Ask Dr Cathrine
Dr Cathrine Neilsen-Hewett is an experienced Child Development expert. As a mother of three young children, understanding children’s development and promoting positive approaches to parenting has become both a passion and a full-time career. You have the opportunity to ask your questions now.
These questions might be similar to 'I have a just 5 year old boy and nearly 4 year old girl who have wet the bed every night since birth. Never a dry night, and they frequently over fill their nappies, and now drynites. When would be the right time to seek medical attention with my childr'
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My 4 year old son doesn't wet when wearing DryNites, only when wearing undies. How do I train him?
The reduction in the number of times children wet the bed is a very good indication that they are well on their way to achieving nighttime continen...
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7 year old boy wets the bed every night
Children wet the bed for a number of reasons, some do so because they produce double the amount of urine overnight, others do so as they are unable...
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Help, five year old likes to wet his bed because its warm!
It is completely normal for parents to feel tense or frustrated and at a loss when it comes to dealing with bedwetting – you are not alone! It help...
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5 year old still wets bed, even having peed before bed
there are lots of other mothers out there asking the very same question. Many of us feel that once our child has achieved daytime control nighttime...
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Both my children are bedwetters. Is it because my life is based around sports and late night trainings and my kids are with me at all times. Could that be the problem.?
It is not unusual for bedwetting to run in families with studies showing an underlying genetic link. There is still a great deal of debate surround...
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5 year old daughter is on and off with wet and dry nights
It is not unusual for your daughter to be wetting the bed at age 5 with about 15% of children still doing so by the time they start school. Typical...
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My 2yo daughter is toilet trained during the day. At what age or what signs should I look out for to start training through the night?
While children can be taught to control their bladder during the day, nighttime continence is a completely different story. The first and most impo...
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My daughter has just turned 10. We have not yet tried the bed alarm, do you think this is something we should do?
it is not unusual for children to experience periods of dry nights then a return to wetting as they travel the road toward nighttime continence. Th...
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My daughter is 10 and is still wetting the bed almost every night. Should we be taking her to the doctor?
Unfortunately when it comes to bedwetting many parents and children suffer in silence, too embarrassed to discuss their situation with anyone while...
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My 12 yr old daughter has just started wetting the bed again. Wondering if it could be related to puberty?
this must be very distressing for both you and your daughter. It is not unusual for a child who has experienced some difficulty achieving nighttime...
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I have an 8yr old daughter who has been bed wetting 3 to 4 times a week. It's getting rather stressful as she doesn't want to stay over at friends because of this. We use drynites.
it is perfectly normal for parents to feel worried as well as a little frustrated when their child continues to wet the bed at night. Urinary tract...
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My daughter is 15 and still wets the bed is something wrong she's been on all the tablets and nothing worked. What should I do?
when bedwetting continues over many years it becomes increasingly frustrating for both the parents and the child. It must feel at times that this w...
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My daughter was toilet trained when she was 3 but started bed wetting again at 4. She is now 10 and still wets every night. Is this normal after being dry for so long?
Sometimes children begin to wet the bed again after experiencing a period of dryness – these children are experiencing what we refer to as secondar...
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My daughter aged 11 years has been having nocturnal enuresis.
Firstly, please accept my apologies for the delay in getting back to you I have had a large volume of questions to answer over the past two weeks. ...
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My daughter is 9 and she has been wetting the bed since she was 2. She has low self esteem and is depressed. I don't know how to help her
Firstly, please accept my apologies for the delay in getting back to you I have had a large volume of questions to answer over the past two weeks. ...
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My daughter is 8 yrs old , its embarrassing for her, so she doesn't get to sleep at her friends place.
unfortunately not all children outgrow bedwetting – with some requiring more than just the basic measures we can implement at home. If you are conc...
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Have been told I can get tablets for my daughter, Why hasn't my doctor prescribed them for my daughter?
Children wet the bed for a number of reasons, some do so because they produce double the amount of urine overnight, others do so as they are unable...
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I have a 7 1/2 year old daughter who suffers really bad bed wetting every night. I watch her when she is asleep, she does not stir or wake up.
This is fairly typical – the majority of children who wet the bed at night are unaware it is happening and will continue sleeping even when wet. On...
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My daughter is 10yrs, sometimes she is already wet after only being in bed 1 hour.
When bedwetting goes on for a number of years it is perfectly normal for parents to feel helpless and overwhelmed. Children typically wet the bed a...
