My child wets the bed

Bedwetting: Tips and tricks

Identify the cause

Start by consulting a doctor to rule out any medical causes, such as a urinary tract infection. Physiological causes are the most common; in fact, in more than 80% of cases, the child has never been toilet trained and will simply become so later than others due to an immature bladder. This type of enuresis is often called primary because the child has not gone through the "toilet training" stage.

But the problem can also, though less frequently, be psychological, and the child may start wetting the bed again after a period of dryness : a poorly handled shock (moving house, parental separation, the arrival of a new sibling) can unconsciously lead your child to regress to their early childhood. This is known as secondary enuresis. Sometimes, this phenomenon results from toilet training that started too early (before the age of two), but the factors can be numerous, and the best solution is still to consult a professional.

First and foremost, don't make a big deal out of it!

In any case, making your child feel guilty or yelling at them isn't the solution. Neither is changing their bedding three times a night and losing sleep yourself.

• Start by lining her mattress with a plasticized mattress protector or offer her nighttime underwear adapted to her problem (diapers or pull-ups) and… don't make a big deal out of it!
• Talk to your child about this situation, explain that he is not responsible for it since it happens to him while he is asleep and, above all, that the problem is temporary and will definitely get better.
• Help him take control of his bedwetting: he is old enough to change his pajamas in the middle of the night and to put them in the laundry basket himself.
• You can suggest that he not drink in the evening, however it is pointless to wake him up when you go to bed in order to encourage him to urinate "one last time" before your night.
• If he wishes, reassure him by placing a potty near his bed.
• It's also possible to offer him specific nighttime underwear, adapted to his problem and completely discreet. This could be used, for example, when he goes to summer camp or sleeps over at a friend's house.
• You can also, if he's willing, suggest he try a bedwetting alarm (like Rodger or Dri Sleeper) which sounds an alarm at the first sign of wetness. Waking him up will give him time to go to the toilet.
• Remember to suggest that he drink regularly throughout the day and listen to his bladder. He needs to learn to go to the toilet whenever he needs to so that his bladder doesn't "take revenge" at night.
• Finally, if her bedwetting is due to a psychological disorder, remember that the best way to overcome it is through dialogue: talking, listening, reassuring... simply telling her that her mom loves her and will always love her.

If the problem persists, a therapist can help you overcome it, and in any case, trust in them is the key to the problem.