dealing with constant wet sheets can be incredibly frustrating – I find just keeping up with the standard daily load is difficult enough let alone adding multiple sets of sheets and doonas to the equation! My first advice to parents who are struggling with the washing is to recommend the use of absorbent pants like DryNites – it is quite common for children to experience leakage when wearing other types of absorbent pants like Pull-Ups as these are designed for daytime use only and hold less urine. Make sure he is wearing the correct size as ill-fitting pants are prone to leakage. If you have not already seen a doctor it is time to schedule an appointment – firstly, to rule out any underlying medical cause and secondly, to discuss treatment options. If your doctor does not know a lot about bedwetting ask to be referred to someone who does as your son’s chances of becoming dry are dramatically increased if his treatment is supported by an experienced practitioner. In the meantime you can encourage him to drink more throughout the day (tapering off in the evening) – this will help condition his bladder to hold larger quantities of urine. It’s also important to monitor what he drinks – caffeinated and sugary drinks only stimulate the kidneys to produce larger quantities of urine. Make sure he fully empties his bladder each time he goes to the toilet, especially before bedtime. And if you continue to wake him – make sure you vary the times so that his bladder does not become conditioned to emptying at the same time every night.

Ask Dr Cathrine a question