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I have a 14 year old daughter who still wets the bed. The problem is now she has gotten her period.
Bedwetting has been found to run in families so it is not unusual to find a number of siblings in the same household wetting the bed. I’m sure if y...
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My 11 year old daughter has just started having a few dry nights in a row. Should I encourage her not to use dry nights to keep her going or do I still use them until she is completely dry?
One of the signs that your daughter is moving toward achieving nighttime continence is a reduction in the number of nights she wakes up wet. The fa...
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My 9 year old girl has recently started wetting the bed. I talked to her about DryNites and she hated that idea.
Your daughter is experiencing what we commonly refer to as secondary nocturnal enuresis (SNE) – this occurs when a child has maintained nighttime c...
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I am almost 16 and I still wet the bed. I do everything I can think of to help stop, but nothing seems to work. Any tips?
Even though your bedwetting occurs relatively infrequently it still must be very frustrating and inconvenient. The first thing to think about is wh...
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My child is 14 and doesn't wet the bed but wets in her underwear frequently. What should I do?
Urinary incontinence during the day is called diurnal enuresis and is much more common in girls like your daughter. There are a number of causes of...
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My son was toilet trained but since the birth of my daughter he has started to wet his pants and his bed. His urine smells really bad. Is he lazy or doing it for attention? Or maybe it is something to do with his health?
When a child starts to wet the bed again or experiences daytime incontinence after being dry for months we usually look for either a medical or emo...
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Son refusing to wear pull ups after arrival of baby sister
The arrival of a new baby into the house can be quite a stressful experience for young children. Some children feel that they are somehow being rep...
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Still concerned about my son, he has a very weak bladder
I generally recommend that if children experience frequent accidents during the day after age 5 or they start wetting the bed again after a period ...
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Hi my daughtter has been toilet trained for over a year. when playing outside she will tell me she needs to go and i tell her just to go if she needs to but instead of going to the toilet she will piss herself on her bed. At school she will just stand the
Hi Daphne – it is not unusual for children to experience some regression in their toileting skills at times of stress and certainly the pending bi...
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Hi my son is only 2 and sleeps from 7pm to 6 am and overfills his nappy every night. he hates being woken up to be changed, but cries when his sheets get wet. we dont like to limit his fluid intake as we live in the tropics, and his last drink is at 6pm.
Hi Kate, firstly, my apologies for the delay in responding to your question. The first thing to check is that his nappy is fitting correctly as imp...
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my toddler soaks through the nappy at night onto his clothes
Hi Melanie, firstly, my apologies for the delay in responding to your question. The first thing to check is that his nappy is fitting correctly as ...
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Hi there, help! are daughter (21mths)has just started probably three weeks ago to wet the bed everynight through her nappies and it is even at the stage now when we go out she is going through her nappy too! last night out at dinner we went through three
Hi C.M. - The first thing you need to do is check that her nappy is fitting correctly as improper fit can contribute to leakage. From personal ex...
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Any suggestions to convince teenage boys to use Drynites?
Due to the strong family history it is not unusual for a number of siblings to experience bedwetting. Current statistics suggest about 8 in 10 chil...
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Question from a first time mum- what do I do to stop my daughter from going at night?
There is so much to get your head around as a first time mum! Firstly, let me reassure you that it is perfectly normal for your daughter to still b...
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Are DryNites more absorbent than regular nappies?
DryNites and Huggies nappies have not been compared on levels of absorbency as they are designed for and marketed to different age groups. Huggies ...
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4yo daughter - should I put her in nappies or drynites for bed time?
It is quite common for children to experience the occasional accident during the day for a couple of years after being toilet trained. Young childr...
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My son is 5 years old and still wets the bed.
Hi Aly – nighttime wetting is considered to be completely normal until the age of 7 years – particularly when it comes to boys. Most parents and c...
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My son is 16mths he is 16 kgs and tall,we use Huggies at night but he continues to wet through?What else could we use?
Hi Sonya – the first thing to check is that they are fitting correctly as improper fit can contribute to leakage. From personal experience I found...
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every time my son goes to put on a drynite he gets an erection, how can he stop this ??
Dear Parent, Unfortunately this is really beyond my area of expertise. If this behaviour continues, I would strongly recommend that you speak with...
