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Dr Catherine
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Girl
8-15 years

My child is 10 and is still bedwetting. We have attempted to stop her bedwetting when she was 7 but she only went 3 nights before she was bedwetting again. What are some things we can try to see if we can stop this ? Thank you

While many children do outgrow bedwetting on their own, some children benefit from more formal intervention efforts. The fact that she continues to wet the bed each night suggests that she is not about to achieve nighttime continence on her own. Given the varied causes of bedwetting it is always important to seek medical advice first before embarking on any form of treatment program. Conditioning alarms are currently the safest and most effective means of treating bedwetting. There are a number of different styles available so it is best to meet with a continence advisor first to discuss your daughter's needs. It is important that you do not try and go it alone as the more support and guidance you receive during the treatment phase the greater the likelihood of success. Treatment can take between 3 and 6 months and it is not uncommon for children to experience one or two relapses before achieving permanent continence. When this happens you need to re-introduce the alarm and proceed as before. In the meantime reassure your daughter that this is in no way her fault, build her self-esteem by focusing on all those things that she does well, and minimize any focus on his bedwetting. You can also try and reduce the amount she wets by encouraging her to drink water regularly throughout the day, while reducing (not restricting) the amount she drinks in the evening. Avoid foods high in caffeine such as chocolate and soft drinks as this can stimulate the kidneys. All the best, Dr Cathrine