Archive for the ‘Readiness’ Category

Alarm Use During School Year

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

My 9 year old really wants to conquer bedwetting this year.  My pediatrician mentioned that bedwetting alarms are the most effective way to end bedwetting.  My concern is that my son will be too tired if we start using an alarm during the school year.  He has just started back to school and I want him to get a good night’s sleep.  He wears pull-ups now and sleeps soundly all night.  What do you think?

Many families have similar concerns.  After adjusting to the new school schedule for six weeks or so, this should be a fine time to begin using an alarm.  Having a regular nighttime routine, as most families do during the school year, is good when beginning alarm use.  You could start the alarm on a Friday night or over a long weekend so you can see what his initial response will be.  Even though his sleep will be interrupted by the alarm when the wetting occurs, most children go back to sleep immediately after getting up to go to the bathroom.  Many have little memory of this in the morning.  Using the waterproof mattress overlays (that come in the Starter Kit or can be purchased separately) on top of his sheet make middle of the night clean-up very easy and quick.  Because the alarm goes off only when his bladder needs to empty, it’s actually less tiring than setting an alarm clock or parents walking their child to the bathroom.

The parents are the ones who may feel a little sleep deprived during this initial phase.  Because your son may need your assistance, you should respond when the alarm sounds.  Insuring that he responds correctly by getting out of bed after turning off the alarm helps him to make faster progress.  Once he can do this independently, you no longer have to respond.  Some parents find that it can be difficult to go back to sleep.  Knowing that the worst will be over in two or three weeks is helpful.  Some parents take turns getting up to the alarm or alternate nights.

Getting to bed on time and being well rested is as important for doing well in school as it is for learning to become dry in the nighttime.  Remind him to double void, about 20-30 minutes apart, before bed and help him to get homework done early so he can have a regular bedtime.  He can be successful in school as well as in conquering bedwetting.

Enuresis Causes

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

EM writes, What exactly causes enuresis?

Enuresis is the medical term for bedwetting and is defined as the involuntary passage of urine in the night by children older than 5 or 6 who should have developed nighttime dryness. About 90% of children have always had bedwetting, also know as primary enuresis. The other 10% have had at least 6 months of dryness, then resume wetting, which is known as secondary enuresis. We know that bedwetting is inherited and that the chance of a child bedwetting is 44% if one parent had bedwetting, up to 77% if both parents had bedwetting.

There is no single, simple cause for enuresis. Some factors that play a role in bedwetting are:
-Decreased arousal from sleep in response to a full bladder
-Small bladder capacity
-High nighttime urine production
-Constipation
-Other factors, such as evening fluid loading, medications, attention problems, urinary problems, sleep apnea

Since there no single cause, looking at multiple factors is important. Bedwetting alarms address the decreased arousal from sleep by helping your child to develop the ability to wake to a full bladder. Small bladder capacity may change as your child grows older but bladder “stretching” exercises do not seem to speed up this process. High nighttime urine production may be adjusted by drinking earlier in the day. The other factors listed above can be looked at by your health care provider if you have concerns for your child.

The biggest thing to remember is that your child is not wetting on purpose and primary enuresis is seldom due to emotional or psychological issues. Being supportive and offering a solution such as a bedwetting alarm when your child is ready is a good way for parents to help their child stop bedwetting.

Bed Wetting Mat

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

My daughter is 4. She has been dry in the daytime for over a year but she isn’t completely dry at night yet. She wears pullups but the majority of the time, they are dry in the morning. I am reluctant to stop the pullups until she is dry every night because I don’t want to have to change sheets several times a week. But I think the pullups might be a crutch for her. What about a bed wetting mat?

It sounds like your daughter is making great progress toward achieving dryness in the nighttime. Often getting to nighttime dryness is a process that may take a year or two after daytime dryness is achieved. Since your daughter is having many dry pullups, this is a good time to take the next step of having her wear underwear to bed. I recommend using a waterproof, washable pad (overlay) on top of the sheet. These are soft and comfortable and can be ordered in a pretty print. If she does have an accident, it’s easy to remove this type of bedwetting mat and replace it with a clean one. In the morning, you’ll just have a small pad to wash.

When some people ask about a bed wetting mat, they are inquiring about a moisture sensing alarm mat that their child sleeps on. This type of bedwetting mat is plastic or vinyl with a moisture sensor that sounds an alarm when it gets wet. Your daughter probably doesn’t need this type of mat alarm yet. If she is still wetting in a year, using a moisture sensing alarm is a good way to help her achieve complete dryness.

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