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how can i stop my three year old from wetting the bed
Hi Naomi, nappies with tabs can certainly be more easily removed by children than absorbent pants. You could try him in DryNItes at night. If you...
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My son wears DryNites every night. He never wakes up dry. What should I be doing to help him?
When it comes to coping with your child’s bedwetting it often helps to know how normal it actually is. Approximately 17% of 5-year-old children con...
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I have a 15 year old daughter who has an 'over-active sensitive bladder'. Have tried everything, including operations. She wets the bed on average 3-4 times a night. Would you have any other ideas?
This must be very distressing for your daughter and your family. As I am not a surgeon I am unable to comment on the efficacy of surgical intervent...
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7 year old boy still wetting bed. Is it time for a continence specialist?
while it may not be medically necessary to treat bedwetting after the age of 6 years – some children due to social and emotional reasons benefit fr...
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I am sixteen and have type 1 diabetes. I know it shouldn't be causing the bedwetting but I'm frustrated.
This must be really frustrating for you. If your diabetes is being effectively managed it should not be the cause of your bedwetting. There are a n...
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My son age 12 is wetting since birth, please advice how to control as he will be going to high school next year.
as frustrating as this may be let me reassure you that you are not alone – it’s highly likely that there’s at least one other mother of a child in ...
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Two children, boy 10 and girl 8, are both bedwetters. Incentives seem to work for my daughter but not my son.
bedwetting is always a challenge for parents and when this involves more than one child in the family it becomes even more difficult to manage. The...
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My 11 year old son used minirin in the past, but no effect now. Could his severe anxiety be overriding the effects?
We would still consider your son to be experiencing primary enuresis, even though he did experience a short period of dryness. While there are alwa...
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My boy will turn 10 on Dec 08, I tried medication and also tried to train his bladder but it wasn't working with him. Should i think to use Alternative therapies?
Medications are typically used for short-term needs like sleepovers and school camps and don’t continue to be effective once you stop taking the me...
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My son is 8 and his bedwetting is getting worse. Is there any medical intervention?
a delay in achieving nighttime continence is typically due to a delay in maturation of your child’s nervous system. There are two main reasons he c...
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13 year old wets the bed every night. We have been to the doctor, tried medication and diets as well as bladder training. How can this stop?
A popular method for treating bedwetting is the use of a conditioning alarm – this currently has the best success rate with approximately 75% of ch...
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2yo girl was diagnosed as having low serotonin and is on a serotonin uptake inhibitor. She wets the bed even if she has a short daytime nap. Is this related to the serotonin issue?
There are a number of factors that contribute toward children’s bedwetting. Some children who wet the bed release less vasopressin at night – a hor...
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6yo girl dry until 4, and then wet the bed every night since. Is this something we should be seeking medical treatment for?
this type of bedwetting is called secondary enuresis (SE) – this occurs when children have developed control over their bladder during the night fo...
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Our son has recently started wetting the bed again after about a year and a half of dry nights. He has just turned six.
In order for your son to be able to wake-up dry his bladder needs to be able to hold the amount of urine he produces overnight or he needs to be ab...
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can you buy dry nites pj pants in New Liskeard yet
Hi Shaelynn - DryNites are marketed as GoodNites in Canada but they work in the same way. In Australia you can purchase DryNites in supermarkets an...
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Its really weird? Please help me. Please
Hi Elise, it is certainly fine for you to wear DryNites both during the day and night. If you do wear them to school you should make sure you chan...
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Is it ok to put my son in girls Drynites?
Ideally, it is best if children wear DryNites designed for their own gender. The built-in absorbency differs for boys and girls, with greater abso...
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Good Afternoon, My 7 yr old son has been day wetting up to 5 time a day since february when he was struggled by other student in the school toilets. I went to our Gp this morning who prescribed Endep 10 for him. Is there anything else we can o to hel
Hi Katrina – DryNites are certainly fine to be worn both day and night and would be a great way to help your son manage his daytime incontinence. ...
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Drynites better than pull ups at night
Hi Lisa – the time between achieving daytime control and nighttime continence can vary from child to child. While some children will become dry at...
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Hi im 15 years old and wet the bed only two or three times per week.Is it a good idea hygenically to wear the same pant for two or three nights in a row?
Hi Matthew, we generally recommend that you treat DryNites as you would your normal underwear – refreshing them each evening, regardless of whether...
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Oh No! It happened to me
Hi Elise, depending on your size and weight, I would recommend you wear DryNites rather than nappies; these are much more suitable for older childr...
