Bed Wetting Solutions for Indian Parents

You’ve spent months looking for a bed wetting solutions. Will your child grow out of it? Should you punish him? Do all kids have this problem? Today, I will try to help you answer these and other questions that you have, by sharing some of my knowledge on the subject, home tips and effective treatment options.

As a parenting blogger in India, I get many emails/private messages from Indian moms discussing parenting issues. A very dear follower of Fabulous Mom Life asked me about solutions to her child’s bed wetting problem. I am so glad she addressed it! The fact that you are looking for help is the first step in treating bedwetting in kids. When the solutions start showing their effect, the look on your child’s face will make you glad you did. Trust me, they are suffering much more from this problem than you are. Which is why punishing them is never a solution. They need all your support and love to conquer this!

What Causes Bed Wetting?

Simply put, bedwetting is a condition that causes a child’s bladder to overfill, and spill, while he or she is sleeping. It usually becomes a problem between the ages of five and ten. It’s more than twice as prevalent in boys as it is in girls.

Causes of bedwetting  vary according to the type and severity of the child’s condition, but the usual culprits cited by pediatricians are lack of sufficient hormone levels at night and some other physical factors.

Though bedwetting in kids tends to diminish on it’s own over a time, pediatrician’s believe that leaving chronic bedwetting untreated can harm your child’s self-esteem and negatively affects their social development.

Bedwetting Solutions

In most cases it’s completely within your power to take control, prevent bedwetting and protect your child’s self-esteem. As a first step, pediatricians typically suggest making some simple adjustments to your child’s nighttime routine, like:

1. Encouraging your child to urinate just before going to bed
2. Restricting fluids before bedtime
3. Awakening your child each night for a visit to the bathroom
4. Making sure the bathroom is close to where your child sleeps
5. Rewarding and encouraging your child after a dry night

Home Remedies: I have not yet found any of these bed wetting solutions to prove useful, but something might work for your child. There is no harm in giving these remedies a try.

While these measures can reduce bedwetting episodes in general, if they don’t show effective decrease in the number of wet nights, the threat to your child’s self-esteem remains.

In the short term, you might try getting your child to wear specially made absorbent underwear when he goes to bed. That will keep his bed dry but it’s not a long-term solution.

Really, the first serious step to take in solving your child’s bedwetting problem is to have him seen by a doctor.

When to See a Doctor

Usually, kids stop bed wetting on their own by the age of 5 years. But if they continue to wet the bed after 7 years of age, you need to see a doctor. However, before jumping off to see a doctor, you can try another tip – a bed wetting alarm.

Bed Wetting Alarms in India

When adjustments to the child’s routine aren’t enough, one of the most common bed wetting solutions prescribed by doctors is an alarm that reacts to moisture. Worn on the child’s tummy, a sensor device triggers the alarm at the first sign of dampness. Slowly and steadily, it conditions your child’s brain to wake up when his bladder fills. We have some bed wetting alarms available in India now:

See more bed wetting alarm systems available online.

Other Bed Wetting Solutions

Although alarms have been shown to be safe, some parents (and kids) are naturally apprehensive about having wires or electronic devices close to the body – especially near an area where moisture may reside. In this case, your doctor or pediatrician will help you by prescribing appropriate medicines. They might also direct you to a urine specialist who can help identify the causes and treat your child better. There are known medicines that help cure bed wetting. Fortis recommends that you carry a list of personal information and symptoms before seeing a doctor. I am providing you with a checklist/form to fill up and carry with you when seeing a doctor.

Self Diagnosis Questionnaire to Take When Seeing a Doctor

I have prepared this aid to help speed up the process of assessing your child’s condition. Before visiting your doctor, take a few moments to print this page and answer the included questions. Take it with you to your child’s next appointment.

Bedwetting Diagnostic Questionnaire

1. Your Child’s Name
   ____________________Age
   __________Sex
   __________Weight
   __________Height
   __________
2. How long have you considered bedwetting a problem (answer in months)
   __________
3. Does your child have any of the following symptoms:
   Cloudy urine
   Frequent trips to the bathroom
   Burning feeling on urination
   Other
   ____________________
4. Have there been other bedwetters in the family? Check all that apply:
   Brothers/sisters
   Parents
   Uncles/Aunts
   Cousins
5. Has your child ever been diagnosed as having a urinary tract infection?
   Yes
   No
6. How many times a week does your child wet the bed?
   __________ times a week
7. How many hours does your child sleep before wetting the bed?
   2-3
   4-5
   6-7
   8-9
   Over 9
   Don’t Know
8. Does your child wet his or her clothes during the day?
   No
   Rarely
   Occasionally
   Often
   Daily
9. Do you do any of these things now to help treat the problem?
   Limit Fluids
   Wake child up
   Punish Failure
   Reward success
   Other (please specifiy)
   ____________________
10. Is your child ever teased, bullied or humiliated for being a bedwetter?
    Yes
    No
    Don’t Know
11. Has your family, or your child, had to miss any of these activities because of bedwetting?
    Sleeping out
    Sleep-over visits
    Family vacation trips
    Class trips
    Summer camp
12. From your child’s point of view, please check all the reasons he or she wants to overcome bedwetting. Please circle the most important.
    Build self-esteem
    Feel more confident
    Avoid humiliation
    Share family experiences
    Be equal with other children
    Go to camp or sleep overs
    Be able to share a bed with brothers/sisters
    Other
    ____________________
13. Has your child undergone any major change in his life?
    Reason of Major stress
    Recent Change in Lifestyle
    Moving to a New Home
    Loss of a Beloved
    Anything in School
    Other
    ____________________
14. Medications/Supplements your child is currently consuming.
    __________

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Having all these answers handy will help you with the scheduled visit to the doctor. Based on this information, the doctor will be able to diagnose the cause of bed wetting in your child accurately and prescribe the best meds.