How do you stop bedwetting?
Photo recommendation: Adolescent boy getting ready for bed (reading a book, sitting with parents, etc)
When bedwetting becomes a problem, our pediatric urology experts at Vamio Health can help develop an effective and personalized pediatric enuresis treatment that makes sense for your child.
Today, there are many successful therapies available to help stop bedwetting
Before creating an enuresis treatment plan, we recommend first visiting with your regular pediatrician to schedule a check-up and determine if there are any underlying medical conditions that may be contributing to bedwetting, such as:
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Delayed bladder maturation
- Structural abnormalities in the bladder or urinary tract
- Anxiety, stress, or trauma
- Diabetes
- ADHD
- Sleep apnea
- Chronic constipation
- Hormonal imbalances
Other factors that may be causing your child’s enuresis include too much fluid intake or caffeine consumption later in the day, or inconsistent sleep schedules and bedtime routines.
Once anything serious is ruled out, our Vamio Health team may recommend a combination of several strategies to prevent bedwetting.
Some strategies that we frequently recommend for nocturnal enuresis treatment are:
- Managing fluid intake throughout the day by prioritizing hydration earlier in the morning and then tapering off fluids later at night. A good formula is often 40% of fluids in the morning, 40% of fluids in the afternoon, and 20% in the evening, but not in the two hours prior to bedtime.
- Avoiding caffeinated and sugary drinks late in the day.
- Establishing a regular bathroom routine before sleep by scheduling urination breaks every 30 minutes in the two to three hours before bedtime, even if they say they don’t have to go.
- Making it easy to access the bathroom during the night by clearing pathways and adding small nightlights as necessary
- Implementing a bedwetting alarm, worn on underwear or pajamas, to help trigger a response in your child as soon as wetness is detected indicating it is time to get up.
If these efforts are unsuccessful and your child is still experiencing frequent bedwetting, then medication may be something to consider as a next option.
Common medications used to treat bedwetting include Desmopressin Acetate (DDAVP) and anticholinergics (Ditropan/Oxybutynin)
- Desmopressin Acetate (DDAVP): reduces how much urine is made at night. It tends to produce an immediate therapeutic reaction, rather than long-term efficacy, which may be good for use during instances like sleepovers or overnight camp.
- Oxybutynin (Ditropan): helps reduce erratic bladder contractions that may lead to urination as well as increases volume of urine that a small bladder can hold.
We will help you determine which bedwetting medication is best suited to your child’s unique needs. Please remember that as with any medication, they must be taken carefully and as directed by your physician.
Sometimes it can be difficult to know when bedwetting becomes a serious issue or just a temporary phase
Vamio Health’s pediatric urology specialists recommend that it is time to seek help from a physician if your child continues to wet the bed regularly and if they express concern or are uncomfortable about their bedwetting.
Contact Vamio Health Today for Virtual Bedwetting Solutions
To schedule a telehealth bedwetting consultation with one of our pediatric urology experts, please contact us here or at 501-412-5069.
