Bed-wetting, known medically as nocturnal enuresis, is a normal developmental stage many children go through, states the Mayo Clinic. In some cases, bed-wetting may continue past the age of 7. If your child still wets the bed regularly after age 7 and feel like you have tried everything, consult your doctor. Otherwise, bed-wetting is usually a problem that can be solved at home if the child and the parent work together.
Step 1
Prevent your child from drinking liquids before bed, particularly drinks containing caffeine. Although any liquid can cause your child to have an urge to urinate in the middle of the night, caffeinated drinks can increase the need to urinate even more, states the Mayo Clinic.
Step 2
Instruct your child to use the bathroom right before bed. Once your child gets into this routine, he will be able to use the bathroom before bed without your prompting, reducing the chance of bed-wetting incidents during the night.
Step 3
Use a bed-wetting alarm. Bed-wetting alarms are available for sale at drugstores and online. They include a moisture sensor and an alarm that goes off when the child begins to wet the bed. In most cases, the sensor is so sensitive that the alarm will wake the child up before she has wet the bed completely. The child can then get up to use the bathroom, reset the alarm and go to sleep.
Step 4
Remind your child throughout the night to use the bathroom, suggests the Mayo Clinic. If you instruct your child to use the bathroom every few hours, your child may eventually learn to recognize when she needs to use the restroom, particularly at night.
Step 5
Consult a doctor, who can prescribe prescription medication for your child's bed-wetting problems. A doctor can prescribe a medication such as hyoscyamine, which can increase bladder capacity, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Tips and Warnings
- If your child is old enough, show her how to change her own sheets in the middle of the night to avoid waking up the whole family.
- Do not berate or scold your child for wetting the bed.
Things You'll Need
- Bed-wetting alarm
- Prescription medication
