Nightime Enureis

[MirandaW]

My dd just completed her second week of kindergarten. She really loves meeting new friends and she just loves the structure of school. Her teacher says she is doing great in school, dd is a joy to work with.

However, dd has started wetting the bed at night on a regular basis since school started. I am guessing that the transition from summer to five days a week/ 3 hours a day is a lot to get used to. Additionally, her sister went back to live with her mother for the school year and the girls are very close when she is here. And if that wasn't enough, dd broke her right arm above her elbow about three weeks ago and that has been a huge adjustment for her as well.

Does anyone have any advice? I should also add that dd was very difficult to potty train to begin with. She only was truly day trained about a year and half ago and she is almost six now.

[tausborn]

Hi, sorry I don't have any great advice. All you can do is be patient and understanding. My perfectly day time trained 4-1/2 yo has never made it through the night. We just put a pullup on her and don't worry about it.

Nighttime enureis is so common ... even up to age 8-10. I'm positive that my daughter just can't help it... I've read that some children that seem to be fully potty trained for months can suddenly start to have re occuring nighttime problems. The current thinking seems to be that it is genetic, so it isn't your parenting!

[L.J.]

I've just read that nightime enureis can be caused by an allergy.

Is it possible that as well as all these other things going on she may now be eating something different that could be causing this? Has she been on medication or anything for the broken arm that may be different that she could have a reaction to? Is it possible there's something at the school that she's allergic to?

[MirandaW]

Thanks for the thoughtful replies. I talked with dd and she says that on mornings she has a wet bed, she has a dream that she is on the toilet. I am working with her so she doesn't feel shameful about nighttime accidents. I tell her I only need to know so I can clean up her bed if need be.

She's not on any medication and I think its just the stress of everything going on. I have never been very good about bedtime routines and have started one with her. I asked her what we should do and so far it seems to help. I think she needs to have some quality time with Mom.

[EFmom]

My dd just turned six. She was only night-time trained this past summer. Prior to that, she would wet through a diaper every single night of her life. She was starting to be upset by it, since she and dh go on camping trips with y-guides and she didn't want the other kids to know.

I finally bought one of those alarm systems. It worked way beyond our wildest dreams. She only really ever set the alarm off half a dozen times and it goes off after a drop or two. We never had to even change the sheets.

She wore the alarm for about six weeks before she felt confident enough to sleep without it. We haven't had an accident since.

[mamaduck]

EFMom - when you have sec. could you PM me the info of what system you got, and where to get it? I would really appreciate it. Our ds is in 2nd grade and still hasn't had a dry night in his life. His 3 yo bro. is now dry through the night, and the older one is just miserable over the situation.

[Liz]

Originally posted by MirandaW
I talked with dd and she says that on mornings she has a wet bed, she has a dream that she is on the toilet.

I remember having dreams like this and peeing my bed when I was at least 8! It was a stressful time come to think of it.....

[dotcommama]

EFmom - My ds is almost 6 and has never had a dry night. I just starting looking into the alarms. Would you mind saying which system you purchased, how exactly it worked and what your child thought/felt about it.

Thanks

[EFmom]

dotcommama, the one I bought is described at http://www.bedwettingstore.com/bedwetting-malem.htm That site sells others as well.

There's a sensor that clips to the underwear, and the alarm attaches to the child's shirt or nightgown neckline. The alarm is very sensitive and goes off with the first drop or two of urine. It is very loud (needs to be), so it's a good idea to set it off on purpose a time or two to get used to it.

We had amazing results with a child who had never once had a dry night in her life. The first two or three nights the alarm went off (we took turns sleeping on her floor the first two weeks) once or twice per night. We woke her immediately and went to the bathroom. She had only wet a drop or two. After that, she started to wake on her own more and more. We kept her wearing it for about 2 months, and during that time, the alarm went off less than half a dozen times total. We didn't need to change the sheets even one time.

After the two months, we took the alarm off, and all has been well since. Many nights she wakes up once and uses the bathroom. But increasingly, she's able to sleep all night and stay dry.

I also explained when we started that the alarm would help her bladder talk to her brain, even though her brain was asleep. I used the analogy of her bladder being like a water balloon that needed to be emptied so it didn't overflow. That made sense to her.

She was the driving force behind us buying the alarm. She goes on Y Guides campouts w dh and other children and she was nervous about sneaking the diapers and somebody finding out. She was getting depressed about the whole thing in general. I mentioned the alarm system to see if she was interested, she was very intrigued, and she nagged me until it arrived.

She had no big qualms about it. She was a little nervous about taking it off for fear she'd start wetting the bed again, but no big deal. After the first night of making it to the bathroom with no wetting, she was very proud of herself. I'm kicking myself we didn't go for it a year earlier.

[Caring Touch]

You might want to try a Chiropractor for her. They have a lot of good luck with this sort of thing. The nerves in the pelvis can be out of whack without any physical indications other than neurological problems, like bed wetting and it's not even the kids fault and they feel bad about it.

You can find a Chiropractor in your area at www.icpa4kids.com. They also have some good articles on the subject if you search the site.

Good luck,
Caring Touch

[dotcommama]

EFmom - Thanks for the details. I'm going to talk to my ds and see if he would like to try it. It sounds like a miracle!

[dotcommama]

I wanted to write a follow up.

We got the nighttime sensor and it worked! I can't believe how fast it has worked. He's used it for two weeks, by the end of the second week he was waking up on his own to go to the bathroom and staying dry through the night - the first time in his whole life! He's been dry for the past six days in a row and so proud of himself. This has been a miricle - I had no idea it would work like this!

I wanted to post this here in case someone else was reading these threads thinking about trying it - don't just think - DO IT - it really works! I'm kicking myself for not trying this a year ago!

[EFmom]

dotcommamma, so glad to hear this worked for your son, too!