There are a number of treatments for bedwetting. The best known ‘cure’ for bedwetting is time. However some parents, especially those of older children, look for alternative strategies and treatments to help their children to become dry at night. When you seek medical advice for treatment options, the information below can help you have a more informed discussion with your health professional about your child’s bedwetting and your options for treatment and/or management. Children with day wetting symptoms should medical seek advice as they may need a more thorough assessment.
See our information on likely questions you may be asked by your local doctor or continence advisor.Continence advisors are usually experienced, qualified nurses who have undertaken specialist training to help people with this type of problem.
Bladder Training
The doctor or continence advisor may commence strategies to defer urinating during the day to increase the functional bladder capacity. This training basically involves increasing your child’s intake of fluids during the day and teaching your child to ‘hold on’. This has the purpose of increasing their overnight bladder capacity. Bladder training should only be undertaken with the advice and support of a doctor or continence advisor as this may have adverse affects for some children.
Motivational Therapy
This refers to a reward system that tracks a child’s progress regarding factors that they can control, e.g. holding on, increasing fluids and disposing of their own DryNites each morning. It is very important to only use this method once your child has shown some signs of being able to control their bladder overnight. It can have a negative effect if used when your child is still unable to rouse themselves to go to the toilet. You should only undertake ‘training’ methods under the guidance of a doctor or continence advisor
Sleep Conditioning
The doctor or continence advisor may prescribe a night time enuresis alarm. This has a sensor that attaches to the inside of your child’s underwear or DryNites Pyjama Pants and a small alarm which attaches to the pyjamas. As the first drops of urine hit the sensor, the bedwetting alarm wakes the child so they can go to the bathroom and finish the wee.
You may also find other bedwetting alarms which have a mat that your child lies on. Your child may still experience the need to change their pyjamas and bedding in the middle of the night as the alarm only wakes your child once they have started to release their bladder and the moisture makes contact with the mat sensor.
Medication
Your doctor may prescribe medication (synthetic antiduretic hormone – ADH) which slows down the production of urine at night by the kidneys. Medication is generally only used if the above methods have not worked and/or for special events e.g. school camps. Medication is mostly used only for a limited time and is only a short term answer as bedwetting usually resumes after finishing the medication. Most commonly prescribed is desmopressin and is administered as a nasal spray. Recent studies have reported that the use of this medicine is not without risk in some patients. Ask your doctor to fully explain the contraindications of this drug.
DryNites can be used with common treatments
DryNites Pyjama Pants are not a cure for bedwetting, but they are an ideal way to manage this stage until they become dry. In addition they can be used alongside a number of other treatments that may be recommended by health professionals. DryNites Pants will work with all the treatments we have listed above.
If your child has commenced medication for a short period, DryNites Pants also offer reassurance while your doctor is adjusting the dosage to fit your child’s needs. When the doctor begins to take your child off medication, DryNites Pants are also a good backup until success is reached.
Alternative treatments
There are many alternative therapies available to parents of children who wet the bed. We have provided more information about a number of the alternative bedwetting treatments such as hypnotherapy, acupuncture, homeopathy and chiropractic.