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Why are Huggies Drynites not offered in the United States for purchase or even the free sample?
In the USA you can purchase something very similar under the brand name “GoodNites” – for further information visit www.goodnites.com Regards, ...
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How long does the free sample take to deliver?
Hi Jake – it may take up to 2 weeks for you to receive your free sample (possibly longer given the postal strike). Regards, Dr Cathrine
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Day and night wetting ! What protection do I use????
Hi John - unfortunately the 8-15 years (27-57kg+) is the largest size that DryNites come in so you would need to look into purchasing a product des...
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Day and night wetting ! What protection do I use????
Hi John - unfortunately the 8-15 years (27-57kg+) is the largest size that DryNites come in so you would need to look into purchasing a product des...
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y do the drynites pyjama pants look like diapers ? and is it better to use adult diapers
Unfortunately this is beyond my area of expertise. I would recommend you speak with your GP if this continues to be a problem. Regards, Dr Cat...
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delivery drynites for my daughter in Kuwait
Hi Chaza - would you mind providing additional information, are you inquiring about the availability of DryNites in Kuwait? Thank you for your i...
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Are drinites avabilable in Europe? We are going on a five week trip.. and cant do without them! :o)
Hi Donna, DryNites are available for purchase in the United Kingdom, but I would recommend taking at least one or two packets with you just to cove...
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My daughter is 5 1/2 and has never really toilet trained. It feels like we've tried everything and are still having trouble. I am very frustrated.
Hi Lauren, firstly, apologies for the delay in responding to you. This is an incredibly frustrating situation for you all, and calls for LOTS of p...
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Is it ok to want to wear a drynite even if you dont wet your pants that often.
Some children prefer to wear DryNites everynight even when they experience irregular wetting just so that they can go to sleep at night without the...
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Hi, I've heard that there are some concerns about future fertility from wearing nappies and pants such as drynites for too long as testes are kept too warm for too long. Do you know of any research around this issue?
Hi Suzanne, unfortunately I am not familiar with this research, but if you have any concerns regarding the use of DryNites I would certainly recomm...
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I have a six and a half year old girl who has never had a dry night which I am not concerned about at this stage as she also wets during the day. We have been on Ditrapan and Tofrinal over the last 2 years which helped a little but gave her terrible tant
This is certainly a challenging situation. With respect to treatment, it is best that you follow the guidelines and recommendation of your Pediatr...
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I am 14 years old boy and still wet the bed. I am using Drynites. However I will have school trip (sleepover). Should I bring Drynites to the trip? If so, di I have to talk to teacher?
Hi S. S. – It is perfectly normal to feel nervous about your school trip but there are certainly things we can do in order to help you go away on...
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hi my son is 14 and still wets the bed regularly. Recently i have found the local shops to be continuosly short on boys drynites. Theres allways girls drynites though, would it be ok for him to wear these? Once he hits16 should he continue using drynit
Boys DryNites are typically in higher demand due to the higher incidence of bedwetting among boys than girls. It might be helpful to share this in...
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hi my son is 14 and regularly wets the bed. Our local shops are always short on boys drynites but allways have girls drynites, would it be ok for my son to wear the girls version? Also if he still wets at 16 should he still use drynites? And if not wha
Boys DryNites are typically in higher demand due to the higher incidence of bedwetting among boys than girls. It might be helpful to share this in...
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Ask a question now...My son is 6 and has Down Syndrome and Leukaemia. Because of some of the drugs he is on, even with a pullup, his pj's and sheets are drenched most mornings. The steroids particularly make him extremely thirsty. Any suggestions on how I
Hi Bridget – it sounds like you have a lot to deal with at the moment. In terms of stopping the leakage, I would recommend that you try using DryN...
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MY son needs to wear nappies because of his disability, but i don't know whether drynites would work as he is incontinent in both. Do drynites hold both poo and urine?
DryNites function in much the same way as a nappy, and can hold both urine and faeces. Due to their high level of absorbency, parents of children ...
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My 5 year old son has been out of day time nappies since he was 2 1/2. He no longer wants to wear night time nappies or pull ups (as he is a "big boy" now). So we've tried no nappies at night, however he is still bed wetting, every night. What should I
Hi Julie – one of the best indicators that a child is moving toward achieving nighttime continence is a reduction in the number of times he wakes-u...