BEDWETTING

Most children begin to stay dry at night around three years of age. When a child has a problem with bedwetting after that age, parents may become concerned.

• Encouraging the child to go to the bathroom before bedtime


• Keep fluid intake to a minimum in the evening.


• Avoid foods or soft drinks containing caffeine as they increase urine output.


• Make sure the child sleeps close to the bathroom for easy access.


• Use a night light so there's no danger of his or her tripping or becoming disoriented when getting up in the night.


• Use plastic pants at night to eliminate the discomfort of wet sheets.


• If you wet your bed when you were a child, let your child know. If he or she understands that bed-wetting may be hereditary, it can ease anxiety and help him or her cope with the condition.


• Discuss the bedwetting problem and methods of treatment with your doctor or pediatrician.


• Have tests done to eliminate other medical problems like urinary tract infection.

Tips:

Never punish a child for wetting the bed. Children often do not have control over bedwetting.

Praise your child for effort as well as for success.

Don't become discouraged. Most bed wetting problems end on their own when the child is four or five