Hi Lisa, while there has certainly been some debate about the use of absorbent pants in the management of children’s bedwetting there is no research evidence to suggest that their use either prolongs bedwetting or helps children achieve nighttime continence. The rationale behind their use is to help children and families manage a reasonably stressful situation and to try and limit the negative impact bedwetting can have on children’s lives. One of the most reliable indicators that your son is moving toward achieving permanent continence is an increase in the number of consecutive nights he wakes-up dry, until that occurs it is perfectly fine for you to continue using DryNites. Generally we recommend against lifting children, it does not help train the bladder nor does it teach children to learn to wake on their own. Your son either needs to learn to wake-up in response to a full-bladder or develop the bladder capacity to store urine until morning. Taking him to the toilet while he is still asleep means your son won’t get used to these signals and his bladder won’t have the opportunity to stretch and develop. It is completely understandable that your son is starting to feel anxious about attending school camp next year. If you have not already done so I would recommend that you speak with either your doctor or a continence advisor about the different treatment options available. If for any reason he is unable to achieve permanent dryness through these methods please do not hesitate to contact me again so we can discuss strategies he can use to ensure his school camp is an enjoyable and stress-free experience.

Regards,
Dr Cathrine

Ask Dr Cathrine a question