a while for your brain to connect with the rest of you during sleep time. And believe me.....helping to wash his sheets and re-make his bed will help him to be conscious of it more.
I'm sure he is a darling boy and you will get through this.
Take care.

I had the same problem when I was little. It was very embarassing because I couldn't stay the night at friends houses. I recently saw a commerical about a clinical problem, I don't think it could hurt to speak with a pediatrican about this. Good luck.

It wouldn't hurt to call the pediatrician to make sure it isn't a medical issue. However, we see a behavioral therapist with our son and he says it's quite common for kids not to master nighttime potty training until well into their elementary school years. Some kids are just very sound sleepers. That's the case with our son.

There are products on the market that can help, such as monitors that wake the child when the bed starts to get wet. Just do a simple Google search and you'll find a ton of related products that might help.

Best of luck!