What to do when a child constantly wets the bed at nightthis is the common problem among parents of bed wetters. If you are one of them, you know how hard it is to deal with the situation, what with the smelly sheets and the embarrassment it will cause you and your child. Good thing, there are a number of techniques that you can use to solve the problems associated with bed wetting.
* Keep the bed dry. Parents must take extra efforts to keep their children and their bed dry, especially if they are not ready yet to help in cleaning up the mess. You can make your kid wear youth diapers. As for the beddings, cover them with a waterproof and absorbent pad.
* Restrict fluid intake. Be sure that your child does not drink too much liquid for at least one hour before going to bed. Also, food and drinks with caffeine such as chocolates, soda, and coffee are a no-no for your child because they trigger production of more urine in the body.
* Enforce a strict toilet and bedtime routine. Train your child to pee in the toilet before he go to bed and right before he doze off.
* Keep a pee calendar. Have your kid indicate on the calendar when he woke up at night to pee or when he had a dry night. And for every success, reward him with a sticker. When he collects 10 stickers, allow him an extra hour on the computer or at the playground. Although your child cannot possibly control his urination during sleep, he can be kept motivated to stop wetting his bed. Positive reinforcement can do wonders for young bed wetters, according to experts.
* Encourage your child to exercise. This will help the bladder increase its capacity to hold more urine by strengthening and enlarging the muscles found in the bladder.
* Invest in a moisture alarm. This device is the best method to keep your child dry at night. It works by producing a buzzing sound when it senses wetness, rousing the child from sleep so that he can quickly go to the toilet to pee. Moisture alarms are an effective way to train the bladder to contain more urine at night and to ensure dry nights for your kid.
* Consider medication. This should be the last resort if behavioral conditioning at home fails. Among the latest treatments are anti-diuretic drugs that come in tablet or nasal spray form. These drugs control the kidneys production of urine at nighttime. The most commonly used drug for bed wetters is desmopressin that also lessens production of urine. This medication controls the symptoms until enuresis disappears with age.
Medications should be taken according to the prescription of your doctor.
Bed wetting is not that much of a problem as long as you know what to do. Just keep these techniques in mindthey may come in handy when your child starts to wet his bed at night.