Hi Kerry, many children prefer to wear DryNites as it gives them confidence they need in order to go to sleep at night and reduces the anxiety associated with waking-up in wet sheets. It is helpful to remember that DryNites are simply a form of management – they do not promote nor do they stop children wetting the bed. So if he wants to put on a fresh pair, that is perfectly fine. What we do need to think about however is what has caused your son to suddenly start wetting the bed after many years of dry nights. Secondary bedwetting has two main causes: physical/medical and psychological. Physical causes are rare but include such things as urinary tract infections, diabetes, epilepsy, and chronic constipation so it is essential that you have these ruled out. Psychological causes which are far more common typically result from stress in response to such things as peer relationship difficulties, bullying, exposure to marital conflict, problems with a teacher, or anxiety about school (i.e., an upcoming test). The fact that he does not wet on the weekends could suggest that it is something school-related. You can help your son to manage his stress by discussing with him what is bothering him. Once the period of stress or the stressful situation has been resolved, we often find that children’s bedwetting usually stops. In saying this, secondary bedwetting can also result from overtiredness; when children fall into a particularly deep sleep it makes it more difficult for them to wake in response to the signals sent from their bladder to their brain telling them they need to wake-up. If you think this may be a contributing factor you need to look closely at how much your son is doing during the week, reduce his commitments or shift his bedtime a little earlier so that he is not as tired when he goes to sleep.

Regards,
Dr Cathrine

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