11yo bedwetting, pull-ups vs alarm - Page 2

[noinstructions]

Please, I'd also like to know about that product for my son.

[heartmama]

Ds used pull-ups until around that age--everyone said bed-wetting would end when puberty began and that was exactly true in his case. But ds had some long standing medical issues (heart related) that necessitated lasix (a diuretic) when he was a younger child, which is where the bedwetting probably started (along with his being hypotonic). So in his case there were underlying medical issues--but in the process of discussing the issue with other parents, I know there are many bedwetters right up until puberty--I noticed they started making pull-ups in even larger sizes lately, like up to 100lb kid!

I think it is much less common to be a bedwetter after puberty--though I don't know why.

We never used an alarm because I figured he would outgrow it, and he did. I kind of worried that an alarm would cause sleep disturbances--I just wasn't oaky with the idea. But I know it works extremely well for other kids. Just don't make it a punishment. Approach it as a medical device. Make it a positive experience, never something that is viewed as negative.

P.S. do a forum search--we had a long thread on this issue last year

[Onesmom]

My DS had the same problem, and I took him to doctors and was told there was no medical reason for it. Then I got so frustrated I decided to just keep trying doctors until I got an answer - and the first one I went to diagnosed him with sleep apnea. He was put on a CPAP, then had his tonsils and adenoids removed, and never wet the bed again after his very first night on the CPAP.

Boobybunny is exactly right, there is a hormone our bodies make that shuts off urine production when we sleep. If it isn't working, either we aren't sleeping (like with apnea - we seem to be sleeping, really deeply, but its interrupted even though we don't wake right up) or our hormones are out of whack.

Someone above recommended a Homeopathic doctor. I and my DS have been seeing one for over a year now, and I cannot recommend them enough. My only regret is that I didn't find a good Homeopathic doctor sooner. He has helped us so much, and I have learned so much, that I am eternally grateful.

[2timestrouble]

Originally Posted by boobybunny

There is something medical that can be done for camping trips and overnights with friends..Desmopressin. We never used it all the time, but for two weeks at a time on family trips or when he had friends spend the night. It was cheap too.. so cheap that we never used our insurance for it.. less than 10 bucks for 30 of them. It might be the thing to use at your house if there are issues.

I have several threads about our family's nocturnal enuresis journey. That is the medical term and 2 of 10 11 year olds deal with it. It can be frustrating, temper flaring and shameful to deal with. Take that away. He is not too lazy to get up, he is not immature, he is not emotionally damaged... he will be if there is hostility to him because of this. This is pure and simple a medical condition and one he is old enough to deal with on his own... and he will if he does not feel shamed because of it. The hiding is a sure sign that someone has shamed him..intentionally or not.

The basics for us were
FLEECE FLEECE FLEECE... we used fleece as a bottom sheet with a waterproof mattress pad. a yard and a half of fleece is a twin sized bed.run elastic all around and it will stay on. The biggest benefit to fleece, it washes and dries in a heartbeat.. you can even wash it in the sink and have it dry an hour latter draped over a chair.

and not pullups but a product I bought from a WAHM on this site. They were basically fuzzi bunz with a boxer like cover instead of a diaper. they allowed him to feel wet but not have a puddle for everyone to deal with.. and they were laundered with the rest of the wash.. no big deal. You could add extra inserts if they needed more absorbency.

We tried the alarms, we tried getting him up an hour after he fell asleep, two hours and every hour until we went to bed.. he always seemed to do it.. we stopped liquids after 5 pm, we did holistic meds, counseling.. you name it.. we tried it.

There is a hormone in the body that shuts production of urine down at night. Some people do not produce it in childhood. They will when puberty hits. That was the "cure" for us.

I know you have already said that you took him to the doctor, but for my own experience I can tell you that doctors can be wrong, to how many doctors have you take him? Maybe ask for another opinion could be an option.
I saw in George Lopez (I know, is funny the reference ) and they had a problem like this and the kid (again, I know it was a show but the problem they talk is real) I just can't remember the name.
I also was thinking in something, most likely he does it in her house but she doesn't say so she can say:"you see, is all your fault" ,she may even ask him to say that he doesn't do at her house even if he does.
If this is not a physical problem then maybe an emotional issue, maybe something that doesn't have nothing to do with you or his mom.

[Aquitane]

Sorry I didn't see this on here earlier.

Our DD (age 7) had NEVER been dry at night. We were getting very frustrated and tired of using pull-ups. Also, I have a friend whose 12 year old DD was still wetting the bed, and I was starting to get unsure that my DD would "just grow out of it."

Our ped. suggested an alarm, and also investigating other options.

Currently we are on a plan designed by the Enuresis Treatment Center, which is located in Farmington, Michigan. This therapy has been expensive. I hesitate to post more because I have been "flamed" (in previous posts) for spending $$$ to help my child deal with enuresis.

The underlying problem with our DD is she is a deep sleeper and we had to break that cycle. There are many parts to our therapy, not just using the alarm.

We started the end of March and this week DD is slowly being weaned off the alarm! We were told generally that this therapy takes about 6 months. The only problem I see with your situation is that it must be done consistently EVERY DAY. As it seems that mom might not be up for that, I'm not sure this would be useful.

Believe me, I understand how frustrating this is, and how much more must be added on with DSS's mom not helping out.